About Edinburgh and Getting to the Venue
Edinburgh City
Scotland’s historic capital is set on the central-east coast and boasts an impressive suite of scientific and cultural attractions. Split into the ‘New Town’ and the UNESCO Heritage listed ‘Old Town’, Edinburgh is a vibrant mix of history and modernity. The diverse architecture and geology of the city create a remarkable skyline, dominated by the impressive Edinburgh Castle that sits atop the plug of an ancient volcano dating to 350Ma. Locally, the city is affectionately referred to as ‘Auld Reekie (Old Smokey)’, due to the days when smoke from coal and peat fires hung over the city like fog. Edinburgh is also home to the Scottish government, devolved since 1999, and based at Holyrood Park.
Things to do
Edinburgh is one of the most popular destinations in Europe, with a huge number of museums, galleries, and events. Top attractions to visit in the city include the National Museum of Scotland, the National Galleries, Edinburgh Zoo, and the Palace of Holyrood. There are also numerous walking and bus top city tours.
Wildlife conservation in Edinburgh
The city has many green spaces, including Holyrood Park, Duddingston Loch, Johnston Terrace Wildlife Reserve and the Royal Botanic Gardens. These provide islands of habitat within the urban environment, representing areas of wildflower meadows and wetlands. Outside the city limits, grey seals and cetaceans may be spotted at Inchcolm Island and in the Firth of Forth, along with an array of seabirds. More information can be found at Scottish Wildlife Trust.
Edinburgh is home to Edinburgh Conservation Science (ECOS) consortium, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the Botanic Gardens (RGBE) and the Conservation Science Group at the University of Edinburgh.