Funding to try and save bird

Millions of pounds could be spent to preserve the capercaillie population in the Cairngorms.

Official figures put the capercaillie population in Scotland at just 1114 birds.

But the Heritage Lottery Fund has committed £346,500 for the 18 month development phase of the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project with a further £2.25million possible for the delivery phase.

The funding package overall – should the delivery phase get the go ahead – equates to an investment of around £4million in the Park economy with finance also coming from the lead partner – the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) – along with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), RSPB Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and Forest Enterprise Scotland (FES), Cairngorms LEADER, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and The Highland Council through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund.

Peter Argyle, the CNPA’s board convener said:“This is absolutely fantastic news for capercaillie and for the Cairngorms National Park.

“The capercaillie will only survive in its stronghold if the people who live and work in the area want to protect and conserve their bird. Putting people at the heart of conservation is innovative and exciting and is exactly what this project is about.

“This project aims to inspire a love for capercaillie and central to its success will be the work done with communities to find practical ways for people to enjoy the woodlands alongside the birds.”