Originally published by NatureScot here.
Projects to restore rivers in the Cairngorms and protect the rainforest in Argyll are among the initiatives that will share £7.6 million through the latest round of the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund.
This round is focussed on supporting large scale projects, including multi-year projects that run up to 2026.
For the first time, it also includes development funding to help organisations bring big restoration projects to the point of delivery, addressing a key capacity gap in the sector.
The £65 million fund was a key part of the Bute House Agreement and multi-year funding across this parliament was announced on Nature Day at COP26.
Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said:
“The Nature Restoration Fund is Scotland’s largest ever fund for nature and since we launched it at COP26 in Glasgow we have already invested over £20 million. This is having a real impact across Scotland, restoring rivers and floodplains, regenerating our forests and recovering our wildlife populations.
“This is just a part of our commitment to invest at least an additional £500 million in the natural economy over the course of this parliament. Responsible private investment in restoring Scotland’s natural environment will also be essential to deliver our biodiversity strategy and meet our nature and climate goals. We are working hard to ensure that we secure the necessary investment for a nature positive future.”
Chair of NatureScot Mike Cantlay said:
“This is a critical time for nature and it’s vital we use the new targets from COP27, COP15 and the draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy as a catalyst for ambitious action against biodiversity loss and climate change. The Nature Restoration Fund is helping us do exactly that, and we’re excited to be supporting a range of large-scale projects that have the power to transform nature, helping us reach our goals of protecting 30% of our land and seas by 2030 and restoring biodiversity by 2045. It’s projects like these that will help secure a nature-rich future for Scotland.”