202402-Cairn-Issue-4-06-ONLINE - Flipbook - Page 9
Nature news
Good natured
Food for thought
The Cairngorms Trust, a
small charity which promotes
sustainable and community-led
development throughout the
National Park, has awarded 13
projects over £106,000 as part of
its Nature Resilience Fund 2023-24.
A thriving agriculture industry is
crucial to the National Park, not
just for the economy but the longterm health of our environment.
It’s for this reason that the Park
Authority welcomes the rekindling of
a Cairngorms Farmers’ and Crofters’
Group. The group was formed in light
of some discontent around how the
Park Authority engages with the sector,
including on the reintroduction of beavers.
The fund focuses on projects that protect
and restore habitats, conserve wildlife
and promote ecological sustainability in
the region. This year’s successful projects
include wild昀氀ower pollinator habitat
creation, tree planting, pond creation
and bumblebee conservation. For more
information and to support the Trust’s
work visit cairngormstrust.org.uk
Lek-king
at Balmoral
The capercaillie mating
ritual, or ‘lek’, is one of
nature’s wonders but, with
fewer than 600 capercaillie
now left in Scotland, it is
an offence to disturb them
during the mating season.
However, thanks to a new ‘virtual lek’
experience at Balmoral Estate, visitors
will now be able to experience lekking
capercaillie up-close on a huge, highde昀椀nition screen. The experience is
free for estate visitors and has been
delivered as part of the Cairngorms
Capercaillie Project, funded by The
National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Over 80 group members met with Park
Authority staff in January to express
their concerns. Whilst agreement wasn’t
reached on all issues, the meeting provided
an opportunity to come together to see
how we can deliver for nature, climate
and local agricultural businesses.
Grant Moir, Chief Executive of the Park
Authority, said: “Farmers and crofters
are very much part of the landscape
here in the National Park and we are
committed to working closely with the
group to 昀椀nd further common ground."
As well as working with the new group, the
Park Authority continues to fund work on
farms throughout the National Park. Over
the past two years, £180,000 of funding
has been awarded to around 60 farms (40
farmers) for activities such as wader and
goose management, carbon audits, dry
stone dyke restoration and mob grazing.
For more go to
cairngorms.co.uk/
food-for-thought
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spring 2024 cairn 9