We wish to appoint a consultant to scope the opportunity for riparian tree planting within the Northern District Salmon Fishery Board area. Data shows that water temperatures are rising in rivers in the NDFSB region, threatening their delicate ecosystems. Riparian tree planting may help to address this issue, as well as offering other benefits.

The main roles for this 2-year contract will include:

- Scoping opportunities for riparian planting within the NDSFB

- Mapping suitable areas and preparing a budget for planting and maintenance

- Identifying funding streams

- Working with other organisations to deliver maximum benefit

The project will help to ensure that the salmon rivers of the Far North are better protected from the threat of rising water temperatures associated with climate change. The Northern DSFB covers some 1,000km2, much of which is located within the environmentally important Flow Country which is currently bidding for World Heritage Site status.

The River Ericht, one of the most important spawning grounds for Atlantic Salmon in Europe, is in crisis. Extreme weather caused by climate change, historic and current land management practices and invasive species, are damaging the quantity and quality of water in the river and the health of its vegetation, woodlands and wildlife. As a result Salmon numbers are in steep decline and in danger of disappearing altogether.

Our new River Ericht Catchment Regeneration Initiative has been set up in response to this crisis. With a founding group of local angling, environmental and community-led organisations, we want to take a catchment scale approach to reviving this important river system. We will seek to engage landowners, farmers, businesses, communities, educational institutions, and relevant statutory bodies in restoring biodiversity, sinking carbon and enabling the sustainable livelihoods that depend on the Salmon and the river to thrive now and in the future.