Two wildlife areas in St Andrews are to be enhanced with the help of Scottish Government funding.
A grant of almost £162,000 was made by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to the St Andrews Green Corridors project to help curb habitat loss and tackle invasive non-native species including Japanese knotweed.
It will also allow special areas for wildlife left isolated by years of development to be reconnected.
Volunteers will be recruited to help with the habitat improvement work, managed by St Andrews Botanic Garden and delivered with St Andrews University, Fife Council and land and garden owners.
Professor Thomas Meagher, chairman of the St Andrews Botanic Garden Trust, said: “We’re really excited with this award of Scottish Government funding by SNH.
“The money will enable us to improve around 80 hectares of habitats along and between the two corridors by planting woodland and creating areas of wetland and meadow, for example.
“We are looking forward now to working with our partners and fantastic volunteers to help contribute to increasing biodiversity and protecting habitats for wildlife in Fife.”
David Stutchfield, university sustainability manager, said: “The university recognises the vital importance of biodiversity to our town and people who live and work here.
“The St Andrews Green Corridors project will enable our community to take practical action to enhance the environment and help deliver the university’s biodiversity strategy.”
St Andrews Green Corridors is one of 14 projects across Scotland to share the £1.8 million committed by the biodiversity challenge fund in the first year of its two years.
Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “I am delighted that through the biodiversity challenge fund the Scottish Government and SNH can support these fantastic projects across the country to safeguard some of our most vulnerable species and habitats and protect them from invasive species.
“Their success will play a crucial role in our efforts to improve nature and help Scotland meet its international biodiversity commitments.”
SNH chief executive, Francesca Osowska, said: “Climate change is one of the key drivers of nature loss but it’s not too late to act. In fact, improving nature is also one of the solutions to the climate emergency.
“There are five areas we need to focus on to improve biodiversity – restoring our habitats, changing our use of the land and sea, reducing pollution and climate change and tackling invasive non-native species.
“These projects will improve nature across Scotland for all our benefit.”
