The Flow Country Partnership Win at RSPB Scotland’s Nature of Scotland Awards 2024
Last week, The Flow Country Partnership won the Nature and Climate Action Award at RSPB Scotland’s Nature of Scotland Awards 2024. This award highlights projects which are harnessing the power of nature to tackle or adapt to climate change, helping to reduce emissions whilst also restoring biodiversity.
The Flow Country Partnership does exactly this through their work protecting and restoring the blanket bog of the Flow Country. Their collaborative approach brings together a community of crofters, landowners, businesses, residents, ecologists, and local governments to grow the resilience of the Flow Country and its people. Not only does their work aim to mitigate climate change and address the biodiversity crisis, but the team also focus on boosting sustainability, growing natural capital, and delivering social and economic benefits for local communities.
The awards ceremony was attended by the Flow Country Partnerships Trustee and Professor of Peatland Science Roxane Andersen, and Graham Neville, Flow Country Partnership Trustee and NatureScot Head of Operations for North Scotland.
53 Award finalists from all over Scotland gathered at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on 28 November to celebrate with hosts BBC Landward presenters and nature enthusiasts Dougie Vipond and Arlene Stuart. The awards have been running for over a decade, and this year the headline sponsor was NatureScot.
The Nature of Scotland Awards recognises individuals and organisations making a difference across local communities, schools, and businesses to support Scotland’s wildlife and natural environment.
This year’s Nature of Scotland Awards have not only celebrated innovation and passion in environmental conservation but have also shone a spotlight on projects like The Flow Country Partnership, that are securing Scotland’s natural legacy for generations to come.
Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland said: “Once again the Nature of Scotland Awards have brought a growing group of hardworking, motivated and passionate people into the conservation spotlight, and I’d like to wish all our winners a huge congratulations.
It’s a joy to see such incredible work happening across the country with nature and climate at its heart, and Scotland is all the better for it. Thank you.”
Professor Colin Galbraith, Chair of awards headline sponsor NatureScot, said: “As Scotland takes up the challenge to stop the biodiversity loss our generation has witnessed, this year’s award winners are the true nature heroes we all need in our lives.
“Their energy, expertise and compassion is truly inspirational, and reason for celebration. Their achievements give us all hope for a nature-rich future across Scotland and demonstrate that everyone can take action to help.”
