10,000 Raingardens: Glasgow Pilot

Grantee: Central Scotland Green Network Trust

What we set out to achieve

The 10,000 Raingardens for Scotland (Glasgow pilot) will work intensively with the community around Queensland Gardens in North Cardonald, to produce bespoke, costed, raingarden designs for the area around Queensland Garden.

Where did the idea for the project come from?

The 10,000 Raingardens for Scotland campaign has been modelled on similar successful projects in Melbourne, Philadelphia and Portland, and aims to establish raingardens as a standard method of dealing with surface water management, flood alleviation and greenspace creation within Scotland. The Glasgow Pilot Project is the first phase of the National campaign, and will begin the process of raising awareness of raingardens as a concept, a feasible option and a solution to water management. It will focus on community and public engagement, learning lessons to take forward into Phase 2, developing raingarden plans and designs, disseminating and promoting guidance on creating small scale raingardens, and gathering real data on the effectiveness of a range of raingardens features in the Scottish environment.

How communities have helped us develop our ideas

The Glasgow pilot will work intensively with the community around Queensland Gardens in North Cardonald, to produce bespoke, costed, raingarden designs for the area around Queensland Garden. Some of these interventions will be constructed as part of the project, involving the community again in the installation and planting where possible. The second element to the project will be a wider public engagement and media campaign, starting the process of general awareness raising, by attending events across Glasgow and producing more general marketing materials, resources and guides.

How our project fits into the bigger picture

Parts of Glasgow regularly experience flooding and surface water management issues, which the current drain and sewer system struggles to cope with. This project is needed in order to trial, monitor and disseminate the ability of raingardens and nature-based systems to alleviate the impact of flooding. 

The project will contribute to policies and plans in Glasgow, including the City Development Plan, Flood Risk Management Plans, Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Plan, Adaptation strategy, Local Biodiversity Action Plan and Openspace Strategy. It will also contribute to National planning policy, climate change policies, and objectives within the Central Scotland Green Network.

The project will also sit alongside and capitalise on the awareness of GI created in the area by the GI Funded Halfway Community Park at Moss Heights, around half a kilometre away from Queensland Gardens.

Where we would like our project to lead us

This project is also intended as a true pilot, to inform and guide a wider project in other areas. Therefore, beyond the life of this GICEF project, we aim to extend the project out into other areas within the CSGN, working with Scottish Water and other Local Authorities in particular.