Graphic designer’s innovative map links green spaces across Edinburgh in an eye-catching way.
By Isla Whateley
A new map in the style of the London Underground map was created in October, connecting Edinburgh’s green spaces.
Graphic designer Helen Ilus created the Edinburgh ‘Greenground’ after the success of her first, which mapped similar green spaces in London.
She said: “The original idea was just to help people to find more parks, be healthier, walk and cycle more, but over 2020 we have seen that spending time in green spaces is one of the few things we can still do. I’m glad this map has inspired people during the pandemic, and I hope it reaches many more people.”
The map covers around 220 of Edinburgh’s open spaces and is connected by nine “lines”.
As Edinburgh is so close to the countryside, Ms Ilus decided to include the Pentland Hills.
Helen’s first Greenground map of London took her around 200 hours but the Edinburgh map took around half that time.
She added: “I thought how wonderful it would be, if a tube map would be a walking and cycling map connecting parks instead of stations.”
Helen uses Google Maps and other resources such as the City of Edinburgh Council’s Parks and Gardens list to design the map.
Green spaces have always been central to cities, but their importance has amplified during the pandemic.
Green councillor for Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart Gavin Corbett, says these spaces have become more significant than ever in 2020. The Council have subsequently started the Thriving Green Spaces project – a 30-year strategy which will determine how Edinburgh’s green spaces need to change so that they play an active role in delivering greater benefits to health and wellbeing, active travel and biodiversity.
Corbett said: “I’ve lost count of the number of times that people have said how much having a park, a local hill, or even a canal or riverside on their doorstep has made a difference and helped them get through the last few months.”
He added: “We tend to think of biodiversity as a rural thing, but actually urban green spaces are real havens for wildlife. We need to get a better understanding of just how important they are for all sorts of plants and animals, and how much people relish it. Just look at the sheer joy that people have got from the otters by the Water of Leith by Saughton Park!”
To view a full PDF version of the Edinburgh Greenground map, click here.
