A collaborative project designed to restore biodiversity to the River Ericht has been announced as one of just five proposals in Scotland to go through to the next phase of development.
The River Ericht Catchment Regeneration Initiative aims to engage landowners, farmers, businesses, communities, educational institutions, and relevant statutory bodies in restoring biodiversity, sinking carbon and enabling the sustainable livelihoods that depend on the salmon and the River Ericht to thrive now and in the future.
A number of local groups and organisations, including The Cateran Ecomuseum, Bioregioning Tayside, Tay Ghillies Association, Blairgowrie and Rattray District Angling Association, the Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust Biodiversity Blair initiative and Mount Blair Development Trust, are involved in the project.
And thanks to the Riverwoods Investment Readiness Pioneers programme, which aims to help create a network of thriving riverbank woodlands and healthy river systems across Scotland, a number of threats to the biodiversity of the River Ericht that have been identified could be tackled in the not-too-distant future.
A total of 12 proposals were listed on Riverwoods’ online platform and were voted for by members of the public, with the five that received the most votes along with scoring by the evaluation panel going forward to the second phase of the programme.
This will see financial support for the projects to help them refine and further develop their proposals, with a final two chosen to receive development grant funding of up to around £250,000 to implement their initiatives.
Clare Cooper is one of the co-directors and co-founders of the Cateran Ecomuseum and co-initiator of Bioregioning Tayside.
She said: “We are absolutely delighted to have got through to the next round of the Riverwoods Investment Readiness Pioneers programme.
“It is a huge boost to everyone’s efforts to help avert further environmental damage to the River Ericht and its catchment which stretches right up into the Cairngorms National Park.
“And it is particularly encouraging to have got through to the next stage on the basis of a public vote, which shows that there is an interest locally in securing the future of what is a hugely significant river and related ecosystem in this part of Scotland.
“The Ericht – one of the most important spawning grounds for Atlantic Salmon in Europe – is currently in crisis.
“Extreme weather caused by climate change, historic and current land management practices and invasive species, are all damaging the quantity and quality of water in the river and the health of its vegetation, woodlands and wildlife.
“As a result, salmon numbers are in steep decline and in danger of disappearing altogether.
“Our new River Ericht Catchment Regeneration Initiative has been set up in response to this crisis.
“With a founding group of local angling, environmental and community-led organisations, we want to take a catchment scale approach to reviving this important river system and will be working with landowners, farmers, businesses, and others towards restoring biodiversity, sinking carbon and enabling the sustainable livelihoods that depend on the salmon and the Ericht to thrive now and in the future.”
The other projects that were voted through to the next round of the programme are the Annan Riparian Restoration Network, Upper Tay Catchment Communities, Glenfalloch Nature Restoration and Don’t Let Balloch Castle Country Park Sink.
• Pic: Clare Cooper.
