ABOUT EDINBURGH SHORELINE
Exploring and celebrating the city’s 27km coastline
How we got here
Edinburgh Shoreline was conceived in 2016 by a small group of friends concerned about the condition of their city’s coast.
In spite of having a 27 kilometres coast with an amazing history and internationally important designations for wildlife, Edinburgh was known as having ‘turned its back on the sea’. Vital marine resources and livelihoods on which communities had long depended were lost and new coastal development and engineered sea-defences were threatening the shrinking intertidal zone.
We discovered a fascinating and largely unknown history and pockets of rich plant and animal life surviving against the odds in unexpected places.
We raised money, formed partnerships, and delivered a string of coastal projects including coastal meadows, murals, information boards, community events, a film and a summer long exhibition at the Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh.
We became formally constituted as a charity in 2021, have been a key player in the Restoration Forth project and are part of Scotland’s vital Coastal Communities Network (CCN).
OUR IMPACT
Reconnecting and reviving the Forth
Few realise Edinburgh has a coast, let alone one rich in natural life, history and community. As sea levels rise and the city evolves, we face a choice: neglect this legacy or reimagine a maritime future that restores nature, honours the past, and reconnects people with the sea.
Wildlife
Edinburgh once had 50 sq miles of oyster beds and, in 1889, an immense shoal of 230 million young whiting covered the 36 miles between Oscar Rocks west of Granton and the far side of the Isle of May. We have ravaged the landscape of the Forth and its marine environment. We have fished the estuary dry and used it as a cess pit. But there is hope. Species cling on in small pockets – in rock pools, on derelict land – and can be revived if protected or re-introduced intelligently. It is vital that we all understand the threats and opportunities around conserving and restoring, and act.
Places
As a once-maritime city, Edinburgh’s coast is rich in history, particularly fishing. There are fascinating remains of forgotten industries such as glassworks, ropeworks and salt pans; railways, war fortifications. We found a Martello tower, built in 1809 to defend the docks against invasion during the Napoleonic Wars (now sadly inaccessible to the public.) There are two important coastal fossil beds (and a 75ft Araucaria fossil tree – no longer visible). Scotland’s first marine laboratory – the “Ark” floated off the coast. We have been trying to record memories and celebrate some of this. New coastal ‘places’ under development need to feel equally ‘maritime‘ and valuable. How will they and the city respond to current issues such as climate change and sea level rise?
People
Since the first settlers discarded their empty seashells around Cramond nearly 10,000 years ago, people lived sustainably beside the Forth and made their living from it. In the last two centuries we reshaped the land to meet the needs of industry, and the sea has served corporations rather than communities. We were surprised that many visitors didn’t realise Edinburgh had a coast. It may not immediately provide income and jobs for local communities but this can be changed, and new enterprises can be seen in other coastal cities. Access to the coast, a sense of ownership and belonging can significantly contribute to health and well-being.
Meet the team
Karen Chambers
With degrees in both the arts and sciences, much of Karen’s professional focus has been on the interface between people and the natural environment, inspiring understanding and participation, particularly relating to bringing nature into city areas. Previously Vice Chair of Scottish Wildlife Trust, responsible for the 40 local groups and children’s groups, Karen is currently Chair of Edinburgh Shoreline and very happy being involved in addressing crucial marine issues. Her main role is helping stimulate community engagement through creative projects.
Leonie Alexander
Nature has always been a fundamental part of Leonie’s life ever since she was a child. Career choices reflect this studying Zoology and Resource Management, working for NGOs and Government Agencies and finally setting up an Ecological Consultancy (The Wildlife Partnership) where she worked with colleagues for over 25 years undertaking habitat and protected species surveys, Ecological Impact Assessments, habitat creation work. She then took on the role of Urban Biodiversity Officer for RBGE where the focus was more on people and wildlife in a city context and that is where Edinburgh Shoreline was born! Terrestrial ecosystems have been her main focus but she is now fully immersed in the coast and marine ecosystems. She also has a great interest in food and health and is a founder member of Lauriston AgroEcology Farm (https://www.lauristonfarm.scot/).
Rosslyn Barr
Rosslyn loves nature and has always been inspired by the ocean. A zoology graduate, specialising in marine biology, Rosslyn spent 20 years in the corporate Financial Services world focused on strategy execution and change management before returning to the environmental sector. Her current roles include volunteer and Trustee Secretary and team member of Edinburgh Shoreline, Chair of Project Seagrass Board and Council Member for Coastal Communities Network Scotland (CCN), In all roles she aims to create opportunities for people from all walks of life to enjoy our beautiful oceans and participate in their conservation, starting with her children, grandchildren and friends.
Lucy Metcalfe
Throughout Lucy’s career as a primary school teacher, and since, she has enjoyed engaging children with nature, both through hands-on restoration, tree planting and wilding projects, and through song. Drawn to the music, culture and seagoing history of the Edinburgh coastline where she now lives, she continues to look for ways to raise awareness of their importance in focusing people’s attention on the care of our shoreline today. As a trustee of Edinburgh Shoreline, she hopes to help everyone, especially today’s children feel inspired to work towards a healthier future for our oceans.
Charlotte Barr
With over a decade of experience as a childhood practitioner, Charlotte is deeply passionate about nurturing meaningful connections between children, families, and the natural world. She has completed a range of courses including those focused on sustainability, outdoor learning, and rocky shore ecology, and brings this knowledge into her practice to encourage curiosity, environmental responsibility, and hands-on exploration. Her work is rooted in community engagement, with a strong focus on culture, heritage, and coastal awareness. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, animals, and wild spaces, Charlotte believes in the power of nature to inspire learning and support wellbeing.
Andrew Duncan
Apart from a short initial spell of teaching Biology and Chemistry at secondary school, Andy has spent an enjoyable and rewarding career in Clinical Biochemistry working in NHS hospitals in Shrewsbury, Brighton and for the most part at Glasgow where he established a UK-wide specialist Gastroenterology Laboratory and then as clinical director of the NHS Scotland trace element laboratory. Although now retired, he continues his trace element research interests through an honorary fellowship at Edinburgh University. He currently acts as the Edinburgh Shoreline treasurer, but his main interests are his loopy wife (Leonie) and his cat Loopi.
Reports & Policies
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