
Extreme E's Hydro X Prix has 'transformative' impact on restoring salmon breeding grounds
An all-electric racing series' visit to Dumfriesshire has had a 'truly transformative' impact on a project to restore salmon breeding grounds.
This week marks one year since Extreme E held the second Hydro X Prix at Glenmuckloch near Sanquhar.
Extreme E has held the Hydro X Prix at Glenmuckloch near Sanquhar for the past two years.
As part of the series' legacy programme, it joined forces with Nith District Salmon Fishery Board (NDSFB) to help with tree planting in a bid to boost salmon stocks and improve their breeding grounds.
And the efforts are already paying off, with the number of salmon fry found in every 100 square metres having improved by more than 200 per cent.
NDSFB fishery director, Jim Henderson, said: 'The support from Extreme E has been truly transformative. Our goals were aligned from the offset, to initiate a project which would grow into a lasting environmental project that lasts long after the race has ended, leaving positive legacy.
'Their investment helped us establish not just a tree nursery, but a living laboratory for the local community, a place where young people can connect with nature, learn about conservation, and be inspired to become future stewards of our environment. It's a legacy that will continue to shape our river and our community for years to come.'
Extreme E – which is becoming Extreme H due to its switch from electric to hydrogen power – got involved with the project during its first visit to the region in 2023 by helping with tree planting.
Last year, pupils from Kelloholm Primary who had helped launched the scheme returned to plant more trees along the spawning ground a new plant nursery developed thanks to the series support.
As well as helping NDSFB propagate local seeds into seedlings, it has also given them a living classroom
More than 3000 native hardwood trees have been installed along the river bank, creating protective corridors for ecosystems to thrive.
This has helped stabilise the banks, reducing erosion and the risk of salmon egg mortality, with fences protecting young trees from grazing livestock.
Extreme H's official sustainability partner EY has used their outcome measurement framework to show the benefits of the project – such as number of trees planted and increased biodiversity.
Extreme H's director of communications and impact, Julia Wall-Clarke, said: 'We are incredibly proud to see the legacy programme continue to grow and evolve here on the River Nith.
'What began as a meaningful initiative alongside our Hydro X Prix has become a truly community-led project with long-term environmental impact.
'Jim and his team deserve huge credit for their vision and commitment in creating a space that not only restores vital habitats but also empowers local people to take ownership of their natural environment. We'll be watching its progress with pride in the years to come.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Record
08-07-2025
- Daily Record
Extreme E's Hydro X Prix has 'transformative' impact on restoring salmon breeding grounds
The series - now called Extreme H - joined forces with Nith District Salmon Fishery Board to help with tree planting in a bid to boost salmon stocks. An all-electric racing series' visit to Dumfriesshire has had a 'truly transformative' impact on a project to restore salmon breeding grounds. This week marks one year since Extreme E held the second Hydro X Prix at Glenmuckloch near Sanquhar. Extreme E has held the Hydro X Prix at Glenmuckloch near Sanquhar for the past two years. As part of the series' legacy programme, it joined forces with Nith District Salmon Fishery Board (NDSFB) to help with tree planting in a bid to boost salmon stocks and improve their breeding grounds. And the efforts are already paying off, with the number of salmon fry found in every 100 square metres having improved by more than 200 per cent. NDSFB fishery director, Jim Henderson, said: 'The support from Extreme E has been truly transformative. Our goals were aligned from the offset, to initiate a project which would grow into a lasting environmental project that lasts long after the race has ended, leaving positive legacy. 'Their investment helped us establish not just a tree nursery, but a living laboratory for the local community, a place where young people can connect with nature, learn about conservation, and be inspired to become future stewards of our environment. It's a legacy that will continue to shape our river and our community for years to come.' Extreme E – which is becoming Extreme H due to its switch from electric to hydrogen power – got involved with the project during its first visit to the region in 2023 by helping with tree planting. Last year, pupils from Kelloholm Primary who had helped launched the scheme returned to plant more trees along the spawning ground a new plant nursery developed thanks to the series support. As well as helping NDSFB propagate local seeds into seedlings, it has also given them a living classroom More than 3000 native hardwood trees have been installed along the river bank, creating protective corridors for ecosystems to thrive. This has helped stabilise the banks, reducing erosion and the risk of salmon egg mortality, with fences protecting young trees from grazing livestock. Extreme H's official sustainability partner EY has used their outcome measurement framework to show the benefits of the project – such as number of trees planted and increased biodiversity. Extreme H's director of communications and impact, Julia Wall-Clarke, said: 'We are incredibly proud to see the legacy programme continue to grow and evolve here on the River Nith. 'What began as a meaningful initiative alongside our Hydro X Prix has become a truly community-led project with long-term environmental impact. 'Jim and his team deserve huge credit for their vision and commitment in creating a space that not only restores vital habitats but also empowers local people to take ownership of their natural environment. We'll be watching its progress with pride in the years to come.'


