Linking the Lochs – Isle of Lewis

Goal 5: Create catchment partnerships to share successful solutions, supporting others to implement them in their own river catchments.

We are delighted to announce the beginning of a new catchment scale restoration partnership – ‘Linking the Lochs’.

The first of its kind to be located in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, this project is based on the Laxay watershed on the Isle of Lewis. In partnership with the Soval Estate, and supported by Sentinel Flight Services, The Fishmongers Company​, and The Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund managed by NatureScot, work on a comprehensive catchment audit is now underway across an area of 35,000 acres. This first stage of work will enable the partnership to develop long term habitat improvement and environmental monitoring strategies for the coming years.

This region is currently a wild Atlantic salmon stronghold but faces growing pressures from a changing climate. The partnership will be looking to take action at scale across the landscape to secure its wild salmon and wider biodiversity for the future, focused on delivering an environment of cold, clean water.

Community is also an essential part of the programme, and we’ll be looking to engage as many local people and businesses as possible throughout the project’s lifespan. The first stage of work includes: drone surveys; soil sampling; grazing reports; woodland consultancy; baselining of invertebrates, mammals, birds and fish populations; and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping.

We are delighted to share this short video made by Sentinel Flight Services which gives a glimpse into some of the cutting-edge drone technologies currently being employed by the project.

We look forward to revealing more information on Linking the Lochs in the near future.

This project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund managed by NatureScot.