National parks receive cash to help with ‘global fight’ for nature and climate

Scotland’s two national parks will receive funding from a government scheme that forms part of the “global fight” against the threats of climate change and biodiversity loss.

The Scottish Government has announced just over £6 million of investment as part of its Nature Restoration Fund.

While organisation NatureScot will receive £3.5 million to distribute across projects, £1.2 million will go to the Cairngorms National Park, with just over £1 million going to Local Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

In addition to this the Green Action Trust will receive £510,000 to award to a “range of nature projects”.

Since it was established in 2021 the £65 million Nature Restoration Find has supported almost 800 projects, working to restore Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas, with funds helping to plan more than 300,000 trees and restoring over 1,800 hectares of urban greenspace in towns and cities.

Speaking as she visited to the Anagach Woods in the Cairngorms National Park, Climate Action Secretary 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.”

Ms Martin said she had been “extremely impressed by the pioneering work that the Cairngorms National Park are doing to restore ecosystems”.

Sandy Bremner, convener of the Cairngorms National Park Board said: “With 25% 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.”

Meanwhile NatureScot chairman, Professor Colin Galbraith said: “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.”