People in Scotland are seeing the effects of a nature crisis, in part driven by the climate emergency.

The abundance of wildlife is in dramatic decline and experts argue that if this is not turned around, we will suffer severe consequences.  

“Nature restoration in Scotland is mission critical if we are all to lead healthy and flourishing lives in a safe space,” says Francesca Osowska, the CEO of NatureScot, Scotland’s nature agency.  

The Herald:

It is timely then that the organisation charged with advising the Scottish Government on our natural heritage is now revealing what it will do to tackle the crisis with its revised strategy.

NatureScot’s Corporate Plan sets out a bold vision to protect nature and stop the decline in biodiversity by 2030. Then, it aims to restore natural abundance and variety in species by 2045 – the same year the country aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions.

All of this will be driven by people valuing nature more. 

Not only do 11% of our species face extinction, but over the past 20 years, 49% have decreased in abundance, to the point where not only is our natural environment in crisis but also our health and prosperity. 

“We revise our Corporate Plan every four years because the world changes around us. It’s important we are clear on a strategy based on what is actually happening,”says Francesca, pointing out that there have been two seismic events for Scotland – and the planet – since NatureScot published its Connecting People and Nature strategy in 2018. 

First was the declaration of a climate emergency and, ultimately, a recognition of this around the world. Second was the publication of the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity, noting nature’s dangerous decline as unprecedented and species extinction rates accelerating. 

Francesca notes: “These events really changed our thinking at NatureScot and have increased the urgency and scale with which we need to address nature restoration. We know we have a twin nature-climate crisis.

“Over time the decrease in nature, species and biodiversity impacts the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. 

“We must act. The reason we’re publishing this new vision is because there’s absolutely no time to lose. We need to increase the pace and the scale of our action.

“Despite the fact we have lost many species in Scotland and nature is degraded in many places, it can still support us. If we restore nature, it can contribute to over 40% of Scotland’s target for net zero emissions by 2045.”

NatureScot’s priorities for the next four years include leading the delivery of 30% of land and sea being protected by 2030; scaling up peatland restoration through the Peatland ACTION project to substantially exceed Scotland’s goal of 250,000 ha of restored peatland by 2030; delivering a major Nature Restoration Fund worth tens of millions targeted at high impact and landscape-scale nature recovery and climate projects; and substantially reducing deer numbers to enable woodlands and peatlands to naturally grow and capture carbon. 

NatureScot wants to inspire every one of us to truly value nature and the many benefits it provides to wider society. 

This in turn can attract public, private and social enterprise financing for nature protection and restoration.

Francesca acknowledges that delivering all of this requires major changes in how each of us thinks about and uses land and sea, whether for recreation or business. 

“The emphasis throughout our new strategy for nature restoration is on all of the actions we can take to protect nature,” she points out. 

“We need to hang onto the really special nature we have and make sure it doesn’t degrade or disappear – then we need to restore it, improve everything we have and value it and ensure society values nature in all the senses – by appreciation, advocacy and investment.”

Of course, this crucial work can only happen at the scale needed by working closely with many different organisations in the public sector, in communities, in business and in the environment industry.

“We absolutely have to work in partnership, this is a national endeavour and all of society must play its part,” says Francesca. “We cannot do everything by ourselves. So we will continue to work with many of our partner organisations.

“There are two ways NatureScot can deliver. We can deliver directly. We manage 29 national nature reserves across Scotland, for example, and with these we have a strong biodiversity and nature element. 

“So we’re protecting nature, enhancing nature and restoring nature on those sites. 

“We’re also using them to inspire the current and future generations about nature. So, reflecting the themes of ‘protect, restore, value’, we’re using our reserves to help people value nature. 
“However we also have a role in terms of how we bring other organisations together and how we can influence them and use our convening power to ensure they can support our aims.

“I’m very optimistic what we’re presenting in our new strategy – on the need to focus on restoration – will achieve success. We have great backing from the Scottish Government to be able to do that. 

“This includes the Scottish Government launching a new biodiversity strategy this year. We expect it to give an enhanced focus for all partners playing a role in this. And then we have a funding stream, both through NatureScot’s own resources but also with the Nature Restoration Fund, Peatland ACTION programme and other sources we manage on a lesser scale that can support our activity.”

