As we enter the final months as holders of the 2023 Nature of Scotland Award (NOSA) for Nature and Climate Action, I’ve been reflecting on just how significant this win was for the team here at the River Dee Trust and what it means for the future of the River Dee.
It was back in November last year that we won the NOSA for our ambitious One Million Trees campaign - a mission to tackle the challenge of rising water temperatures that threaten the existence of endangered wildlife including the Atlantic salmon and the elusive freshwater pearl mussel, animals that bring marine nutrients back to the river and support the whole web of life, from the much loved otter to insects and birds.
Of course it is fantastic to be recognized for our efforts, but the exposure that winning the NOSA has created for our One Million Trees campaign and the wider work of the Trust has been unprecedented. From individuals purchasing a tree in memory of a loved one to community groups raising funds and companies volunteering their time and manpower to plant thousands of trees, the interest in our work has grown exponentially.
Damagingly high water temperatures of 21°C on the Dee’s upper tributaries as early as May this year continue to highlight the very real local impact of climate change. Salmon stop feeding and suffer stress and disease when river temperatures rise above 23°C and at 33°C they die. We know climate change will bring more extremes of drought and high temperatures.
By planting one million trees, we will provide partial shade over hundreds of kilometers of Dee tributaries. We have already planted 484,000 native deciduous trees along riverbanks, and we are forecast to pass the halfway marker of 500,000 trees during the next tree planting season in early 2025.
As well as providing cooling shade, the trees we plant will help to increase biodiversity and stabilize riverbanks and river channels from erosion and provide increased stability in times of flood. The leaf litter they create will feed aquatic insects improving food sources and creating a sustainable aquatic ecosystem.
The One Million Trees campaign has influenced government policy, inspired similar projects in other areas of Scotland and attracted international conservation attention.
To learn more about One Million Trees and the prestigious Nature of Scotland Awards, visit https://riverdee.org.uk/one-million-trees/ and if you would like to learn more about our work and how you can get involved please contact our engagement officer at claire@riverdee.org.