Cash for capercaillie conservation

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has unveiled £2 million for community-led projects to protect the capercaillie, Scotland’s native wood grouse. The village of Carrbridge and the surrounding area in Strathspey have acted as a pilot during the development phase of the Cairngorm Capercaillie Project, with the community’s capercaillie conservation action plan out for consultation with villagers. Work will also be carried out to improve habitats, alongside research into the genetic diversity of the population, monitoring and raising awareness of the plight of the bird. There are thought to be fewer than 1,000 capercaillie left in the wild. www.heritagefund. org.uk/in-your-area/scotland