We are delighted to announce that the Spey Catchment Initiative has been awarded funding as part of the Riverwoods Blueprint Project, a landmark conservation initiative led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This ambitious project aims to restore and create river woodlands across Scotland to protect precious freshwater habitats and the wildlife that depends on them.
The Riverwoods Blueprint Project is a partnership between the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Fisheries Management Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland, Tweed Forum, Kyle of Sutherland Rivers Trust, Buglife, and the Spey Catchment Initiative. Together, the partners aim to restore at least 100 hectares of river woodland, planting at least 110,000 trees across demonstration areas in Scotland, including along the tributaries of the River Spey and its catchment.
With over 125,000 km of rivers and streams in Scotland, only 13% of riverside habitats are currently in good condition. The degradation of these areas has contributed to the decline of key species such as Atlantic salmon (officially now an Endangered Species in Great Britain), brown trout, and the critically endangered freshwater pearl mussels. This project will help reverse that trend by developing species-rich, climate-resilient habitats in key areas.
The Spey Catchment Initiative will focus on restoring upland tributaries of the Spey, where water temperatures are increasingly rising due to climate change, putting juvenile fish populations under severe stress. By creating new tree-planting projects, we will provide much-needed shade and improve habitat conditions for aquatic species.
Roger Knight, Chief Executive of the Spey Catchment Initiative, said:”
Climate change is already having an increasingly negative impact on our rivers and wildlife. We have seen water temperatures in some of our upland streams reaching 27 or 28 degrees Celsius, putting juvenile fish populations under great stress. Thanks to Riverwoods’ support, we will be able to expand our work to develop and deliver new tree-planting projects along upland Spey tributaries to provide shade to cool our rivers. These much-needed projects will help create a mosaic of species-rich, climate-resilient habitats, benefiting our wildlife, including our iconic Atlantic salmon, and the communities that live alongside them.”
The Riverwoods Blueprint Project will also support the development of an online toolkit and resources, making it easier for land managers and communities to design and implement their own river woodland projects. The initiative will foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing, inspiring further conservation work across Scotland.
For more information about the Riverwoods Blueprint Project and to stay updated on our progress, visit riverwoods.org.uk.
