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.
Stay tuned as we reveal more about Linking the Lochs later this year.
For more information on the Soval Estate, visit www.sovalestate.co.uk/