Natural Connections

11/05/2026

📢 Community Engagement Summit – Tackling Litter & Fly Tipping

Residents, community groups, representative groups, residents associations, and local/national agencies are invited to attend a Community Engagement Summit on Tuesday 2nd June at Ross High Rugby Club.

The summit will focus on working together to prevent and address issues relating to litter and fly tipping across our communities.

Two identical sessions will be available to help as many people as possible attend:
🕑 Afternoon Session: 2pm – 4pm
🌙 Evening Session: 6pm – 8pm

There is no need to attend both sessions, as the same content will be covered in each.

If you are interested in attending, please confirm by emailing:
📧 [email protected]

Please share this information with anyone who may wish to get involved in helping keep our communities clean and welcoming. 🌍♻️

11/05/2026

We are delighted to announce that The Tranent Tree Town project being led by the charity Natu-ral Connections in partnership with East Lothian Council has been awarded three years funding from the Urban Forestry Challenge Fund from Future Woodlands Scotland (FWS).

Tranent currently has one of the lowest levels of tree cover in East Lothian and Natural Connec-tions, which has developed The Heugh Community Garden in Tranent over the past nine years, will now lead local community groups and volunteers in the bid to plant at least 3000 trees/shrubs a year over the next three years.
The charity has 1000 trees ready to go at the Heugh Garden and plans to source more from the Woodland Trust. For the project’s future sustainability, it intends to establish a tree nursery to grow their own trees.

It is hoped Tranent Tree Town will create a model which can be rolled out across other commu-nities in the county in need of greater urban tree canopy cover.

Following guidance from the council’s Tree and Woodland Strategy for the project will work to-wards the 3-30-300 rule by fostering a network of smaller and underused open space sites for planting. This includes planting street trees, creating ‘pocket parks’ and civic frontages near lo-cations such as libraries, care homes and medical practices, and identifying areas of green-space within housing estates with potential for tree canopy expansion, in partnership with the council.
The planting will involve volunteers, including from Heugh Garden as well as local schools, groups and organisations. Residents will be encouraged to take part, and a project aim is to set up an ongoing ‘Tree Warden’ scheme.

Russell McLarty, chair of Natural Connections, said: “The Tranent Tree Town project is a part-nership project between Natural Connections charity and East Lothian Council. Tranent has some of the lowest tree cover in East Lothian and this funding will support us in planting more trees in residential areas, schools, and community spaces.
“We aim to create nature corridors across town and increase biodiversity for the benefit of peo-ple and wildlife. We are delighted to be supported by the Urban Forestry Challenge Fund from Future Woodlands Scotland.”

Eamon John, the council’s Head of Communities & Partnerships, said: “East Lothian Council is proud to work in partnership with Natural Connections on this community-led, nature-based en-hancement project in Tranent, to deliver climate, nature and health and wellbeing benefits locally.
“We are very grateful to Future Woodlands Scotland for the award of this funding, and we are looking forward to taking this project forward.”

01/05/2026

We are absolutely delighted to be part of this project in conjunction with East Lothian Council.
🪾🌳🌲

A community-driven tree planting project in Tranent has received nearly £79,000 from the Urban Forestry Challenge Fund provided by Future Woodlands Scotland (FWS).
The Tranent Tree Town scheme is being led by the charity Natural Connections in partnership with us.
Tranent currently has one of the lowest levels of tree cover in East Lothian.
The Urban Forestry Programme run by FWS aims to enhance urban areas across the country by increasing tree cover and green spaces. The programme focuses on the 3-30-300 rule whereby everyone should be able to see three trees from their home while every neighbourhood has a 30 per cent tree canopy cover and quality green space within 300 metres.
Natural Connections, which has developed The Heugh Community Garden in Tranent over the past nine years, will now lead local community groups and volunteers in the bid to plant at least 3000 trees/shrubs annually over the next three years.
The charity has 1000 trees ready to go at the Heugh Garden and plans to source more from the Woodland Trust. For the project’s future sustainability, it intends to establish a tree nursery to grow their own trees.
It is hoped Tranent Tree Town will create a model which can be rolled out across other communities in the county in need of greater urban tree canopy cover.
More info: https://orlo.uk/gBx9v

19/11/2025

06/10/2025

Tranent Tree Town 🌳🌲
Come and join us from 2pm till 4pm on Friday, 10th October to explore our ideas for Tranent Tree Town.

We plan to make a funding application to The Urban Forestry Challenge Fund with a view to developing a major planting programme. Forming partnerships with local groups, we aim to involve 1000 residents in planting and caring for trees and hedges over a 3-year period.

We'd love if you could join us and share your ideas.

06/10/2025

We loved being part of this celebration.
Great to see the garden buzzing with people, all interested in the same goal. 🌳🦔🌱

11/09/2025

📅 Save the Date!
As part of Scotland’s Climate Week 2025, we’re delighted to invite you to the Climate Week ELCAN Gathering.
📍Wednesday 1 October 2025 at The Fraser Centre, Tranent
An evening of connection, inspiration, live music, and food — bringing together climate action across East Lothian.
➡️ Free tickets available via our website or: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/eastlothianclimatehub1/1803314

26/08/2025

21/07/2025

Sure to be a great event 🐸🪻

Interested in nature and food growing? Want to see how this can look in an urban environment and hear about plans and visions for an urban wildlife corridor? Come to this summer event in Tranent, with music, pizza and a community roundtable.

*Celebrating Wildlife and Food Growing in Tranent - Sat 23rd August, 1-4pm*

Join us for a lively afternoon celebrating wildlife and food growing initiatives in Tranent.

This will be a walking tour starting at the Waggonway path, with stops along the way including at the Forest Garden. Ending at the Heugh community garden, with music, pizza and a community roundtable. This event is organised by the Tranent Wombles, Natural Connections and East Lothian Climate Climate Hub.

This is a free event. Children to be accompanied by an adult; wheelchair accessible; dogs on leads welcome.

Route and timings on event site below.
You dont need to register but it helps us to plan:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/eastlothianclimatehub1/1749819?fbclid=IwY2xjawLrMRRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFIN0hsTmJyNzdYNlNvSVlmAR6e1ZuSlSrj7aXNhj-LinRcz_xdDJ4J7oq2hz49evreunqjAKm3l1m62rGUxQ_aem_GrfKq2Hj8DsSk-H1eDYhvQ