What can you do to help?
Biodiversity Grants
It may seem that the issues facing the planet and biodiversity are beyond the scope of most people, but there are many things that can be done that will help safeguard the future of habitats and species in the Cairngorms.
The LBAP is actively encouraging communities and local groups to get involved with developing innovative projects that will help biodiversity in their local patch, which collectively can make a huge difference for biodiversity. It really is a case of think global, act local.
Through the Biodiversity Grant Scheme, funding is available for 100% of project costs up to £5000, which can also be used to match fund other funding. Projects for this financial year must be completed by mid-March 2008 and the closing date for applications is 1 October 2007. Project ideas are welcome over the winter period for the coming financial year.
If you have ideas that will benefit biodiversity in the Cairngorms, please get in contact with the LBAP Officers to see if we can help with grant funding.
Projects seeking grant-aid should address one of the common threads or issues set out in the Cairngorms LBAP. These include:
- Lack of data and/or important information
- Raising awareness
- Direct habitat loss and fragmentation
- Inappropriate management
- Climate change and pollution
- Non-native or alien animal and plant species
Grant aid is available to projects that also deliver directly a number of the objectives in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.
Biodiversity Grants
The Cairngorms Local Biodiversity Action Plan Project
The Cairngorms LBAP contains almost 400 species and 25 habitats. But for the next few years, we will be focusing our attention on the recently reviewed Cairngorms Priority Species. This will allow us to direct our efforts at developing partnership working to help the species that are in most need of urgent help. This is not to say that we will be ignoring the other species and will still consider projects to help them. Our aim will be to encourage habitat-based actions wherever possible to benefit the associated species. There are 33 Priority Species, of which some examples include Atlantic salmon, black grouse, lapwing, pearl bordered fritillary, red squirrel, Scottish wildcat.
See below for the list of LBAP Priority Species. We will be very keen to help fund projects that will deliver benefits for these species.
Potential projects could include: community run goldeneye nest box schemes, managing community grassland for butterflies, planting of aspen stands, creation of wetlands to benefit amphibians, dragonflies and damselflies, etc.
For information on the Biodiversity Grant Scheme, the Priority Species and more advice on potential projects, please contact one of the Cairngorms LBAP Officers Tel: 01479 870528 Email: stephencorcoran@cairngorms.co.uk or justinprigmore@cairngorms.co.uk.
Abernethy Primary School
The photograph above shows Abernethy Primary School pupils enjoying the new pond created with funding from a Biodiversity Grant. The pond will help raise awareness of biodiversity among the pupils and will provide good habitat for amphibians and invertebrates.
| Associated Files |
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| Cairngorms LBAP Priority Species List |
PDF  (71.55 KB) |