Scots ‘at the heart’ of plan for nature recovery

Published today, NatureScot’s four-year plan focuses on strengthening Scotland’s resilience to the damaging impacts of climate change by reconnecting people and nature, bringing its many benefits into everyone’s lives.

NatureScot is deeply committed to working closely with communities, farmers, fishermen, developers and local authorities to halt nature loss by 2030 and restore and regenerate Scotland’s nature by 2045.

By bringing people and nature together, the plan seeks to achieve a vision of Scotland where nature thrives and people flourish.

The many benefits of this approach are already being demonstrated in projects such as Species on the Edge. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, NatureScot and seven conservation charities are working hand-in-hand with local communities and land managers to secure a future for 37 of Scotland's most at-risk coastal species.

And through the Scottish Government’s £65 million Nature Restoration Fund, people are being empowered and supported to take care of their local nature. In Fife, the Crail Community Partnership has turned a disused airfield at Kilminning into a community nature reserve, turning tarmac into a haven for wildlife and people to enjoy.

Across towns and cities, urban greening projects are helping to bring nature into people’s everyday lives, offering safer, healthier travel routes and places to relax and recover from life’s pressures. An impressive example is the Canal and North Gateway project in Glasgow, which has transformed former industrial land into vibrant communities, creating new walking and cycling paths, and managing flood risk.

A restored natural world will not only improve biodiversity and climate but also benefit people’s health and wellbeing. According to the Office for National Statistics, the health benefits of nature saves the NHS in Scotland more than £1 billion a year, with as much as £139 million in avoided health impacts from recreation in green spaces. As well, vegetation from tree planting and nature restoration reduces air pollution in Scotland substantially, saving £868 million in health benefits.

Over the next four years NatureScot will work to:

• Strengthen people’s connection with nature, developing the nature-based workforce and enhancing skills, including volunteering and citizen science.
• Work with farmers, foresters, fishermen and other land managers to increase biodiversity on farms, in forests and in our seas.
• Safeguard at least 30% of land, rivers and seas by 2030, putting them back on the road to recovery.
• Accelerate peatland restoration in Scotland, contributing significantly to Scotland’s carbon emissions reduction.
• Expand sustainable deer management across Scotland to allow the natural regeneration of habitats.
• Increase levels of responsible public, private and philanthropic investments in nature restoration and climate resilience.

Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said:

“Scotland’s nature and natural assets are important to people, communities and the wider economy.  Ensuring the resilience of these assets in the face of a changing climate and biodiversity loss is critical if we are to maximise the multiple benefits they deliver for Scotland.

“I am pleased to endorse NatureScot’s next four-year plan, which seeks to further strengthen people’s understanding and connection with nature and commitment to working with business on nature-positive investment in support of economic growth.”

NatureScot Chair Professor Colin Galbraith said:

“We are on the brink of losing the beauty, value and benefits of nature because our natural world is in a deepening crisis, and climate change shows little sign of slowing.

“But when people and nature come together, we can achieve truly remarkable things. By putting people at the heart of nature recovery, we can turn this around and enjoy the many benefits of nature, wherever we live and whatever we do.

“This plan sets out the bold actions NatureScot will take, alongside our partners and communities, to increase biodiversity and tackle climate change, making sure Scotland’s people and nature flourish.”