To look after the river effectively, we need to know promptly what is happening along the thirteen miles of walkway from Balerno to Leith. Patrol Volunteers adopt a ‘patch’ of river and walkway and ideally patrol it once a week, keeping a watch for wildlife, walkway usage or any problems.  Pollution is the most urgent case, requiring an immediate call call to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
on 0800 807060.  

Other issues we like to know about are:

• Invasive plant species, such as Giant Hogweed.
• Litter issues, including overflowing bins.
• Debris from building sites.
• Fly-tipping.
• Sewage.
• Other pollution, such as land drains running foul. 
• Fallen trees.
• Vandalism.
  
  

We also want to know about more positive things, such as the presence of birds and animals for our wildlife database which feeds into the national recording system run by The Wildlife Information Centre (TWIC).  

Being a Patroller is easy; you attend a short training session and then fill out an online survey form after each patrol.