Highland nature restoration projects are among 44 initiatives sharing £9.2 million of Scottish Government funding to protect wildlife, restore habitats and strengthen resilience to climate change.
The latest awards from the Nature Restoration Fund will support projects across the Highlands, including rainforest regeneration in Appin, river restoration in the Cairngorms and continued work to protect Scotland’s iconic red squirrel.
Appin Community Development Trust has been awarded just over £1 million for its Appin Rainforest Regeneration Project, which will create a skilled local workforce to remove invasive plants including rhododendron and Japanese knotweed while working with landowners to reduce deer grazing and encourage the natural regeneration of one of Scotland’s rare Atlantic rainforest habitats.
In the Cairngorms, Cairngorms Connect has secured £115,000 to restore the River Tromie by reconnecting it with its historic floodplain, creating new habitat for Atlantic salmon, trout and a range of invertebrate species while helping to reduce flooding and erosion.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust has also been awarded more than £1.5 million to continue its Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels programme for a further two years, helping safeguard a species for which Scotland remains the UK’s stronghold.
The latest funding forms part of the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, which has supported more than 300 projects since it was launched in 2021.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said:
“The Nature Restoration Fund has delivered unprecedented funding for a huge range of projects that are currently and will continue to help with our goal of halting biodiversity loss by 2030.
“As more projects are supported by the Fund, we learn more from the successes of each round, helping us respond to threats to our natural environment and support projects that are making a real difference across Scotland.
“I congratulate all of the successful applicants and look forward to seeing the progress and improvements they make to our landscapes, waterways and wildlife.”
NatureScot Chair Professor Colin Galbraith said:
“We are at a moment in time where we risk losing some of our most precious wildlife and wild places for good.
“We cannot let this happen. Our daily lives rely on a healthy, functioning natural world, and we all have a part to play in supporting that.
“The Nature Restoration Fund is helping us put Scotland’s land, rivers, seas and all the species that live in them back on the road to recovery.
“The Fund is a critical lifeline for Scotland’s nature, and everyone involved in carrying out this vital work should be proud of their contribution towards a greener and healthier future for us all.”
