Key Scottish Environment Statistics 2009
Annual publication containing summary of key statistics on environmental trends in Scotland
Land
Agricultural Land Use: 1982-2008
Area (thousand hectares)
Area (thousand hectares)
1982 |
1990 |
1993 |
2000 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rough grazing |
4,533 |
4,286 |
4,233 |
3,983 |
4,036 |
4,002 |
4,028 |
Grass |
1,104 |
1,130 |
1,137 |
1,187 |
1,244 |
1,235 |
1,219 |
Crop, fallow and set-aside |
641 |
644 |
650 |
652 |
600 |
601 |
602 |
Woodland and other |
114 |
153 |
175 |
262 |
330 |
354 |
392 |
Total land 13 |
6,392 |
6,213 |
6,195 |
6,083 |
6,210 |
6,192 |
6,241 |
Set-aside land 14 |
- |
- |
90 |
78 |
68 |
62 |
18 |
Agricultural land use has a strong influence on the landscape and environment of Scotland. In particular, changes in agricultural land use have an impact on wildlife habitats, water pollution, and emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.
Between 1982 and 2000 the total land used for agriculture in Scotland decreased by 5% to 6.1m ha. This has since risen to 6.2m ha in 2008. The area of rough grazing decreased by 0.6m ha (14%) between 1982 and 2003 but has since risen to reach 4m ha in 2008. In 2008 the area of woodland and other land was more than three times the 1982 figure. 15
The amount of land set-aside has been recorded separately since 1993. Trends have reflected changes in the European Union compulsory set-aside rate. There was a decrease in set-aside land from 93,000ha in 1994 to 40,000ha in 1997, after which it increased to a peak of 91,000ha in 2003. Since then it reduced gradually to 62,000ha in 2007, before dropping sharply to 18,000ha in 2008, reflecting the change to a 0 per cent compulsory set-aside rate.
Source: Scottish Government
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