Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) - Supported Projects
The Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) supports projects to help tackle the nature-climate crises, working to restore Scotland’s biodiversity and increase resilience to climate change, while improving the health and wellbeing of local communities.
Since its launch in 2021, the Nature Restoration Fund has awarded over £55 million, including to more than 230 projects through the competitive fund run by NatureScot. Here you'll find information about some of this vital work, including videos which celebrate the people and organisations taking action for nature and climate, and a story map which illustrates the breadth and range of projects taking place across the country.
Films with Gaelic subtitles can be viewed over on our YouTube channel / Gheibhear fiolmichean le fo-thiotalan Gàidhlig air an t-seanail YouTube againn.
Nature Restoration Fund - with Libby Penman.
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Duration
10:14
The Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund is supporting projects across the country to protect and restore nature on land and sea. Since it started it's helped lots of projects and here are just a few that are making a positive impact on nature and climate.
Nature Restoration Fund - celebrating the projects.
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Duration
08:41
This film celebrates the people and projects making a positive difference to nature, with support from the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund.
The River Peffery restoration project.
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Duration
04:13
The River Peffery restoration project is using natural flood management techniques to reduce flooding while also turning the area into a haven for wildlife.
The Arkaig Landscape Scale Restoration Project.
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Duration
03:04
The Arkaig Landscape Scale Restoration Project is restoring key habitats of rainforest, pine forest and bog woodland which supports a plethora of plant and animal species.
Restoring the waterways - Argaty.
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Duration
03:49
The Bowser family are restoring and reconnecting habitats on their farm, from pollinators to birds, and bats to beavers, they're improving the quality of their waterways and enhancing the landscape for nature.
The Reducing Entanglements project.
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Duration
03:48
The Reducing Entanglements project on Scotland's West Coast is exploring ways to prevent marine life from becoming entangled in creel gear.
The Green Shores project.
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Duration
03:37
The Green Shores project from the University of St Andrews is working to combat the loss of saltmarsh habitat, while strengthening the shoreline against rising sea levels.
The Tweed Meadows Project.
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Duration
03:52
With help from the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, Tweed Meadows is restoring lost hay meadow habitat across the river catchment, to increase biodiversity and support hundreds of plants, invertebrates and fungi.
Wilder, Wetter, Caerlaverock.
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Duration
03:26
WWT Caerlaverock are using their grant from the Nature Restoration Fund to restore habitats and bring nature back by slowing the flow of water and holding it on the land. They're already seeing the benefits with rare species returning.
Successful Projects
In the most recent round of the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, 12 projects will be awarded grants totalling over £1m for nature recovery projects. Read our latest news release of 10 December 2024 - £1.1m for nature recovery projects.
Projects awarded NRF funding –
- Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) – Helping Nature and Transforming Nature Development - December 2024
- Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) Transforming Nature August 2024
- Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) Transforming Nature 2024
- Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) Helping Nature 2023
- Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) Transforming Nature 2022
- Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) Helping Nature 2022
- Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) 2021
Our news releases announcing the awards -
- £1.1m for nature recovery projects (10 December 2024)
- Nature recovery projects share £800k (6 August 2024)
- Projects share £7.8m to restore at-risk habitats and species (4 April 2024)
- Projects share £4m to help nature recover (18 October 2023)
- £7.6m boost to transform Scotland's nature (24 February 2023)
- Nature Restoration Fund (20 July 2022)
- Nature fund awards £5m to tackle biodiversity loss and climate change (25 November 2021)
NRF and the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF) -
The marine element of the Nature Restoration Fund is administered by our Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund team. See our SMEEF page for information on marine projects awarded NRF funding through SMEEF.
Nature Heroes
Story Maps
The Nature Restoration Fund Story Maps feature projects which are underway or have completed.
An accessible list of the projects from the Story Map can be read at:
Nature Restoration Fund Story Map
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Map showing the Helping Nature Projects for 2022 and 2023 and Transforming Nature Projects.
Nature Restoration Fund - Our Helping Nature Projects 2022
Nature Restoration Fund - Our Helping Nature Projects 2023
Nature Restoration Fund - Our Transforming Nature Projects
Header image - View across Abernethy Forest, part of the Cairngorms Connect Partnership. Photo credit - scotlandbigpicture.com/@ScotlandTBP.
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