£150,000 to restore Cairngorms habitat destroyed by Abernethy wildfire
The money is part of more than £1m announced by Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin for nature recovery projects across Scotland.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin. File photo. · Photograph: Scottish Government (CC BY 2.0)
More than £1 million is being spent on nature recovery across Scotland, including restoring land destroyed by the Abernethy wildfire in the Cairngorms.
The fire in July burned through miles of moorland and woodland around Glenmore and Abernethy and was one of the most significant wildfires in Scotland in recent years. £150,100 will go towards restoring damaged habitats, helping wildlife recover and reducing the risk of future fires.
Other projects
The rest of the funding will support river restoration, native oyster restoration, habitat work on Islay for the rare chough, restoration at four national nature reserves, control of invasive species and deer management.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin, who announced the funding at a summit in Armenia, said nature underpins our health, wellbeing and economy, and the money would help strengthen the Cairngorms landscape for the future.
Grant Moir, chief executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, called the fire devastating for nature and nearby communities. He said the funding would pay for work such as replacing wildlife cameras damaged in the blaze and restoring a stretch of the Duack burn affected by emergency firebreaks.
NatureScot's Stuart MacQuarrie said the money would help people across Scotland take action for nature. The funding is part of the Scottish Government's £23 million nature restoration budget for 2026-27.