Highland rivers flowing more healthily thanks to better funding
Scotland’s rivers, lochs and wetlands are being restored back to good health, thanks to support from NatureScot’s Biodiversity Challenge Fund.
In the past three years, the Scottish Government has invested £3.7m in 27 freshwater and river restoration projects across the country, using innovative, nature-based solutions to help reverse biodiversity loss and mitigate against the effects of climate change.
Major achievements include the planting of 78,000 native trees along river banks to stabilise and prevent erosion and flooding. These new trees also provide essential shade and nutrients for important species like Atlantic salmon, brown trout and freshwater pearl mussel.
In the Cairngorms, 32 hectares of new and improved breeding and nesting habitat has been created for wading birds, including curlew, oystercatcher and lapwing, as part of the Cairngorms Wetlands project.
More than 100 large bundles of logs and trees with roots attached were put into tributaries of the Dee, the rivers Gairn and Muick, and also the river Larig, creating new habitat and food for freshwater species, providing cover for fish, and enhancing the diversity of river channels. In addition, more than 4kms of new meandering watercourse has been created and river channels reconnected.
NatureScot Chief Executive Francesca Osowska said: “Through the Biodiversity Challenge Fund, we and our partners have made significant progress to restore our rivers, lochs and wetlands, and I applaud all those involved. The incredible amount of work to improve the River Teith catchment will make a positive, lasting difference to the many species of wildlife it supports.
“We still have a long way to go, as we face the nature and climate crisis. But through the Scottish Government’s new Nature Restoration Fund, we’ll be able to support many more large-scale projects to help put Scotland’s rivers back on the road to recovery.”
The Scottish Government’s new £65m Nature Restoration Fund takes over from the Biodiversity Challenge Fund, backing projects that fight the nature loss and climate crisis by restoring and improving habitats and species.
