The Proportion of Scotland's Protected Sites in Favourable Condition 2015

The main findings show that of the over 5,000 Scottish natural features on protected nature sites, 79.3% are in favourable condition. This figure represents a 0.5 percentage points rise in the proportion of natural features in favourable condition between 2014 and 2015. There has been a 7.9 percentage points increase since assessment reporting began in 2005.

There are three broad types of protected features: earth science, which covers geological outcrops and landforms, fossil beds and caves (97.7% in favourable condition); species (76.2% in favourable condition) and habitats (77.2% in favourable condition). All saw an increase in the proportion of features in favourable condition since last year (species less than 0.1 percentage points; earth science 0.3 percentage points; and habitats 1.1 percentage points). Of the individual feature types which are monitored, some feature types showed an increase in the proportion of features in favourable condition, some remained stable, whilst others decreased. Of particular note were woodland features where the proportion of natural features in favourable condition rose by 2.5%.

Invasive species and over-grazing are the main challenges to improving condition from unfavourable to favourable. The proportion of assessments recording invasive species as a negative pressure has risen for the past 3 years to 19.7% in 2014/15. This includes both non-native species, such as rhododendron in woodlands, and native species, such as birch encroaching on to raised bog habitats.

The fall in the proportion of assessments recording over-grazing by wild herbivores and/or domestic stock to 18.1% is a mark of the improving condition of woodland features during 2014/15.