Every day, residents of Battlefield walk, run and cycle along the White Cart Water walkway and get the privilege of connecting with nature – even if only for a few minutes at a time. The space has provided us with beautiful greenery for years offering respite from the concrete and red bricks we are surrounded by.

So much of this area is home to not just us humans, but wildlife too: Birds (such as robins, finches, starlings, blue tits, coal tits, dunnocks and even siskins) flit through the hedges in front of us, they can be seen foraging for berries; bees buzz around the hawthorn berries in summer; squirrels delight us as they jump across the branches above from left to right and the corridor of green on either side around us brings calm and peace in a city that can otherwise feel busy and loud.

 Battlefields green spaces are not just nice to look at: they support our residents wellbeing, provide shade in summer, buffer noise and pollution, and form a living wildlife corridor in our neighborhood that make it easy for us to feel connected to nature.

However, recently, large sections of hedging, shrubs and trees have been cut back and removed drastically without any meaningful consultation with local residents – changing the landscape overnight. What was once a sheltered, thriving green walkway has been turned into an exposed, sterile strip of red brick and black concrete. GCC arborists were out previously to tidy up leaves and trim back branches a few times in recent months. Sadly, for whatever reason, removal of these bushes, hedges and plants appears to have been treated as the best option, not a last resort…and in winter, when wildlife is most vulnerable.

It is difficult to see how this level of clearance was necessary. The area was already tidy and the path was usable; safety could have been addressed through limited, targeted work rather than wholesale removal. This is not a one-off, but part of a pattern of repeated winter interventions across the southside, and if it continues unchecked, Battlefield (and indeed Glasgow’s) biodiversity will be steadily eroded one “tidy-up” at a time. Conservation is not the absence of management - it is thoughtfully planned, skilled, proportionate management.

In a city which claims to be committed to creating community led green spaces and to emissions reductions, such devastation to foliage in this way should never be mistaken for maintenance. Therefore, this petition is calling for better decision-making, transparency, and a clear procedure from Glasgow City Council which prioritises biodiversity, wildlife, and residents views, and maintains or restores existing habitat wherever possible - in line with Scotland’s climate commitments and rewilding goals.

What this petition is asking Glasgow City Council to do

1. Pause all non-essential hedge/tree removal and severe cutting during winter (except immediate safety risks)
2. Investigate why all of the hedges and trees and moss and leaves were removed on White Cart Water Walkway
3. Ask an environmental officer to co duct an impact assessment for the cumulative biodiversity loss around Carmichael Place and the river walkway and make that report publicly available to the local community councils
4. Introduce a clearer decision process: habitat-first approach, removal only as a last resort, with written justification where possible
5. Commit to carrying out and publish basic ecological checks before works (wildlife/habitat considerations and timing)
6. Consult residents in advance where works will materially change a greenspace or wildlife corridor
7. Commit to restoration: replant native hedging/shrubs and create a recovery plan with timelines
8. Install practical mitigation where habitat has been removed (e.g., bird boxes, habitat piles where safe)
9. Provide transparency on what triggered recent works including copies of any complaints, which team authorised or requested the removal, what assessments were used if any, and what will change going forward to prevent this happening again across Glasgow

The impact if left unchecked:

For wildlife (birds, squirrels and more):

• Loss of shelter in winter: dense hedges are critical roosting cover that reduces wind chill and exposure
• Loss of food: hawthorn berries (haws), rosehips, sloes and other hedge fruits are winter fuel; removing them forces birds to travel further and burn energy
• Higher predation risk: without quick escape cover, birds are more exposed to predators (and pets)
• Corridor collapse: hedges and shrubs act as “green highways” linking habitats; cutting them back fragments territory and pushes wildlife into fewer remaining pockets

For insects and pollinators (and the food chain):

• Fewer flowers = fewer pollinators: hawthorn blossom is an important spring resource for bees and other pollinators; removal reduces local nectar/pollen availability which is bad for the butterlflies and bees
• Loss of overwintering habitat: leaf litter, hedge bases and rough vegetation shelter insects through winter (eggs/larvae/adults). Clearing leaves and cutting to stubs removes this refuge
• Knock-on effects: fewer insects means less food for birds, especially during breeding season when chicks depend on caterpillars and other invertebrates

For people and neighbourhood wellbeing:

• Mental health & stress relief: access to everyday nature is proven to support wellbeing; stripping green spaces removes a local “sanctuary.
• Shade and cooling: mature shrubs/trees reduce summer heat and glare, making walking/cycling more comfortable and safer
• Noise, privacy and air quality: hedges buffer sound, increase privacy for nearby homes, and help trap dust/particulates from traffic

For the climate and Scotland’s environment:

• Carbon and air pollution: trees/shrubs store carbon and absorb CO₂ over time; removing established growth reduces that capacity and delays recovery for years
• Weaker climate resilience: less vegetation means less cooling, less moisture retention, and more vulnerability to heatwaves, flooding and biodiversity decline
• Undermines nature recovery goals: repeated winter clearance runs counter to rewilding and biodiversity commitments

Pending the outcome of this petition to GCC, I am also going to file a petition to ask that the Scottish Government/Parliament:

• Require councils/contractors to complete and record a pre-works wildlife check (and halt/adjust works if risk is identified),

• Require a native replanting / habitat recovery plan after removals, and

• Ensure councils report how they’re meeting the biodiversity duty in day-to-day greenspace management.

By signing, you’re standing up for Glasgow’s wellbeing, biodiversity, and the rights of local communities to have their say in changes to our shared green spaces. After all, “People Make Glasgow”.