Edinburgh is rich in amazing green spaces such as Holyrood Park, the Meadows and the Water of Leith, and many formerly traditional municipal parks are now much more ecologically diverse.

Living near and having acccess to green spaces is good for human wellbeing, and this is often used to argue for investment in nature.

But what about the wellbeing of other species – animals and plants of all kinds? Saman Sobhani, PhD Candidate at Aberystwyth University argues:

Instead of asking how nature can make cities better for humans, urban planners should consider what cities owe the many species that already live in them.

This is where the idea of “multispecies justice” comes in. It starts from a different premise, where animals, plants and ecosystems are not simply amenities that provide benefits to people. They are co-inhabitants of places we share.

The challenge for planners is to decide whether they’ll continue to design cities primarily around human needs, adding nature where it provides a benefit, or begin to treat the flourishing of other species as a legitimate consideration in its own right.

What's happening in Edinburgh's green spaces at the moment? Who are they being designed and managed for, and why?

And what about the spaces between the official ‘green spaces’? What about the gardens, buildings, roadsides – both of new developments and in existing neighbourhoods – how could they welcome and support more wildlife?

We'd love to discuss these questions with people working on these issues and anyone curious about how Edinburgh can be a better place for people and nature to thrive.

Join us on this Netwalk for Changemakers!

What if Edinburgh was designed for wildlife as well as people?

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