Lothian Esk Catchment Partnership

Overview

A new partnership has been formed to help restore nature and address climate change in the Lothian Esk River catchment area. The Lothian Esk Catchment Partnership (LECP) comprises the Forth Rivers Trust, East Lothian Council, Midlothian Council, NatureScot, SEPA, and Scottish Water and aims to harness collective expertise, collaborate and co-ordinate resources to build resilience against climate change and biodiversity loss, creating a healthier, more sustainable future for the catchment’s communities, wildlife, and habitats.

As part of the LECP, Forth Rivers Trust secured £91,000 from Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, in late 2024, with funding contributions from East Lothian Council, Midlothian Council, SEPA, and Scottish Power Energy Networks.

This grant funding will enable the Partnership to start to develop a ‘catchment route map’ to identify potential actions, tackle catchment challenges and lay the groundwork for restoration measures in the future. Using tools such as habitat baselining, biodiversity recording, and flood modelling to identify opportunities for nature-based solutions, the project will also engage with community groups, land managers, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment with existing initiatives and ambitions.

Funders

This project is funded thanks to the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot. This project has also been match-funded and supported by partners including Midlothian Council, East Lothian Council, SEPA, and Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN).