240614Paper5PerfCtteeCapercaillieProject

This document contains the final report on the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project, prepared by Andy Ford, Director for Nature and Climate Change. The Performance Committee is asked to agree that the project has successfully delivered its approved purposes, note its key achievements and learnings, and consider strategically significant issues with project legacy planning. The project has entirely achieved its plan outputs, even exceeding quantitative targets with only a few exceptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also enabled the delivery of actions in the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan (NPPP) 2023-2027, and the project's activities will enable actions in the Corporate Plan (CP). The project has improved capercaillie habitat, engaged communities, and contributed to scientific understanding of capercaillie ecology. The project has grown into a diverse partnership, engaging over 25,000 people and resulting in the UK's first community-led action plan for capercaillie. The project has successfully delivered its approved purposes and secured project achievements in legacy planning.