History of ECBA
2003/4 - Project Conception
The Edinburgh Community Backgreens Initiative was conceived and developed by Greig Robertson (an Edinburgh based social entrepreneur), in 2003 following a research trip to Denmark and Sweden. In 2004, Greig promoted the community backgreen model to housing associations around Scotland, this resulted in the development of a feasibility study with Canmore Housing Association into the relevance of the model to the Scottish context. Greig delivered the study through his consultancy Re:Solution.
The target area for the study was the Gorgie and Dalry area of Edinburgh as this is was Canmore Housing Associations traditional area of operation. The study found that 20% of backgreens were practically derelict and a further 50% were not meeting their potential. The study also resulted in the identification of pilot sites and the further development of the community backgreens model.
2005/6 - Action Research Project
Greig Robertson raised funds to start work at two pilot sites (Wheatfield and Cherrytree), and was contracted by the Community Backgreen Associations established at each site. The project included the provision of a range of services including a workshop leader at each site, project management, community liaison, fundraising, networking with stakeholder bodies and landscape design.
Residents around each site were invited to participate in volunteer workshops to regenerate the backgreens that started in July and ran till October. Two workshops a week were held each at each site, one during weekday evenings and another on weekend afternoons. Volunteer attendance was documented at each workshop. Small tool sheds was installed and equipped with tools and equipment. Approximately 45 households participated at both sites. The clearance of the sites was complete by October 2005. Approximately 5 tonnes of rubbish and 3 tonnes of green waste were removed from the sites.
Greig Robertson held a number of design workshops at each site during November and December 2005. Agreement was reached on the types of features that would be put in place at each site, this together with the research carried out during the feasibility study and the earlier research in Denmark formed the basis of the community backgreens model. Later in 2005, an umbrella body - Edinburgh Green Caretakers Action Group (EGCAG), was established to represent the two associations.
The workshops restarted at Wheatfield and Cherrytree in April 2006 and ran till October. Re:Solution employed Sam Ansell and Rupert Hoskinson as workshop leaders. The workshops implemented the community backgreen designs prepared over the Winter - wood edging and mulch for the forest garden areas was laid. Participation dropped through 2006 to approximately 23 households participated at both sites. By the end of October 2006, forest garden areas had been mulched and the fruit trees and fruit bushes had been planted throughout the entire Cherrytree site and 3/5 of Wheatfield site.
In May 2006, EGCAG became the Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association (ECBA), an unincorporated association. In August 2006 ECBA was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. The move to incorporation was necessitated by the growth of the initiative and the requirements of large scale funders for the organisation to be better regulated.
2007 - Growth to Seven SitesIn 2007 ECBA started working at five new community backgreen sites in Gorgie Dalry, Caleys, Orwell, Appletree, Murieston, and Slateford. Work continued at the two pilot sites, Cherrytree and Wheatfield. The initiative was largely funded during 2007 by a grant received from the INCREASE fund to install in-vessel community composting facilities at six sites of the seven sites. The Slateford site did not get a composting facility as it was too small. The fund paid for the creation of community greens at each site, installation of a 'co-shed' and the purchase of eight A500 Rocket composters.
We also moved to new offices at 5 Rose Street. The building is owned by the Ethical Property Company and has been purpose designed to provide a home for third sector organisations. Its city central location and shared resources will improve the way ECBA can work.
2008 - An Opportunity To Revise Our Approach Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in our application for large scale funding in 2008, so we were unable to start at new sites. However, we did receive some funding from the Scottish Community Foundation which enabled us to retain staff to maintain the initiative. After a hectic period of growth the previous year, 2008 was a year for consolidation, improvement of administrative functions, development of the community backgreen model (Backgreen Blitz, Grow Your Own and Carbon Weight Watchers), the website, and of course more funding applications. During 2008 ECBA continued to provide monthly workshops at its existing sites.