Funding

World wetlands day on 2nd February. 

Wetlands are areas which are either permanently or seasonally flooded, they can be coastal, inland, or manmade and support many different species all around the world.  This can include ponds, lagoons, mangroves, salt pans, lakes, rivers and also peatlands.

Scotland’s community tourism network is launching a nationwide roadshow in a bid to support existing community tourism providers and encourage more communities to take a lead in providing grassroots owned tourism facilities and services.

Official statistics published last week by NatureScot, Scotland’s nature agency, show that the abundance (number of individuals in a species) and occupancy (number of sites where a species is present) of 2,803 Scotland’s marine and terrestrial species have stabilised at levels similar to the 1990s, well below historic populations.

An agreement to invest £100 million in the future economic prosperity of Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides was signed today (20th January) in Orkney by UK and Scottish Government Ministers and the Council Leaders of the three island groups.

A total of 680 rural businesses with projects that protect the environment and mitigate the impacts of climate change will share more than £14 million this year from the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS).

Regeneration projects in disadvantaged and rural communities across Scotland will receive a share of almost £27 million funding.

Fares on the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides ferry networks will be frozen for six months.

Ticket prices will be held at current levels from April until the end of September to help people and businesses from Scotland’s remote rural and island communities. The freeze is also responsive to the challenges faced on the Clyde and Hebrides network in recent times.

The fare freeze will allow operators to release their timetables from April onwards.

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison has announced an additional £2.4 million in funding to help people struggling to afford food and other essentials.