From reducing flood threats to seeing flourishing biodiversity, a Scottish project has already been making waves as a pioneering example of environmental management.
But 13 years after it started, the Eddleston Water Project in the Scottish Borders has been granted global recognition from UNESCO.
Developed by the environmental charity Tweed Forum, the project is aiming to improve flood resilience through a range of measures including planting new woodlands and the creation of new flood storage ponds.
It has been chosen as the only UK-based UNESCO Ecohydrology Demonstration Site and the project will now be included in the organisation's Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP).
The Eddleston Water catchment area of the River Tweed has seen a raft of changes over the course of the project resulting in reduced peak water levels during heavy rainfall.
This has included re-meandering the river and the creation of 38 new ponds which can provide temporary flood storage.
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The Director of the Tweed Forum Luke Comins emphasised the importance of future-proofing natural landscapes.
"Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events such as flooding and our Eddleston Water Project has already attracted international attention as scientists and policymakers try to understand how they can future-proof the landscape to be more resilient," he said.
“We’re delighted that this UNESCO recognition will enable us to continue to share the effectiveness of the nature-based solutions we’re implementing on a catchment scale both here and abroad.”
The project has seen a rise in fish and boost to aquatic diversity and is expected to lead to a further boost for wildlife including Kingfishers, Lampreys and Otters.
Other measures have included the introduction of 100 log structures to slow excess water by directing into surrounding land.
More than 330,000 native trees have also been planted across the catchment.
University of Dundee professor Chris Spray said the recognition was a "testament" to the quality of work being carried out by the UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science team.
“The full results of the Eddleston Water project will take many years to deliver, but the benefits measured to date are already very exciting, from flood risk reduction to increased plant and wildlife biodiversity," he said.
He added that the team was "looking forward to sharing the studies we and our partners are conducting here in Scotland with communities across the globe.”
The project has seen a delay of up to seven hours in the timing of river peaks - allowing residents crucial time to prepare in the event of floods.
Environment minister Mairi McAllan said: “This work shows the importance of natural flood management in reducing the risk from flooding downstream, as well as creating better habitats for many species.
"The UNESCO designation is a great opportunity for others, both in Scotland and internationally, to learn from the project. I would like to thank the team and the local community for the commitment they have shown in taking this forward.” Eddleston Water Project is funded by the Scottish Government, EU Interreg and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
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