Aberdeenshire rewilding project set to benefit from £110k award

Harestone Rewilding, located in Whitecairns, has been awarded £113,812 to reinstate scrapes, ponds, and wetlands.

By Louise Glen

June 12 2023, 7:57 pm

Harestone Rewilding has been awarded money from the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund.Image: Harestone Rewilding.

A project in Aberdeenshire to remove the extremes of intensive agriculture is a recipient of the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund.

Harestone Rewilding located in Whitecairns, Aberdeenshire, has been awarded £113,812 to reinstate scrapes, ponds, and wetlands to enhance water retention, sow native wildflowers meadows and plant a mile of hedgerows.

The project also hopes to restore natural processes, reduce diffuse pollution, and combat climate change.

Gavin Drummond, Harestone Rewilding project manager said: “We love the idea of independent projects across Scotland becoming wild stepping stones to larger rewilding efforts creating a biodiverse landscape.

Aberdeenshire rewilding project will improve wellbeing

“Our endeavours shall be multi-layered. Working together to truly connect land management in crofting with large open spaces, focusing on freshwater retention, diverse ecosystems, and natural habitats.

“We aim to create a regenerative environment in a natural landscape, where nature blossoms in harmony with people.

The landscape around the Harestone Rewilding Project in Aberdeenshire looks to be lush and well managed. The picture is an taken from overhead and is of three ponds with a field with cows in it. — Harestone Rewilding has been awarded money from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund. Image: Harestone Rewilding.

“This funding will allow us to progress at an accelerated pace that we would never have been able to achieve on our own, and we are very grateful for this opportunity to change the landscape of Scotland, even if is only one pixel at a time.”

The Scottish Government’s annual Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, funds projects that help Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers, and seas, as well as improving the health and wellbeing of local communities.

These projects will take practical steps to help against the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss and restore Scotland’s natural environment.

Harestone Rewilding is one of 46 successful projects across Scotland to share the additional almost £5 million committed in this round of the Nature Restoration Fund.

The projects will take practical steps to improve natural habitats, safeguard plant and animal species and improve biodiversity.

Biodiversity minister, Lorna Slater, said: “These diverse, innovative projects are already bringing benefits across the country – not only to the environment, but also to the health and wellbeing of local communities.”