Findhorn Dune Restoration Fund

I'm Jonathan Caddy the present Chair of the Findhorn Hinterland Trust, an environmental charity that is involved in conservation, environmental and community building work on the Findhorn Peninsula in the north east of Scotland. The trust manages a very special piece of land that includes a tiny remnant of the second largest dune system in Europe which used to be the backyard I played in as a young boy over 60 years ago. I became fascinated by the natural world and wildlife of this area which inspired me to go on to take a degree in Ecology and work with people and the environment for most of my working life.

I now have the privilege of giving back to this land that inspired me but I have noticed a great change. The rare dunes habitat and the associated species are disappearing at a surprising rate with the encroachment of trees and gorse scrub. If action is not taken soon much of this rare habitat and the local biodiversity associated with it will be gone which is why the trust, along with the neighbouring charity the Findhorn Dunes Trust, is planning a dune restoration project on six hectares of this land to restore open dune areas and remove gorse and trees in order to open the area up to more natural wind movement and thus help save the maritime heath and dune habitats.

Major funds have been applied for to undertake this work which will take place over winters 2024-25 and 2025-26 but we need some seed funding to help. This will be used to maintain the project momentum, work that includes detailed planning and ground work by a local professional ecologist. For the sake of our children and the beauty and diversity of life on this planet, please give generously to help with this local grass roots environmental action which is helping to address a worldwide biodiversity crises. Thank you.