Nature Play Nature Conservation Project

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh are creating a Nature Play area within the Garden. This project is part of a wider programme to transform an area of the

Nature Play: Nature Conservation project

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh are looking to create a permanent Nature Play area within the Garden. This project is part of a wider programme to transform an area of the Garden into a valuable community resource.

The aim of the Nature Play: Nature Conservation project is to inform practice guidelines in achieving a balance between establishing and maintaining habitats for biodiversity while, at the same time, creating opportunities for children and their families to have close contact with nature.

During the research, observed sessions will be look at the impacts of play behaviours on nature conservation in the context of a Botanical Garden. The study will also look at how visitors to the Garden, both children and adults, interact with nature.

We are hosting 6 research sessions over 6 months, each with a different intervention as a focus for each session. These are as follows:


Wood Listen Stone Meadow Earth Water

Clare, the researcher on this project from the University of Edinburgh, will observe the visitors at the interventions and record their behaviours, positioning and the way they interact in the setting. Sarah, also from the University will support this role and use some of the data in her Masters thesis.

Sabine, our film-maker will record visitors using the interventions and her footage will be used to support the research and in the production of an accompanying film. If you prefer not to be recorded, please let us know. By signing in and wearing a name badge you give consent for yourself and your child to be filmed.

Additional volunteers from The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), a partner in this study, may also observe interactions from time to time.

We ask for your email details in order that we can contact you after your visit with a follow-up questionnaire.

This is a joint research project:

Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh - Ian Edwards
University of Edinburgh - Researchers: Clare Nugent and Sarah Hutcheon
Film-maker /photographer - Sabine Hellmann
Community Engagement /Participant recruitment - Jaimie MacDonald
The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)

The research is funded by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK


We want to invite you and your child /children (5 years and under) along to these FREE events. Older children are welcome but the research is not focused on them.

Themed FREE events will take place on :

Tues 29th April- Wood
Wed 21st May- Listen
Mon 23rd June- Stone
Mon 28th July- Meadow
*w /c August 25th- Earth
*w /c September 22nd- Water

10-12pm and 2-4pm


We would love to see you and your child /children at as many of the events as possible!

Register online for any of the above dates at http://natureplayconserve. eventbrite. co. uk /

*These dates will be confirmed and details posted on the project facebook page