The landscape of Royal Deeside is being restored by a charity to help tackle climate change.
The River Dee Trust has pledged to plant a million trees to provide shade and has now reached half of its overall target.
Rising temperatures have had a devastating impact on the River Dee, with the water now too warm to support the salmon there, which the river is famous for.
River Dee Trust chair Sandy Bremner told STV News: “Salmon are under threat from rapidly rising temperatures, peak temperatures put salmon under thermal stress. It’s a few degrees from being lethal for salmon.”
This isn’t a short-term plan; it will take decades for these trees to be fully grown. But the community are fully behind the project after seeing the devastation flooding can make.
In 2015, Ballater was hit by extreme flooding as Storm Frank battered through Scotland.
STV NewsIt destroyed a lot of the landscape and houses in the area, people living here are still living with the consequences of the flooding.
The effect this project will have will also make a difference to the community.
Sandy believes this is ‘vital’ for those living in the area.
He added: “We saw in Storm Frank hundreds of homes and businesses being affected.
“We saw terrible things happening to individuals. We have a chance to mitigate against that. What’s good for salmon, for nature is good for people.”
To celebrate reaching the halfway mark, two young conservationist sisters had the special privilege of planting the 500,000th tree.
Izzie and Abbie from Aberdeenshire, got to see first hand how important it is to plant trees.
Izzie said: “Me and my sister were really surprised when we found out we had been asked to plant this tree.
“It’s just amazing that we can be part of this cause these million trees will have a really positive impact on the River Dee so I just can’t wait to see when all these trees are grown.”
As for her younger sister, Abbie, it was a great opportunity to learn the impact the trees will have.
She said: “I’ve learned that these trees are very important for the river and the animals, because the salmon have found themselves in very warm conditions and this will help them find shade.”
It’s hoped by 2035, one million trees will be planted and the ecosystem of the river will start to recover – but volunteers warn more must be done.
Sandy said: “We need millions of trees; we need landscape scale restoration.
“Planting trees to give shade, holding water in the upper catchment, with other projects, peatland restoration, opening up flood plains is all vital.
“It’s urgent – we’re on a race against time.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
