Inverness nature reserve project awarded Highland Coastal Communities Fund
A Merkinch Local Nature Reserve project has been awarded £12,156 Highland Coastal Communities Fund by The Highland Council’s City of Inverness Area Committee.
Inverness Councillors agreed to this project funding which will provide a boardwalk and active travel route in this coastal area of the Inner Moray Firth.
Provost and Leader of Inverness and Area Cllr Helen Carmichael said: “This is great news for the local communities of South Kessock, Merkinch, Clachnaharry, Scorguie, Dalneigh and Muirtown as a new replacement boardwalk and path upgrades will provide an important facility for recreation, access to nature, and health and wellbeing. Locals, wider Inverness residents and visitors to the area will all benefit at a time when access to the outdoors during the pandemic remains highly important.”
The Highland Coastal Communities Fund is designed to support economic regeneration and sustainable development around coastal areas in Highland. The fund is derived from revenue generated by Scottish Government Crown Estate marine assets.
Projects are expected to prioritise economic recovery, community resilience, mitigate the impact of climate change or address the challenges of rural depopulation. The successful projects will also demonstrate sustainability or viability, value for money, additionality, local support/benefit to their community and evidence the positive impacts for their coastal community/economy.
Other funding partners in the project include, The Highland Council; Inverness Common Good Fund and Sustrans.
The project will replace an ageing boardwalk located within the Merkinch Local Nature Reserve and upgrade the adjacent path to form a fully accessible route between the Carnac Crescent entrance to the reserve and the main sea wall path near the railway crossing. The Reserve currently represents the only quality access to the coastal waterside in Inverness and is valuable to the entire city as an area for conservation and recreation. The project will also form half of the new Active Travel Route connecting South Kessock with Merkinch and the city beyond.