Extra funding for the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere is set to be approved next week.
Members of the council’s finance, procurement and transformation committee will be asked to give the organisation an additional £10,000 in each of the next five years.
That comes on top of the £20,000 already approved by the economy and resources committee.
Biosphere status was granted by UNESCO 10 years ago with a decision on a periodic review due in the summer.
The submitted document includes plans to extend the boundary to cover Stranraer and the Rhins of Galloway.
A report for Tuesday’s meeting reveals the biosphere team estimate their operating costs for 202/23 to be around £570,000 – the majority for 11 full-time equivalent posts – rising to £629,000 by 2027/28.
With South of Scotland Enterprise likely to reduce its contribution, the biosphere’s strategic plan for the next decade has “identified the need to secure sources of future funding to reduce reliance on the public sector partners”.
Both South and East Ayrshire Council’s have been asked for £25,000 a year for the next five years.
The report states the extra money “would support the activities of the biosphere team which would deliver against the objectives and outcomes within the strategic plan, support the promotion and engagement of the GSA Biosphere locally, nationally and internationally, and work to secure additional project funding to support the related community, business and natural heritage opportunities and activities within the biosphere”.
