HIEF May Update

28.05.25

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Dear Friend of HIEF,

The return of low-pressure wind and rain last week has been a relief for many, following the driest start to any year since 1964. While the sunny weather was welcome at first, the recent wildfires on Arran, Stac Pollaidh, and Bute (among many other places) highlighted the vulnerability of many of our ecosystems as we increasingly experience more extreme weather patterns.

Elsewhere, there has been growing awareness of the devestating impact of bottom-trawling and dredging following David Attenborough’s new film ‘Ocean’. Pressure is growing on the Scottish Government to put Marine Protected Areas (MPA) management measures in place, following continued delay to the inshore MPA consultation process, and no mention of marine protection at all in John Swinney’s programme for Government.

Against this dismal backdrop, we are delighted to share some brighter news from some of our grantees include Seawilding’s Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal success, the ‘Over the Mam’ photography exhibition in Glenelg, and Ardura Community Forest recieving a very special visit from the Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke & Duchess of Rothsay when in Scotland!

Here at HIEF, we’ve had a busy last few months, attending the Conservation Collective Global Gathering in Cyprus and awarding seven new grants to a range of fascinating projects. Excited to share more details below…

New Grants

Salmon in the Classroom

Grantee: Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust
Grant: £5,000
Read more: here

Working with primary schools throughout North Uist, South Uist, and Benbecula, The Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust aim to improve primary school children’s understanding of their freshwater environment through workshops on the lifecycle of Atlantic Salmon.

Broadford Community Woodland

Grantee: Broadford and Strath Community Company
Grant amount: £15,000
Read more: here

This project will kickstart the long-term transformation of a former forestry plantation into a native woodland. A volunteer programme will be established, undertaking activities such as invasive species removal, small-scale habitat creation, native tree planting, and low-cost deer protection.

Orkney Skate Monitoring

Grantee: Orkney Skate Trust
Grant amount: £15,000
Read more: here

A survey campaign in 2025 will map the distribution and abundance of adult and juvenile flapper and blue skate species in Orkney waters. High quality maps will serve as key tools for conservation planning in the future.

Orkney Skate Trust surveying skate using Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV)

Edinglassie Burn Restoration

Grantee: Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust (DBIRT)
Grant: £10,040
Read more: here

The Edinglassie Burn Restoration is a key part of wider ‘Project Deveron’, a 10-year catchment scale initiative driven by the partnership between DBIRT and the Atlantic Salmon Trust. It aims to restore the ecological functionality of the Edinglassie Burn through a range of restoration interventions.

Knoydart Wild Trees Survey

Grantee: Knoydart Forest Trust
Grant amount: £12,000
Read more: here

Through a partnership with leading rewilding charity Trees for Life, the Wild Trees Survey will identify potential for ecological recovery and habitat regeneration, and prioritise and plan future interventions. Results will inform the development of the pioneering ‘Knoydart Credit’ Natural Capital project.

MaCCOLL Baseline Surveys

Grantee: Marine and Coastal Conservation of Loch Linnhe (MaCCOLL)
Grant: £15,000
Read more: here

MaCCOLL have identified a lack of data on species and habitats in their local marine environment as a significant barrier towards reversing biodiversity decline. A range of biodiversity baseline surveys will thus take place, guiding and informing future projects that protect and restore biodiversity.

Tayvallich Rhododendron Removal

Grantee: Tayvalich Initiative
Grant amount: £15,331
Read more: here

This project will tackle rhododendron on community-owned land firstly through community engagement, volunteer recruitment, and training and skills development. Crucially, the skills acquired will have a long-term legacy, allowing the community to tackle future regrowth.

Global Gathering 2025

Between the 4^th and 9^th May, HIEF participated in the Conservation Collective Global Gathering in Cyprus.

The Conservation Collective are a family of 20 locally-based foundations, similar to HIEF, who collectively protect and restore nature through funding grassroots projects in various locations worldwide. This year, the Cyprus Environment Foundation (CEF) hosted the Global Gathering in Kalopanayiotis, a village in the mountains of Cyprus, bringing together almost 50 individuals representing foundations from across the network.

Other grant news

Thanks to a donation from Seacology, we are delighted to be supporting RSPB Scotland’s ‘Conserving Red Phalaropes’ project on Fetlar Isle, Shetland.

Over two years, RSPB Scotland will improve the Mires of Funzie site through a range of interventions, such as removal of vegetation, creating pools and removing overgrowth and silt from existing pools. A grazing programme in partnership with local crofters and graziers will further improve the habitat for Red Phalaropes, one of the UK’s rarest breeding birds. Read more here.

If you are inspired to help support more projects like those featured in this newsletter and on our website, please visit our page here.

And if you would like to put in an application for funding, then please contact louis@hief.scot to discuss.

Best wishes,
Louis & Sally

The Conservation Collective comprises a global network of environmental, locally-focussed foundations dedicated to preserving, protecting and regenerating biodiverse ecosystems on land and below water, and to slowing down and adapting to the effects of climate change.