Preparing for the launch of a Scottish Rivers Fund (360G-NLHF-HA-24-01589)

This project builds on two earlier FIRNS projects and aims to bring a Scottish Rivers Fund (previously called the River Catchment Restoration Fund) to market. The earlier FIRNS projects laid the way for the Fund’s governance mechanism and identified delivery ready river restoration projects as the initial market offer to potential Fund contributors. The Fund will use the example of SMEEF to attract corporate contributions to fund the delivery of place-based projects. This FIRNS project will focus on the strategic and focused marketing to potential corporate contributors with the offer to purchase nature-related and social outcomes delivered through place-based river catchment restoration projects. Fisheries Management Scotland will work closely with NatureScot, SEPA, and Scottish Government to ensure alignment with emergent and ongoing policy. The legacy is to achieve transformative catchment scale restoration action and heightened recognition of the importance of rivers supported by an innovative nature market mechanism.