A new study by Greenspace Scotland on the Social Return on Investment in urban greenspaces has revealed that £1 spent on the Glen Mile Mountain Bike Trail at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Cumbernauld Glen reserve, generates £3-worth of social, economic and environmental benefit. 

The analysis identified those most affected by the initiative and recorded and valued some of the changes they experienced. These included:

• The local community who use the reserve have a safer place to experience the outdoors
• Volunteer mountain bikers who participated in trail gained a sense of achievement from their efforts in developing the trail
• Mountain bikers from the general population can use a biking facility in their neighbourhood
• The Friends of Cumbernauld Glen have attained higher public profile
• Abronhill High School PE Department has acquired additional resources
• Abronhill High School pupils have better health and an improved sense of well being
• Scottish Wildlife Trust has more support from local people
• Forestry Commission Scotland have gained a good practice example that can be replicated
• Strathclyde Police can deliver a better services due to improved crime response times

Duncan Clark, Reserve Manager for Cumbernauld Greenspaces, said “we built the bike trail primarily as a way of managing a problem but quickly came to recognise that the benefits that it delivers to the local community far outweigh the original investment. Wildlife has benefited and the local community and economy have benefited. It is difficult to think of a clearer win-win.”

Tony King, the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Head of Policy, said “Greenspace Scotland’s work on Social Return on Investment is important. We know that investing in wildlife, including in towns and cities, is good for people and good for the economy and this report adds to an already compelling evidence base. Accessible, high quality urban greenspace leads to better health outcomes, better educational outcomes and better quality of life. Government now needs to take a lead and recognise that investing in wildlife can and does deliver a whole range of social benefits.”