NatureScot’s CEO is optimistic about achieving net zero and tackling the nature crisis despite the many challenges that may be faced.

“You get a real sense that actually we can deal with the multiplicity of issues – whether it’s the energy crisis that’s been looming for quite some time now or issues in terms of food security, moving to a nature rich-future, moving to net zero, moving to a system of future land management support that rewards our farmers, crofters, land managers and all the positive environmental benefits they can deliver. I think that all of this has been strengthened. 

“To me it feels like we’re in a great place. It’s nice to have that optimism and good news, which has been in short supply in recent years.

“I expect that as we make progress on the delivery of the various objectives in our new strategy, people will begin to notice a difference in Scotland’s ecology and biodiversity. I want us to turn the corner and move from a situation where nature is in crisis and imperilled to where nature is being restored for all of our benefit.”

www.nature.scot

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New strategy offers a clear vision on cutting carbon emissions 

AS Scotland’s official nature agency, NatureScot’s mission is not only to protect and restore nature, but also inspire us all to cherish our natural world.

As a result of reviving nature in Scotland, people will be able to lead healthier lives and be resilient to what the future throws our way. 

The Herald:

Importantly, nature restoration through changes to land and sea use will contribute to over 40% of Scotland’s drive for net zero carbon emissions by 2045, which is our country's contribution towards limiting global warming to 1.5°C. 

To this end, NatureScot aims to have 30% of Scotland’s land and sea protected for nature – with at least 10% of our seas under high protection – by the end of 2030.

Many strong programmes for large-scale transformative change are already in motion, however the new ‘A nature-rich future for all’ strategy sets out some priority areas for the next four years.

RESTORATION PROJECTS
THE success of new, large-scale nature recovery and restoration projects is a key part of the four-year strategy.

There are many such initiatives already under way. These include rainforest restoration work in the Morvern peninsula, improving the black grouse habitat on Craig Dhu, and restoring dunes in St Andrews in order to improve flood defences. 

The major new £65 million Nature Restoration Fund will drive a lot of nature restoration, safeguard wildlife and tackle the causes of climate change across Scotland. 

SCOTTISH BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY
THIS year, the Scottish Government will launch a new Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, not long after governments meet in China to sign an international agreement to tackle global biodiversity. 

Working with the Scottish Government, NatureScot is taking the lead on the development and delivery of the strategy, with an ecosystem approach that relies on the involvement of a wide range of organisations, government departments 
and businesses.

PEATLAND RESTORATION
SCOTTISH peatland is generally in poor condition and emitting carbon dioxide in large amounts.

Restoring it to good condition so that it keeps carbon in the ground – and supports important habitats – is crucial to achieving net zero targets. 
By 2026 NatureScot will have accelerated the pace of peatland restoration so that the Scottish Government target of 250,000 hectares restored by 2030 will be exceeded.

DEER MANAGEMENT
DEER are an iconic species and an important part of our biodiversity. But their high numbers and lack of natural predators mean they have a negative impact by browsing on woodlands and other habitats. In fact, more than half of Scotland’s native woodlands are estimated to be overgrazed to the point where they are no longer regenerating. 

Substantially reducing deer numbers will be crucial to enable our woodlands and peatlands to naturally grow and capture carbon.

NATIONAL NATURE RESERVES
OFTEN seen as the jewels in Scotland’s crown, our national parks and remote wild spaces have inspired a love of nature among Scots and visitors for centuries. 

Now, however, NatureScot wants the 29 reserves it looks after to represent the perfect examples of the future we’d all like to experience. Over the next four years it aims to ensure these are special places where nature is strongly protected and restoration advanced. 

It also wants to see the reserves connected through green networks across Scotland with local communities inspired to learn about nature and value its importance to the planet and their own health and wellbeing.

NATURE-BASED JOBS CREATION
A NATURESCOT report has shown nature-based jobs make a significant contribution to Scotland’s economy and it’s estimated there are already nearly 200,000 in the nature sector. These incorporate industries such as farming, fishing, tourism and forestry.

As part of its strategy NatureScot aims to help create even more green jobs to tackle the nature crisis. 

Work has already begun through investment in improving urban green spaces for people and nature via the Green Infrastructure Fund and the support of 
urban projects under the Biodiversity Challenge Fund.