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£6 million for Scotland’s environment
Additional funding package announced for nature projects.
More than £6 million of additional funding is being invested in nature enhancing projects through the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF).
Established in 2021, the £65 million NRF has funded nearly 800 projects helping Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery, including planting over 300,000 trees and restoring over 1,800 hectares of urban greenspace in towns and cities.
Evaluation of the NRF shows the scheme unlocked at least £7.1 million in match funding and in-kind contributions for organisations, and described the initiative as ‘instrumental’ in accelerating nature restoration and supporting vulnerable species and habitats.
Recipients include the Cairngorms National Park, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, NatureScot and the Green Action Trust.
The Cairngorms National Park will share £1.2 million between five projects aimed at safeguarding some of the most precious species and habitats there including;
- recovering freshwater pearl mussel populations in the rivers Spey, Dee and South Esk
- identifying changes to make the River Dee more resilient to flooding
- helping boost the capercaillie population, which is on the verge of extinction in Scotland
- improving tree stock for aspen and native montane species
Visiting the Anagach Woods in the Cairngorms National Park, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action Gillian Martin said:
“Protecting Scotland’s natural environment is vital to addressing nature loss, climate change and biodiversity.
“The projects receiving this additional funding will of course benefit local areas and wildlife by restoring the environment and supporting green jobs and skills development but they will also help us in the global fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.
“I was extremely impressed by the pioneering work that the Cairngorms National Park are doing to restore ecosystems with their innovative wood ant translocation project, which maintains forest health.
This years’ Programme for Government committed to extending the NRF in 2026-27 to enable funding of a further round of multi-year projects.
NatureScot Chair, Professor Colin Galbraith said:
“This further investment is recognition of the fantastic work that is being undertaken through the Nature Restoration Fund.
“We are excited to have a further £3.5 million available to invest in projects across the country that are restoring rivers, woodlands and wildlife back to a healthy and thriving state, whilst tackling the effects of climate change.
“By working with people throughout Scotland this vital work is helping to achieve our ambition to be nature positive by 2030 and to have significantly restored and regenerated our nature by 2045.”
Sandy Bremner, Convener of the Cairngorms National Park Board said:
“With 25 per cent of the UK’s most threatened species living in the National Park, it is one of the most significant places for nature conservation. Protecting and enhancing these special habitats and species – alongside tackling climate change – are at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan, and this extra funding will help ensure our conservation work is targeted where it is needed most, boosting our efforts and helping to deliver key actions on the ground.”
Funding
- NatureScot will receive £3.5 million for distribution to nature projects.
- The Green Action Trust will receive £510,000 for onward distribution to a range of nature projects.
- Cairngorms National Park will receive £1.2 million.
- Loch Lomond and the Trossachs will receive £1.025 million.
Background
Interim Evaluation of the Nature Restoration Fund – gov.scot
Scottish Government Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) | NatureScot
Biodiversity strategy – Biodiversity – gov.scot
