River Dee project wins national award

A project to save threatened salmon in the River Dee has won one of the country’s most prestigious nature restoration awards.

Collecting the award: Dr Lorraine Hawkins, River Director (centre) On her left is Chair of the River Dee Trust - Sandy Bremner and on her is Edwin Third, River Operations Manager (Pic: Mike Wilkinson)

he River Dee Trust’s Million Trees Campaign won the Nature and Climate Action Award in the 2023 Nature of Scotland Awards.

The Trust’s multi-million pound campaign was launched in 2020 to plant native trees on hundreds of miles of the river’s tributaries. They will provide cooling shade to reduce the soaring summer water temperatures that are threatening the river’s wildlife. More than 460,000 trees have already been planted.

The judges described the campaign as “An incredible project to preserve a precious habitat.”

Trust chair, Sandy Bremner said: “This is fantastic recognition for everyone involved - from the men and women who’ve worked through snowstorms to help deliver one of the biggest nature restoration projects in the Cairngorms, to the folk who’ve rattled collecting cans. It’s also recognition that we can all take action in the face of a climate crisis.”

“We are in a race against time to save salmon and other threatened species, given the increasing threats from floods, droughts, and high temperatures. Growing numbers of companies are now joining our communities to save the Dee.”

The Trust is delivering the One Million Trees Campaign in partnership with the Dee District Salmon Fisheries Board, landowners, NatureScot, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, members of the public and many other stakeholders.

The River Dee Trust and the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board are working with other partners to deliver projects which will bring immediate benefits to salmon and other species.