Almost £11m of lottery funding has been awarded to a project to make the Cairngorms the UK’s first net zero national park.

The park authority (CNPA) has proposed creating more than 2,470 acres (1,000ha) of new woodland and restoring 16,061 acres (6,500ha) of peatland.

It also plans to improve walking and cycling routes and pioneer nature-friendly farming to help it reduce emissions and absorb carbon dioxide.

But CNPA has faced criticism from farmers and crofters who claimed the organisation was ignoring concerns about some conservation measures.

The Cairngorms is the UK’s largest national park and includes parts of the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Perthshire and Angus.

CNPA’s Cairngorms 2030 project has been awarded £10.7m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

But the project is aiming to raise more than £42m in funding within five years to cover the cost of woodland and restoration projects.

The initiative forms part of the wider, 20-year Cairngorm 2030 project, set up to restore habitats.

CNPA’s current plans include building an outdoor dementia activity resource centre.

It also hopes to work with the NHS to promote the health and wellbeing benefits people could gain from being in the natural environment.

CNPA said it was working with 70 partners, including land managers.

Convener Sandy Bremner said: “This five-year, £42.3m initiative will put the power to tackle the nature and climate crisis in the hands of the people in the park.

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