CAMERAS: evidence strategy for rural affairs and the terrestrial environment

High-level Objectives

The high level objectives for this Evidence Strategy identify the benefits sought for stakeholders involved in the use and provision of evidence on rural affairs and the terrestrial environment in Scotland. This strategy:

1. Identifies CAMERAS partners' shared understanding of the major evidence needs and related drivers for rural affairs and the terrestrial environment that will inform the science plans of CAMERAS partners and other important evidence providers.

2. Will improve access to and co-ordination of evidence for evidence users in targeted areas by:

a. Developing a rolling programme of evidence plans that will specify evidence needs and delivery times, identify evidence sources within and outwith CAMERAS, agree where joint working is required and how it will be achieved and identify gaps in evidence provision.

b. Delivering the evidence plans through joint and individual working by partners, sharing of expertise, integration of evidence from different sources, addressing gaps in evidence provision and facilitating effective communication between evidence users and providers.

c. Developing a mechanism to facilitate joint funding of work by multiple partners where this will assist delivery.

3. Will deliver better value from resources in targeted areas through increased understanding of evidence users' needs, improved joint working and reduced duplication.

4. Will improve knowledge exchange between evidence users and providers in targeted areas by providing a mechanism for communication and developing knowledge exchange skills in CAMERAS partners and other staff engaged in evidence planning.

5. Will develop a pathway that can be used to respond rapidly to unexpected or urgent evidence needs that involve multiple CAMERAS partners.