A PROJECT that will help to restore natural habitats and protect endangered species across the west coast of Scotland has received up to £7.2 million of EU funding.
Islay, Glencoe and Ben Nevis are among the designated special areas of conservation that will benefit.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust ACT) are the Scottish partners in the 12-partner Collaborative Action for the Natura Network’ (Cann), project which will improve the conservation status of more than 25,000 hectares of land.
The organisations will create a detailed map for each site using remote sensing technology, to help identify and manage endangered habitats in need of conservation.
Some of the endangered species involved include the marsh fritillary butterfly, hen harrier, curlew, golden plover, corncrake and red grouse.
The project has received funding from the EU’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.
Iain MacGowan, habitat map manager at SNH, said: “The project will ultimately provide us with a very detailed habitat map, which will help us to find better ways of managing some of the special areas of conservation. The information will also be included as part of the habitat map of Scotland project.”
ACT is working with Islay landowners and managers, Butterfly Conservation Scotland’s (BCS) Bog Squad, and local volunteers, to remove sapling spruce and rhododendron from peatland sites helping to restore a key habitat
on the island.
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