Save
The Spring, a transformational programme focused on the restoration of the
River Dee, is driving forward its ambitions thanks to a new Programme
Coordinator role created through a five-year partnership with bp.
The
Save The Spring programme was launched in October 2023 by the River Dee Trust,
in partnership with the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board and The Atlantic
Salmon Trust.
The
20-year programme targets conservation and restoration across the full length
of the Dee from its source high in the Cairngorms, through the communities
along its banks, and in Aberdeen City and the Port of Aberdeen.
It has
been designed to tackle the climate-related decline of Atlantic salmon, a
keystone species in Scottish rivers – together with other species such as otter
and freshwater pearl mussel - indicators of the health of our rivers and
oceans. The programme was named for the Dee’s unique and genetically distinct
spring salmon which is now at risk of extinction.
Explaining
the purpose of the new Programme Coordinator role, River Director, Dr Lorraine
Hawkins said: “This
will be a pivotal position that enables us to make a step-change driving
forward this programme and beginning an urgent response to the serious risk our
river biodiversity is facing.
We’re
thrilled to extend our partnership with bp, which is already helping us deliver
our ambitious restoration aims and efforts. Their employees have been involved
in multiple volunteer activities over the past year, including removing
invasive non-native plants from the riverbank near Aberdeen – a significant
threat to global biodiversity – as well as environmental sampling to assess
river health. We are also looking forward to their participation in a
tree-planting volunteer day on the upper Dee later this month.”
Mel
Netherway, Environment & Social Discipline Lead, bp North Sea said: “The
River Dee is an integral part of the bp North Sea community- close to where
many of our employees work and live. Its health – and that of the native
species that surround it – are critical to the biodiversity of the region.
We’re delighted to be able to support the River Dee Trust’s conservation and
restoration efforts locally, helping to deliver progress towards one of bp’s
global sustainability aims of restoring, maintaining and enhancing
biodiversity.”
The
Save the Spring programme combines urgent species conservation at a local level
with landscape-scale habitat restoration of the river catchment, to be
delivered over a 20-year timeframe. It will also investigate pressures faced by
salmon as the fish transition between the river and sea.
Interest
in the Programme Coordinator role to drive the delivery of this ambitious
programme should be directed to the River Dee Trust.