Tay reed beds to benefit from almost £8,000 funding boost

A project to restore reed beds in the Carse of Gowrie has received almost £8,000 of funding.

RSPB Scotland will use the cash provided by the Suez Communities Trust to maintain the marshland between Perth and Dundee.

The works will benefit a range of wildlife including water rails, marsh harriers, reed buntings and one of the UK’s largest populations of bearded tits.

The £7,716 of funding will allow the organisation to carry out cutting of the reed beds on rotation and rolling areas to create variation in reed age and structure which benefits wildlife, as well as supporting a long tradition of reed cutting in the area.

Vicky Turnbull, of RSPB Scotland, said: “The Tay reed beds are an incredibly important home for wildlife including bearded tits and we’re excited to be able to deliver more for these reed bed species.”

The Tay reed beds stretch nearly 12 miles between Dundee and Perth on north of the River Tay. The reed bed covers 410ha and was initially created in the late 18th Century to prevent tidal action eroding the north riverbank.

Reed has been cut for thatch on and off ever since, with commercial thatch operations ceasing in 2005.

RSPB Scotland has been involved in the site since then, to help manage the area for a range of specialist reed bed wildlife.

Working with land owners, the wildlife charity carries out reed cutting to create a mosaic of habitats, ensuring different ages of reed are provided to suit the needs of a range of species throughout the seasons.