Posted on:
26 February 2025
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Scottish Water and Friends of the Pentlands volunteers team up at Glencorse Reservoir
26 February 2025
Partnership working
Together the volunteers planted around 400 native broadleaf saplings across a 0.5 hectare area sitting above Glencorse Reservoir.
A team of Scottish Water volunteers have joined forces with a local environmental charity to help plant hundreds of trees near Glencorse Reservoir.
The event saw around 20 staff get involved in the scheme, joining volunteers from Friends of the Pentlands who helped provide equipment and expertise, and together they planted around 400 native broadleaf saplings such as oak and birch across a 0.5 hectare area which sits above the reservoir.
The project is part of a wider woodland creation programme that Scottish Water is delivering to help protect water quality at its reservoirs in the face of climate change and improve biodiversity on its sites, as well as locking up carbon emissions.
Scottish Water project manager Steve Garbett said: “Ensuring that we work together with local organisations and charities is a key part of our woodland creation programme and it was great to link up with Friends of the Pentlands to organise this event.
“Together we planted a mix of around 400 native broadleaf trees which will complement the existing native ancient woodland at the site, while also tying in with the University of Edinburgh’s Rullion Green Wood scheme, creating that valuable wildlife corridor between the two woodlands and making sure they are joined up and not separate.”
General Manager Zero Emissions at Scottish Water, Elise Cartmell, added: “Through our woodland creation programme we want to ensure we are protecting the water quality in our reservoirs by stabilising the soil on the surrounding land, improving biodiversity and helping to lock up those carbon emissions that we can’t entirely reduce from our essential processes.
“It was great to get hands on as part of the planting team at Glencorse and brilliant to see more of our projects being delivered at a local level across Scotland.”
Scottish Water staff are entitled to spend two days volunteering each year, helping to engage with communities and support a flourishing Scotland.
Hamish Clark, a volunteer with Friends of the Pentlands, said: “Friends of the Pentlands were very pleased to join Scottish Water planting these trees. The main Scottish Water objectives of the woodland creation programme in relation to carbon reduction, response to climate change, and improvement of biodiversity and water quality align with those of Friends of the Pentlands.
“In years to come, these trees will further enhance the very attractive view above Glencorse reservoir enjoyed by the many visitors to this popular part of the Pentlands.”
The event saw around 20 staff get involved in the scheme, joining volunteers from Friends of the Pentlands who helped provide equipment and expertise, and together they planted around 400 native broadleaf saplings such as oak and birch across a 0.5 hectare area which sits above the reservoir.
The project is part of a wider woodland creation programme that Scottish Water is delivering to help protect water quality at its reservoirs in the face of climate change and improve biodiversity on its sites, as well as locking up carbon emissions.
Scottish Water project manager Steve Garbett said: “Ensuring that we work together with local organisations and charities is a key part of our woodland creation programme and it was great to link up with Friends of the Pentlands to organise this event.
“Together we planted a mix of around 400 native broadleaf trees which will complement the existing native ancient woodland at the site, while also tying in with the University of Edinburgh’s Rullion Green Wood scheme, creating that valuable wildlife corridor between the two woodlands and making sure they are joined up and not separate.”
General Manager Zero Emissions at Scottish Water, Elise Cartmell, added: “Through our woodland creation programme we want to ensure we are protecting the water quality in our reservoirs by stabilising the soil on the surrounding land, improving biodiversity and helping to lock up those carbon emissions that we can’t entirely reduce from our essential processes.
“It was great to get hands on as part of the planting team at Glencorse and brilliant to see more of our projects being delivered at a local level across Scotland.”
Scottish Water staff are entitled to spend two days volunteering each year, helping to engage with communities and support a flourishing Scotland.
Hamish Clark, a volunteer with Friends of the Pentlands, said: “Friends of the Pentlands were very pleased to join Scottish Water planting these trees. The main Scottish Water objectives of the woodland creation programme in relation to carbon reduction, response to climate change, and improvement of biodiversity and water quality align with those of Friends of the Pentlands.
“In years to come, these trees will further enhance the very attractive view above Glencorse reservoir enjoyed by the many visitors to this popular part of the Pentlands.”
