Published on:
14
December 2012
Clackmannanshire Council has been successful in a grant application to the Coastal Communities Fund.
The announcement was made onThursday by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP.
He said: "Growing up on Colonsay, I know both the opportunities and the challenges coastal communities face.
"This funding can make a real difference to the winning areas and help them become more economically sustainable. The fund received a large number of applicants and will continue every year so that we can help more innovative projects in Scotland, and across the UK."
The Project grant of £230,000 aims to re-engage our coastal communities with the Forth to demonstrate that it has a viable and sustainable future as part of the landscape.
The project will develop a new accessible wetland area and an options appraisal for flood management on a coastal area south of Alloa. It will also engage the Clackmannanshire coastal communities in all aspects of the project .
Enterprise and Environment Convener, Councillor Donald Balsillie said: "This exciting project will create opportunities for over 20 jobs providing training and employment in Environment and heritage Projects. It seeks to add to the range of Modern Apprenticeships currently available in Clackmannanshire through engaging with the Scottish Governments 'green jobs' agenda."
The Council, through Clackmannanshire Works, will be delivering the project in partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Scotland (RSPB Scotland) and the project has been designed to support the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI), in which the Council is a partner.
By providing employment, training and volunteering opportunities for local people the project will support the development and delivery of the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) and its ambitions to improve the landscape and connect local communities with the Forth.
Kate Studd, Inner Forth Landscape Initiative Programme Manager, said: "It is wonderful that green apprenticeships supported under this coastal communities grant will enable young people from Clackmannanshire to work with us to develop and deliver projects to conserve, enhance and celebrate the heritage of the Inner Forth Estuary."
Work carried out in partnership with RSPB Scotland, will enhance existing wetlands and explore options for sustainable flood management, leaving tangible benefits for the people and wildlife of Clackmannanshire's coastal area.
Anne McCall, RSPB Regional Director for South and West Scotland said: "We are delighted that this support from Coastal Communities will allow us to develop options for sustainable flood management and wetland creation with land managers in Clackmannanshire.
"Adapting to a changing climate is a big challenge and one that this project will help us to tackle, to the benefit of both wildlife and local communities in the area."