Farmers, crofters and land managers are being urged by the Cairngorms National Park Authority to consider applying for government funds to help protect and improve habitats for breeding waders.

The strath is the most important mainland area for breeding waders in the whole of the UK, but numbers declined by 28% between 2000 and 2005.

The population of lapwing has experienced the most concerning decrease with a recorded 76% fall in numbers over the five-year period.

In a bid to reverse the slump, money is available from the Scottish Rural Development Programme's Rural Priorities Scheme.

Three farms near Carrbridge - supported by the Strathspey Waders Initiative - have just been awarded £9,000 in the latest round of SRDP funding announcements.

They cover some 28 hectares of wetland and grassland and a further 38 hectares of habitat comprising scrub, wetland, grassland, tall herbs and riparian woodland.

The trio of farms involved were supported in their application by policy advisors at the RSPB as well as the Strathspey Waders scheme, which is working to halt the decline in farmland waders.

Karen Sutcliffe, the Insh Marshes Site Manager for the RSPB, has welcomed the latest funding awards and hopes more local farms will get on board.

She said: "RSPB Scotland welcomes the opportunity this partnership offers to target SRDP funds towards the nationally important breeding wader population on farms in the strath.

"Declines in this population in recent years are of serious concern and ensuring that wetland and wet grassland habitats are kept in good condition is essential to its survival.

"We believe that this partnership can help do that by supporting collaborative SRDP applications with a focus on breeding wader habitats throughout the length of Badenoch and Strathspey."

There are now nine farms involved in the Strathspey Wader Initiative. They use wader friendly farming techniques to manage their land.

Mr Alastair MacLennan, a board member of the Cairngorms National Park Authority who farms at Balliefurth by Nethy Bridge, is one of those involved.

He said: "I would encourage land managers, farmers and crofters in the area to look at the land they are working, look to their neighbours perhaps and then look to the CNPA's Land Management Support Officers for advice on how they too could put forward an application to the SRDP and in turn help save our wonderful farmland waders.

A lapwing on the move at the Mossie in Grantown, a popular spot with waders. The Strathspey Waders Initiative, which has just received a £9,000 boost, helps preserve habitat for birds like the lapwing. Tim Ransom

"Many of the land-management techniques are straightforward to implement and involve actions such as cutting rushes and carefully controlled grazing."

Mr Stephen Corcoran, Cairngorms Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) Officer, said that waders were well-loved residents of the area.

He said: "Action for breeding waders is a priority for the Cairngorms LBAP and the Cairngorms National Park, and this initiative hopes to help safeguard these birds so that we can all continue to appreciate them."

The Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group have pointed out that one of the main sites for waders in the strath is under threat.

Dr Gus Jones said: "It is well known that the Mossie in Grantown has a remarkably high breeding density of species like northern lapwing, oystercatcher and snipe, making it an obvious high priority to safeguard.

"Scotland has been estimated to support more than 60% of the British lapwing population and we know most birds faithfully return to use the same breeding areas.

"The lapwing was put on the amber list of birds in the UK of conservation concern in 1996.

"We should remember this was after the Mossie was zoned for housing in Highland Council's 1994 Local Plan. In 2008, the lapwing was given red status on this list and in 2009 we maintained an objection against the Mossie being zoned for housing in the Cairngorms Local Plan."

The next deadline for applications to SRDP's Rural Priorities fund is February, next year.

The next major survey of farmland waders on more than 50 farms in the area will take place in 2010 - International Year of Biodiversity - and volunteers will be sought to help with this.

Those wishing to get involved should contact Zoë Taylor on 01479 870522 or by email: zoetaylor@cairngorms.co.uk or Gordon McConachie on 01479 870574 or at gordonmcconachie@cairngorms.co.uk.

musgrove_g@spp-group.com

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