Learn more about Bioregioning Tayside

The new River Ericht Catchment Restoration Initiative is one of two Riverwoods Investment Readiness Pioneers projects in Scotland and a National Demonstrator Project.

The River Ericht, one of the most important spawning grounds for Atlantic salmon in Europe, is in crisis. Extreme weather caused by climate change, historic and current land management practices and invasive species, are damaging the quantity and quality of water in the river and the health of its vegetation, woodlands and wildlife. As a result, salmon numbers are in steep decline and in danger of disappearing altogether.

The River Ericht Catchment Restoration Initiative has been set up in response to this crisis.

With a founding group of local environmental, angling, and community-led organisations, the Riverwoods Investment Readiness Pioneers award will enable a catchment scale approach to reviving this important river system. The group includes the two principal community anchor organisations in the catchment: Blairgowrie & Rattray Development Trust and Mount Blair Community Development Trust; one of the lead organisations for local wild fisheries expertise, the Tay Ghillies Association, the Cateran Ecomuseum, the catchment’s principle heritage and tourism destination and Bioregioning Tayside, a new platform supporting nature restoration in the region. The final partner is Palladium, a project developer experienced in creating investment opportunities for public and private finance to help fund and scale up initiatives that deliver economic, environmental, and social impact. Palladium is currently working with the UK’s National Parks on piloting different models of nature restoration using ethical private finance.

The initial design phase will develop an investment ready proposal that will attract private and public investment into:

 Riparian and peatland restoration and nature recovery at different scales

• easing and/or removal of active barriers to allow fish migration, one of the priority actions identified in the Scottish Government’s new Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan 2023 – 2028.