We want to continue Dune Resilience conservation work with community volunteers, schools, the Council and conservation bodies on Nairn Central Beach and develop a public education resource pack
Estimated Price
25000
1 We want to build on the autumn 2025 pilot Dune Resilience project completed which cleared scrub, and replanted marram grass in a small test area
We need this funding to extend scrub clearance and dunes protection and regeneration work(including improved beach path management) along Nairn Central Beach - particularly at the most flood vulnerable 'west' end adjacent to Marine Cottages homes and key Links amenities (Splashpad, Strathnairn Cafe) to cover costs of contractors to assist scrub clearance and removal and further fencing and other dunes protection including signposting/information boards and improvements to beach paths. We also need to appoint a suitably qualified conservation consultant(s) to lead work parties and educational visits to the site from schools and community groups, organise outreach information sessions and help us develop an accessible environmental education resource for schools and wider public to raise awareness of how dunes work and the challenges this fragile ecosystem currently faces at Nairn Beach
Our conservation consultant(s) will also support monitoring by volunteers of impact of scrub clearance and protective fencing over the winter on restoring dune ecosystem and reducing public footfall to support marram and lime grass regeneration and protect the natural wildlife habitat.
We will particularly be tracking regrowth of kidney vetch which grows among the marram grass and is the sole habitat of the rare (Species on the Edge) Small Blue butterfly
We will be establishing with support from the Highland Council - designated 'snap points' for photography along the dunes, to encourage 'citizen science' from community volunteers to track and record wildlife sightings and monitor marram grass growth and impacts of weather and high tides on the dunes.
2 This project is important to our community - as Nairn Beach was the most mentioned aspect of our area in the top 3 likes of local residents during our Local Place Plan consultations in 2024 . Our Nairnshire Local Place Plan 5 key themes for action include Sustainable Nairnshire with climate change impacts to our coastline a top concern -and looking after and protecting our famous unspoilt beaches a key ask from locals ( plus a top attraction for our tourist industry) Highland Council's Dynamic Active Pathways report commissioned in 2023 highlighted Nairn Central Beach dune system - which provides flood protection for our Links and Fishertown area - as being particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts of higher tides and storms and requiring urgent action to protect and strengthen this natural barrier and fragile ecosystem.
3 Outcomes we expect are high positive public interest and volunteer engagement, and awareness raising of the challenges faced at Nairn Beach and what local people can do to help protect and strengthen the dune ecosystem by keeping to main beach paths and limiting footfall. We will also develop and make widely available an education resource pack about how dunes function to enable locals of all ages to help in the conservation process . We will alsohave upskilled Council grounds staff - who maintain the seafront area - to spot and remove non native plants to help the marram grass and butterfly habitat thrive
4 Costs and Detailed Project Plan to follow We will ( as with our Autumn 2025 pilot project) work in partnership with local environmental and conservation bodies - Climate Hub, RSPB, Butterfly Scotland ,Green Hive, local Community Councils , with in kind contributions from Nairn BID(publicity) and Highland Council flood/environment specialists, and Nairn Common Good Officer and we have already agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Highland Council ( Nairnshire Committee as Common Good Trustees) from September 2025 granting permission to carry out necessary Dune Resilience work at Nairn Central Beach (Nairn Common Good land) which can be extended to cover the period of any Nature Restoration Funded project
We would like to start this project work as early as possible in March 2026 and extend dune resilience and public education work till end October 2026 (Sept/Oct are best months for any tree clearance work as the bird nesting season is over )
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