Dee Catchment Partnership shortlisted for Nature of Scotland award

"Our partnership exists to promote, facilitate and deliver collaborative projects that conserve the unique biodiversity and natural beauty of Deeside, and the restoration at Easter Beltie is doing exactly that, creating a new area of wild beauty that is a habitat for a rich diversity of wildlife."

The partnership in charge of looking after the river Dee catchment in north east Scotland is a finalist in the Nature of Scotland Awards. Shortlisted for the Climate Action Award, the Hutton-supported Dee Catchment Partnership has been recognised for the group’s recent efforts in restoring the Easter Beltie burn near Torphins.

Dee Catchment Partnership Manager, Dr Susan Cooksley, led the three-month-long Beltie burn restoration project with River Operations Manager for the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board, Edwin Third. She said: “We’re delighted to be a finalist. Our partnership exists to promote, facilitate and deliver collaborative projects that conserve the unique biodiversity and natural beauty of Deeside, and the restoration at Easter Beltie is doing exactly that, creating a new area of wild beauty that is a habitat for a rich diversity of wildlife.”

“Funded by NatureScot’s Biodiversity Challenge Fund, the restoration of the Beltie has been a huge success – we were absolutely delighted to see salmon spawning before the last of the diggers had even left the site,” adds Edwin Third. “The water from the previously straightened channel now flows through three specially created wetland pools, and onwards downstream through a gently meandering course. The site is already home to kingfisher, dipper, heron, badger and otter.”

The Dee Catchment Partnership is made up of representatives from Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, River Dee Trust and Dee District Salmon Fishery Board, NatureScot, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Scottish Forestry, SEPA, James Hutton Institute and Aberdeen Harbour Board.

Now in their tenth year, the Nature of Scotland awards celebrate the inspirational people, projects, groups and organisations working hard to protect Scotland’s precious natural heritage. The shortlist for the 2021 awards represents a cross-section of businesses, charities, the public sector and individuals working towards conserving the country’s unique wildlife and natural environment.

Finalists for the Nature and Climate Action Award 2021 are:

• Aberdeen City Council - Woodlands, Wetlands & Wildflowers 
• Restoring rivers, sustaining livelihoods – Tweed’s nature-based climate solutions 
• River Calder Restoration - Flowing into the Future 
• The Easter Beltie Restoration
• Wetland farming for climate adaptation - Seawater Solutions ltd 

Winners of the Nature of Scotland Awards 2021 will be announced at a ceremony on 17 November, organised by RSPB Scotland and co-sponsored by NatureScot.