The time for the prestigious Nature of Scotland Awards has come around again. Entering its 12th year of running, September saw the shortlisting event at the Scottish Parliament which Jonathan and Eli attended.
We were delighted to learn from the announcements that two of the Trust’s projects – Riverlife: Almond and Avon, and the Blaircreich Restoration Project – were both shortlisted for awards! In what was dubbed the busiest year of applications ever by RSPB Scotland Director, Anne McCall, we are delighted to have made the shortlist twice and we look forward to the final event to find out the results. Well done to everyone shortlisted, and to all the staff involved in delivering our projects – your hard work is greatly appreciated.
Riverlife: Almond and Avon has been shortlisted for the Coasts and Waters Award, a category that celebrates contributions helping nature thrive in Scottish marine and freshwater habitats. It was an ambitious 5-year project comprising a variety of restoration works and engagement activities, aimed at improving historical issues and engaging communities along both the Almond and Avon catchments with their local rivers.
The reach and impact of this project cannot be understated. Just some of the project works include: the River Almond Barriers Project, facilitating removal of weirs to open river passage for local and migratory fish species; Riverfly Monitoring, delivering training sessions on the health of river invertebrates; Almond/Avon INNS work, allowing for the removal of several kilometres squared of invasive non-native species across the catchment areas; alongside launching a small grants scheme for river projects encouraging local restoration works led by community members, delivery of training and upskilling, engagement and public events.
Commenting on the shortlisting, Jonathan Louis, co-director of Forth Rivers Trust, said ‘We are over the moon to have Riverlife: Almond and Avon shortlisted at the Nature of Scotland Awards. This multi-year project allowed the delivery of multiple restoration works around both the Almond and Avon rivers, connecting habitats, removing barriers to assist fish passage, boosting biodiversity and empowering communities by connecting them with their local river. Riverlife left a positive legacy in the catchments, boosting the development of both the Trust and its staff, and we look forward to the results announcement in November.’
Project partners for Riverlife: Almond and Avon included West Lothian Council and the City of Edinburgh Council, and this project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Government, and SEPA’s Water Environment Fund. To find out more about Riverlife’s legacy, watch the video below, and read more on our wesbite here.
The Blaircreich Renaturalisation Project has been shortlisted for the Nature and Climate Action Award, a category recognising projects demonstrating nature-based solutions which provide mitigation against climate change by working closely with nature. Our Blaircreich project is part of the Upper Teith Restoration Initiative and was focused on rejuvenating the wetland, peatland and woodland habitats onsite for carbon capture.
The carbon capture potential of the riparian woodland and the wetland areas onsite is an estimated 5,760/100 years, locking in carbon across an area that was previously drained and in unfavourable condition. By blocking historical drainage ditches and creating connective wetland scrapes, the storage capacity of the floodplain increased, protecting the river Larig from the impacts of sedimentation and runoff from its surrounding hills. Live willow brash banking undertaken along the banks of the river Larig stabilised the riverbanks, protecting them from erosion and improving river habitat for species including local and migratory fish, invertebrates, and the endangered Freshwater Pearl Mussel. As the development phase for Ballimore, also in the upper Teith, is in progress, it is expected that further works will be delivered near this site too: further restoring a Special Area of Conservation. Stay tuned for more updates on this.
Amelia Heath, co-director of the Trust, commented ‘It’s fantastic news to see the Blaircreich Renaturalisation Project reach the shortlist stage at the Nature of Scotland Awards. With carbon capture and storage an issue of increasing importance across all of our project works, Blaircreich is a great demonstration of biodiverse habitats like wetland and peatland boosting biodiversity and capturing carbon too. Using approaches including live willow brash banking, we work with nature to capture and store carbon, using a novel approach to catchment renaturalisation, and helping build climate resilience in and around the river Larig. We wish good luck to all those shortlisted and look forward to November for the results.’
The Blaircreich Renaturalisation Project is supported by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot. You can find out more about Blaircreich by reading our website here.
Stay tuned with us on our socials to find out the final results which will be announced the Nature of Scotland Awards ceremony tomorrow, the 22nd November.
Best of luck to everyone shortlisted, but we obviously have our fingers crossed for the Forth catchment!