As part of a commitment to providing opportunities to support community projects within the area of Scottish Plant Health, the Plant Health Centre has forged a partnership with Lauriston Agroecology Farm in Edinburgh. This collaboration aims to bolster biosecurity practices at the farm, a hundred acre cooperative with 50 community allotment spaces, dedicated to food growing, biodiversity, and community.

Funds from the PHC will be allocated to conducting workshops throughout the growing season and formulating plant health biosecurity protocols tailored to the community, aligning with the PHC's Key Principles. Each of the 4 workshops will have fun practical activities for plot-holders, visitors and volunteers and will be accompanied by a written protocol for farm staff with an abbreviated "how to" for other farm users.

The partnership kicks off on the 13th April with W.O.R.M.S Appreciation Day.
Activities include taking a microscopic look at the happenings inside the Market Garden’s compost heaps with the PHC’s Impact Officer Matt Elliot & Jamie Somerville from Lauriston Soil Lab.

The second workshop will take place on 12th of May which is the International Day of Plant Health as part of a host of activities running throughout the week in the UK for National Plant Health Week.

The additional workshops will focus on Soil Health and Growing for Seed. More info to follow.

The whole project will be celebrated toward the end of the growing season with the unveiling of a mural on one of the farm buildings by a commissioned artist.