25th October 2026
The Scottish Government has announced more than £1.34 million in funding for nature restoration projects across Scotland, including work to repair damage caused by this summer’s wildfires in the Cairngorms.
The funding package, announced on 24 October by Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin, will support wildlife recovery, river restoration, deer management and efforts to control invasive non-native species.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority will receive £150,100 for recovery work following the Abernethy wildfire. The money will help restore damaged habitats, support wildlife and investigate ways of reducing the risk of future fires. Work will include replacing damaged wildlife monitoring cameras and restoring part of the Duack Burn, which was affected by emergency firebreaks.
Other projects will benefit from funding for native oyster restoration, improvements to chough habitat on Islay, restoration work in four National Nature Reserves and the creation of wildlife-friendly meadows in towns and cities. River restoration schemes will also help improve habitats, restore woodland and provide greater capacity to store floodwater.
The announcement forms part of the Scottish Government’s £23 million nature restoration budget for 2026-27, most of which has already been allocated to agreed priorities.
The funding is welcome, particularly for communities and wildlife affected by the Cairngorms fires. However, restoring damaged landscapes can take years, and the money announced is only one part of the wider challenge of protecting Scotland’s natural environment.
The longer-term test will be whether these projects deliver lasting improvements to habitats, biodiversity and the resilience of Scotland’s landscapes to future wildfires and extreme weather.