The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) has secured nearly £27,000 in funding from Biodiversity Action Grants Scheme (BAGS).

The scheme, which is jointly supported by Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Executive, will fund a project which will improve grassland habitat in areas of East Lothian, Fife and Stirling over the next two years.

The Conservation Grazing Project continues the work of a pilot project started in 2001 and is designed to maintain, enhance and, where necessary, restore the botanical diversity on a number of sites.

These sites suffer from under-grazing and as a result are overrun by undesirable species such as creeping thistle and rosebay willowherb.

To do this, SWT manages a flock of grazing animals (called the “Flying Flock”) which as part of their grazing routine, move from site to site as required.

Lucy Graham, SWT project and fundraising manager, said: “As a result of changing agricultural practices, development and neglect, area of species-rich lowland grassland in Scotland have declined by more than 90 per cent in the last 50 years.

“We are delighted that through SNH’s support, SWT is now able to expand a successful scheme that will see long-term improvement to meadows and grassland areas.”

The funding now secured means that SWT will be able to expand the geographical range of the project and work with other landowners to demonstrate the practical benefits of conservation grazing.

SWT reserves in the project include: Kilminning Coast (Crail, Fife), Bankhead Moss (Pitscottie, Fife), Fleecefaulds Meadow (Cupar, Fife), Cullaloe (Aberdour, Fife), Lielowan Meadow (Dunfermline, Fife), Bo’mains Meadow (Bo’ness, Fife), Cambus Pools (Stirling) and Flanders Moss (Thornhill, Stirling) as well as other sites such Gaddon Lochs (Fife), Aberlady Bay (East Lothian) and Westfield Open Cast Coal Site (Fife).