In May the Highlands and Islands Environment Foundation (HIEF) awarded £10,000 to Findhorn Hinterland Trust, which will support two important baseline ecological surveys, and allow us to complete a full work programme of action for nature. We were particularly delighted as the HIEF funding round was particularly competitive this year!
The two baseline ecological surveys that we have been able to conduct include a National Vegetation Classification (NVC) survey, supported by high resolution aerial photography, allowing us to accurately track changes in the landscape in fine detail over the years. The aerial photography has already been completed by specialist ecologist James Bunyan of Tracks Ecology.
The second survey is a breeding bird survey, which has also just been completed. Ecological survey work so far has shown how incredibly important this land is for lichens, invertebrates and fungi. Breeding birds are good indicators of environmental quality, so a full survey, using a standardised methodology, is another valuable way for us to track environmental changes over time.
Crucially, the funding will also enable us to continue with our dune restoration work, which was key to the FHT gaining Nature30 certification in 2025. The work will involve a small extension westwards from the bare sand area first created in 2024. We understand the importance of landscape impact and, now that a large area of bare sand has been established, future sand creation will be at a much smaller scale, while still providing a home for some of the rarest wildlife in the UK for decades to come.
Finally this grant will also fund a bat awareness day, currently scheduled for August, giving the community an insight into bats and their lives on the Hinterland. We hope you will be able to come along to this and welcome you to get involved!
Sean Reed
Ecologist