Scotsman
28-04-2025
- Scotsman
West Lothian tech companies are helping to explore the surface of Mars
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Technology vital to the exploration of Mars and the advancement of satellite communication has become a thriving industry in West Lothian. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The county now has the largest cluster of photonics businesses in Scotland. Photonics is the science and technology of using light, lasers and fibre optics, and has developed locally over the last four decades. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Among the firms leading the way locally are are Alter UK in Livingston, who provided key electronic components to the NASA Mars Perseverance Rover which landed on Mars in 2020 . Staff working in Alter Tech's Livingston plant | West Lothian Council And photonics businesses are at the forefront of innovation, with links to semiconductors, electronics and advanced manufacturing. Other significant West Lothian employers in these sectors are aligned with photonics and increase local economic growth. A meeting of the council's Economy, Community Empowerment and Wealth Building PDSP heard about the developments in an update from the council Business Development Team. Jim Henderson the council's Business Development Manager told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'The West Lothian economy benefits from long-term investment in the photonics sector. University spin-outs and high-growth start-ups have made West Lothian their investment location of choice for more than 40 years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'For example, both Edinburgh Instruments and Helia Photonics were founded by senior academics at Heriot-Watt University. 'The evolving nature of high-technology firms sees Alter Tech (formerly Optocap) continue to expand its scale of operation at their Livingston HQ. 'Photonics businesses are at the forefront of innovation, with links to semiconductors, electronics and advanced manufacturing. Other significant West Lothian employers in these sectors are aligned with photonics and increase local economic growth.' The firm provides precision manufacturing for a wide range of semiconductor-based photonic and electronic technologies. The company has been based at Bain Square, Livingston since 2003 and currently employs 45 full-time equivalents within this site. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As part of their strategic growth objectives, Alter UK plan to make a £5 million investment in a new Photonics Design Centre to help the company develop their own state-of-the-art photonic products alongside their current service-based offering. One of the key flagship products to be developed is a Space Grade optical transceiver which will be a key component for data transfer and communications within Very High Throughout Telecom Satellites. Alter UK were awarded a Jobs Task Force grant of £100,000. To help them recruit a further nine new staff, all as part of a multi-million-pound strategic investment in their Livingston HQ. The business has worked closely with Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise over the longer term. Alter UK has also recently benefited from training support from the Flexible Workforce Development Fund and engagement with Heriot Watt University. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Henderson added: 'The value of photonics at a local and national level is exemplified by the recent award of £4.7 Million to scale-up the sector. The funding was received from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) , part of UK Research & Innovation. 'This work, known as the Photonics & Quantum Accelerator (PQA), brings together researchers from the Universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, Heriot-Watt and St Andrews, local authorities and industry bodies to advance the growth of the photonics sector across Scotland's Central Belt.'


The Independent
20-04-2025
- The Independent
Mea culpa: definitely not Daleks?
We reported on Wednesday the discovery of chemicals associated with living organisms on a planet 120 light years away: 'Scientists have detected an encouraging potential sign of life on a planet in a different solar system in what they believe is the 'strongest indicator' that life exists beyond Earth.' What is the word 'encouraging' doing there? We have no idea whether life elsewhere in our galaxy would be good or bad for us. The finding was interesting enough in itself, without us trying to dictate to the reader whether they should be pleased or – if they have read any science fiction at all – alarmed. Eyes in the side of his head: A photo caption at the weekend said: 'A person watches the sunrise on the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia.' John Harrison wrote to say that 'he must have eyes in his right ear since the picture clearly shows he is not facing the sun'. High water mark: After Liam James, my colleague, commented in last week's Mea Culpa column that the word 'mark' had been used where it shouldn't have been, we did it again in 'Home news in brief', when we reported: 'More than 700 migrants crossed the English Channel on Tuesday to mark the highest number of arrivals on a single day so far this year.' Thanks to Henry Peacock for pointing out that 'to mark' made no sense, and that we meant something like 'which is'. Standing room only: Richard Thomas, another reader, noticed that we slipped into the wrong register in a report on Monday of Steve Bray's victory in court against police efforts to stop him playing loud music outside parliament: 'Police had approached Mr Bray when he was stood on a traffic island at around 11.20am.' This is conversational English as she is spoke increasingly by young people, but we should prefer the more formal 'was standing' to give our reporting more authority. Stuck in the middle: My war against 'amid' is going badly. In the past seven days, we have had 'Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to hold talks with the White House next week amid efforts to strike a trade deal'; a headline, 'Shareholders revolt against BP chair amid climate clash'; and 'reports of US dissidents being detained and arrested continue to flood in amid the continued rise of far-right politicians across Europe'. The first two should have been easy to deal with: 'as part of' and 'in' would have made sense; the third needed more work, as we were trying to link two different but related things, without trying to explain the connection. Praisiness: Finally, I rejected a complaint from a reader who objected to this passage in a report on Thursday of a boxing match: 'As Clarke's eyes glazed over, and the heavyweight's crushed cheekbone collapsed into itself, a stark reality was rendered: this sport hurts, it is dangerous, and it is unforgiving. And if you were one of those to have felt that unnerving quease in the aftermath of Clarke's first-round defeat by Wardley, imagine – if you can – how Clarke's family felt.' Our correspondent thought that we meant 'queasiness', but I like it as it is, and think that Alex Pattle should be congratulated on an imaginative play on words. 'Quease' ought to be a word, although 'queasy' probably comes from Old Norse kveisa, so the 'y' at the end may be an alteration of the 'a' rather than a regular adjectival ending. And, as our correspondent admitted, 'I know what he means.' For me, it sums up rather well how I feel about people hitting each other on the head for sport.