{"id":14526,"date":"2016-03-08T00:01:39","date_gmt":"2016-03-08T00:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/?p=14526"},"modified":"2016-03-08T12:43:33","modified_gmt":"2016-03-08T12:43:33","slug":"voting-urged-for-ambitious-rewilding-the-highlands-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/voting-urged-for-ambitious-rewilding-the-highlands-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Voting urged for ambitious Rewilding the Highlands project"},"content":{"rendered":"

An ambitious Highlands project aiming to establish one of the UK\u2019s most inspiring examples of rewilding \u2013 with habitat creation for rare and endangered wildlife such as golden eagles and Scottish wildcats, the planting of 50,000 trees and a substantial boost for wildlife tourism \u2013 is to be launched if conservation charity Trees for Life wins an online vote to secure a major European funding award.<\/p>\n

The charity\u2019s Rewilding the Highlands project has been shortlisted to receive more than \u00a320,000 in the European Outdoor Conservation Association\u2019s (EOCA\u2019s) funding scheme, with the outcome to be determined by online voting that will take place over two weeks, from 8-22 March. Trees for Life can be supported via www.treesforlife.org.uk\/voteTFL<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAnyone can vote for us, and we urge as many people as possible to do so, to give us the best chance of winning this significant award. Success will enable us to expand our pioneering work to revitalise native woodlands in the Highlands \u2013 benefitting our communities, landscapes and economy for many years to come,\u201d said Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life\u2019s Founder.<\/p>\n

Funding from the awards would allow Trees for Life to extend substantially the native woodland around Glenmoriston \u2013 with the planting of 50,000 trees by volunteers at the charity\u2019s flagship Dundreggan Conservation<\/a> Estate and a major increase in the charity\u2019s groundbreaking work growing rare montane tree species \u2013 and to provide support for a local community project at Invergarry, to enhance biodiversity at its newly acquired Glengarry Community Woodland.<\/p>\n

Habitat creation would boost the fortunes of native wildlife including pine marten, red squirrel, golden eagle and Scottish wildcat, while initiatives will be introduced to involve local communities and visitors with rewilding \u2013 the restoration of damaged natural ecosystems, and the return of key native wildlife.<\/p>\n

\"Dundreggan<\/a>

Dundreggan Estate<\/p><\/div>\n

The project also aims to boost the local and Highland economy by promoting Glenmoriston as a tourist destination, where people can discover an astonishing variety of wildlife. The centrepiece to this would be Dundreggan \u2013 a \u2018lost world\u2019 biodiversity hotspot where more than 3,000 species have been discovered, including 10 found nowhere else in the UK and others that are extremely rare.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe remaining woodlands of the ancient Caledonian Forest are some of our most fragile and endangered habitats, and are at risk of being lost forever \u2013 we are the last generation with the chance to reverse the fortunes of this special place. We want to transform Dundreggan into one of Scotland\u2019s finest native woodlands, abundant in wildlife and protected for the future \u2013 every vote will help us to achieve this,\u201d said Alan Watson Featherstone.<\/p>\n

For more details about how to vote, please see www.treesforlife.org.uk\/voteTFL<\/a> or call 01309 691292.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An ambitious Highlands project aiming to establish one of the UK\u2019s most inspiring examples of rewilding \u2013 with habitat creation for rare and endangered wildlife such as golden eagles and Scottish wildcats, the planting of 50,000 trees and a substantial boost for wildlife tourism \u2013 is to be launched if conservation charity Trees for Life wins an online vote to secure a major European funding award. The charity\u2019s Rewilding the Highlands project has been shortlisted to receive more than \u00a320,000 in the European Outdoor Conservation Association\u2019s (EOCA\u2019s) funding scheme, with the outcome to be determined by online voting that will…<\/span> <\/p>\n

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