A NEW conservation project that will create and restore river woodlands across Scotland is now underway.
The Riverwoods Blueprint Project has received £1.83 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with the hopes that the work will act as a blueprint for future conservation projects across Scotland.
The project is led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, alongside Fisheries Management Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland, Tweed Forum, Kyle of Sutherland Rivers Trust and Spey Catchment Initiative and Buglife.
There are more than 125,000 km of rivers and streams in Scotland, however, a recent survey showed that only 13% of riverside habitats are in good condition.
This has led to a decline in important freshwater wildlife such as Atlantic salmon (pictured below), brown trout and the critically endangered freshwater pearl mussel.
The project will also offer a grant scheme to provide financial support for the design of at least nine other river woodland creation plans.
An online library and toolkit are set to be developed in partnership with Fisheries Management Scotland and Woodland Trust Scotland, giving communities and land managers access to practical resources to inform further river woodland restoration work.
‘River woodlands are the green arteries of our ecosystem’
Sarah Robinson, director of conservation at the Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “Along with our partners, we’re absolutely thrilled that our ambitious Riverwoods project can now get underway.
“The generous funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will allow us to work with communities to protect and enhance our precious river woodland habitats.
Alan Wells, chief executive of Fisheries Management Scotland, said: "We are delighted that Riverwoods is moving forward to the delivery phase thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“The online resources will serve as a vital hub for innovation, collaboration and knowledge sharing, with the potential to transform river woodland restoration across Scotland.
“By equipping land managers, practitioners, and communities with the tools to design, fund, and deliver projects more effectively, we can help ensure the long-term health of our river ecosystems – critical for the survival of species like the wild Atlantic salmon."
As well as delivering practical conservation work, the project also aims to reconnect communities across Scotland with their river woodlands.
This will be achieved through over 1000 volunteer days of tree-planting, the development a citizen science programme for monitoring wildlife and numerous community outreach events.
To find out more, visit riverwoods.org.uk.
