Save Our Wild Isles Community Fund has provided £2,910 of match funding
Restoring Boleskine's Freshwater Habitat
Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
Aim
We wish to restore an ancient freshwater habitat to support wildlife, plant life and biodiversity, helping Scotland's nature to thrive.
Biodiversity Loss
The UK has lost almost half of its biodiversity since the 1970s. At this point in time one in four species in the UK is at risk of extinction, with up to 40% of Amphibians on the IUCN Red List.
Freshwater ecosystems cover less than 1% of Earth's surface, yet are home to at least 10% of Earth's species. Freshwaters are also hotspots for biodiversity. They are home to at least 140,000 specialist freshwater species.
Globally, wetlands have declined three times faster than forests, and freshwater vertebrate populations have declined by 84% since 1970 according to WWF's Living Planet Report 2020; twice the rate of decline of biodiversity in terrestrial or marine biomes.
Studies shows UK has lost more biodiversity than any G7 country, and is in worst global 10%.
Reverse the Decline of Biodiversity Loss
Here at Boleskine on Loch Ness we are home to a wetland habitat which can be traced back more than 120 years. Historical records indicate it was once a hotspot for the Great Crested Newt, and it provides water for the endangered Red Squirrel and Pine Marten populations which live in our Ancient Forest. The wetland habitat even feeds a small watercourse right down to Loch Ness itself!
It is home to a variety of animal and plant species, but was neglected for some decades prior to our ownership. We want to raise funds, to remove the overgrowth, improve the water quality, and to plant a diverse array of plant species in this large area to support pollinators, frogs, dragonflies and damselflies. Our planting will also act as a breeding ground for species in the pond.
Matched donations pledged - act fast!
Aviva has accepted our application to form part of their latest fundraising round, with even more support than has been available previously. Aviva have pledged to donate £2 for every £1 donated to us, up to a maximum of £7,500 (£2,500 raised from crowdfunding, and £5,000 in matched donations from Aviva).
Habitat musings
We are passionate about conserving our built heritage and preserving and enhancing our natural environment. All funds received toward this project will be ringfenced and spent only on our wetlands project and, if we reach our target, additional funds received will be spent on improving the pathway network around our freshwater pond, and enhancing our planting scheme for the pond to provide the maximum possible benefit for nature and biodiversity. Our estate is open to the public, allowing members of the public to visit to watch nature thriving in action.
This project successfully funded on 11th May 2023