Wildflower meadows restoration project in the Scottish Borders awarded £140,000 funding

The Tweed Meadows Project works will landowners to restore 53 hectares of land. Credit: ITV Border

More than £140,000 has been awarded to restore wildflower meadows in the Borders.

Nineteen landowners have signed up to the Tweed Meadows Project, which will restore 53 hectares of land to make it pollinator-friendly for bees and bugs.

The £140,416 grant is part of the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, which is managed by NatureScot.

It is for projects across Scotland that save threatened species, restore flower meadows and reduce flooding.

Merlindale Nature applied for the funding for the Tweed Meadows Project. They are working in partnership with landowners to reintroduce mowing and grazing management to restore neglected meadows.

Where diverse flora has been lost, new areas of flower-rich hay meadow will be created.

David Lintott, from Merlindale Nature, said: "It's a staggering statistic actually. Since 1945 we've lost 2.5 million hectares of wildflower meadows.

"That is 99% of all of the wildflower meadows that used to be here in this country."

Professor Colin Galbraith, the chair of NatureScot, said: "Through the Nature Restoration Fund, we can support vital work to restore Scotland's species and habitats back to being healthy, vibrant and thriving.

"Now more than ever, we need nature-based solutions, like the ones we are announcing today. They can really help to stop biodiversity loss and enable us to move towards a nature-rich, net-zero future for everyone in Scotland."

Lorna Slater, Scotland's Biodiversity Minister, said: "Our ambitious Biodiversity Strategy sets out our goal to be nature positive - halting biodiversity loss by 2030 and reversing declines by 2045."

"The Scottish Government is investing more money in nature restoration - through our £65m Nature Restoration Fund and our investment in woodland creation and peatland restoration.

"Right now, we're consulting on Scotland's overall Biodiversity Framework, which includes our proposals for the upcoming Natural Environment Bill and the introduction of statutory nature recovery targets."

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