Inspiring community heritage and climate action

We were delighted to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero & Just Transition, Màiri McAllan MSP in Edinburgh at Harrison pontoon today as part of her Climate Week engagement activities. 

The visit coincided with a community engagement activity being delivered through our new Our Heritage, Our Future programme and was hosted by Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust (FCCT). 

During the visit, with Ms McAllan onboard Lochrin Belle Canal Boat, we co-delivered a community engagement session FCCT where we piloted Historic Environment Scotland's new Your Historic Place Lens for the Place Standard Tool and discussed the impacts of climate change on the heritage assets on and around the canal.  

Through the engagement discussions the participants explored and discussed how increasing weather patterns and storms were impacting on the built heritage assets alongside the canal due to their sandstone constructions and how increased temperatures and an unpredictable climate is affecting the canal’s surrounding biodiversity and natural environment.

Furthermore, Ms McAllan was able to hear from FCCT about the sustainability work being carried out and the role the historic environment has in the future of the area and how this will be affected by climate change.

Our Heritage, Our Future is our new programme of multi-faceted, community-based engagement with heritage within a number of locales across Scotland. Communities will come together to explore their unique heritage be it built, natural or intangible. Working with each community, we will co-create a Community Heritage Climate Action Plan specific to the needs of that place, and deliver skills sessions to equip them with the tools they need to record, conserve or protect their heritage against the impacts of climate change.

Catherine Gee, our Deputy Chief Executive, said: “An often unforgotten and unnoticed issue when we discuss climate change impacts is the rich and diverse natural, built and cultural heritage in Scotland. It was inspiring and interesting to hear the group today discuss the real impacts that are being felt now.

"Climate change is destroying ancient buildings and structures and disrupting the nature and biodiversity that has for so long been thriving in these places. That is why it’s fantastic we are able to support communities across Scotland through the Our Heritage, Our Future programme so that they understand more about climate change and plan to protect Scotland’s heritage."

Our Heritage, Our Future is made possible with Historic Environment Scotland and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

Visit Our Heritage, Our Future | Keep Scotland Beautiful to learn more about our work to inspire community heritage and climate action.