Climate change - adaptation programme: progress report 2021

Chapter 5: Natural Environment: Progress towards "our natural environment being valued, enjoyed, protected and enhanced and having increased resilience to climate change"

Scotland's world-renowned natural environment supports a wide and diverse range of species and consists of rich and varied habitats. From peatlands to woodlands and urban greenspace to rivers, the natural environment is one of Scotland's greatest assets and has been all the more appreciated by Scotland's citizens during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

In February 2021, NatureScot published a report assessing Scotland's current progress towards meeting the international Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Targets. The report finds that while Scotland is progressing well with mainstreaming biodiversity and increasing public engagement, there is still much more to do to meet the targets related to invasive species and the increasing pressure of climate change.

In order to both meet these targets and recover from COVID-19 we will need to reimagine how we use our land and natural assets. The dual challenges posed by climate change and biodiversity loss will be central to a green recovery. In recognition of this an extra £500 million investment in Scotland's natural economy was announced in the 2020/21 Programme for Government.

The fifth and sixth chapters of SCCAP2 set out policies to protect and improve the resilience of our natural environment in the face of the challenges presented by climate change. The present chapter relates mainly to the terrestrial environment, whereas chapter six relates mainly to the marine and coastal environment.

An update on the National Planning Framework, which is also relevant to these matters, can be found in Chapter 1.

Examples of progress on cross-cutting policies in support of this outcome

A new Land Use Strategy - The Scottish Government's Third Land Use Strategy (LUS3), published March 2021, sets out the long term vision for sustainable land use in Scotland, the main objectives and key policies that can help deliver this. Through the publication of the Strategy the Scottish Government has taken the opportunity to reset its focus on to the integrated nature of land use at a landscape scale. This approach allows the Strategy to showcase the wide range of demands we place upon and the benefits we seek from our land in a manner that is relatable to the landscapes that the people of Scotland live and work in. By understanding these interdependencies and sometimes conflicting relationship, the fine balance of sustainable land use in aid of our long term national priorities can be secured.

Biodiversity Strategy and Routemap - In December 2020, the Scottish Government published a Statement of Intent on the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy post 2020. The Statement sets out the Scottish Government's priorities for tackling biodiversity loss. Currently, 22.7% of terrestrial land is protected and the Statement commits to increasing protection on land to 30% by 2030 and examining options to extend this even further. During 2020, ecosystem restoration has shown increased progress and collaboration, with the consolidation of the landscape-scale Cairngorms Connect, the largest restoration project in Europe, covering 600km². Green network expansion has been achieved through numerous projects including the International Union for Conservation of Nature river restoration and biodiversity project, plus the Green Infrastructure Fund and related Community Engagement Fund (see chapter 1 and chapter 2 respectively). Large utilities companies in central Scotland are also following Crown Estate Scotland's lead in using the Natural Capital Protocol to prioritise new investment in green infrastructure.

Forestry Strategy - In June 2020, the Scottish Government published Scotland's Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan 2020 - 2022. Although this may require updating in response to changing priorities due to the pandemic, it provides the baseline for the initial delivery of the objectives of Scotland's Forestry Strategy 2019-2029, including those relating to adaptation and improving resilience. Priority will be given to the actions that best support the forest sector restart following the COVID-19 emergency. The first report to Parliament on delivery of the Strategy is due by the end of 2022.

Examples of progress on policies in support of sub-outcome that: "Scotland's biodiversity, ecosystems and landscapes are adaptable to the changing climate"

Restoring Scottish peatlands - Peatland restoration has a key role to play in responding to the twin challenges of the climate emergency and biodiversity loss, and by supporting jobs in rural areas is also a key component of a green economic recovery. As outlined in the 2020-21 Programme for Government and the December 2020 Climate Change Plan update, the Scottish Government is committed to significantly increasing the rate of peatland restoration as one of the transformative changes needed to meet Scotland's national emissions reduction targets. These actions will also have significant benefits in building resilience to the impacts of climate change, in relation to biodiversity, flood risk management and improvement of water quality. In the 2020-21 budget the Scottish Government announced funding of £20 million for peatland restoration with a commitment to invest more than £250 million over 10 years, to support restoration of 20,000 hectares of Scottish peatland annually towards a total of 250,000 hectares by 2030.

Standards for the Sustainable Management and Expansion of Forests and Woodlands - The four administrations of the UK have begun work on the review of the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS). The review takes place every five years and the aim is to update and publish the next version by the end of 2022. The Standard includes good practice requirements to enhance the resilience of forests and woodlands to mitigate the risks posed to their sustainability by the effects of climate change or impacts of pests and diseases. The Standard provides the basis for Scottish Government support for sustainable woodland creation and management. Advice and information is available to help forest managers implement the UKFS requirements to enhance forest resilience and the potential of forests to protect communities and the environment from the effects of climate change. Further guidance is being developed in the form of a UK Forestry Standard Practice Guide on adapting forest and woodland management for the changing climate.

Certified woodland in the UK has been independently audited against the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS). In 2019/20, 59% of the total wooded area in Scotland was UKWAS certified, the same amount as the previous year. However, it should also be noted that woodland that is not certified may also be managed sustainably.

Expanding the Area of Forests and Woodlands - In 2019-20 the Scottish Government increased total woodland cover in Scotland to 18.8%, planting more than 11,000 hectares of new woodland, over 40% of which was native woodland. This means that around 22 million trees were planted in one year and accounted for over 80% of all woodland created in the UK. The updated Climate Change Plan details the Scottish Government's ambition to further increase and accelerate woodland creation, aiming to plant 18,000 hectares a year by 2024-25. As noted above, woodland creation also offers a range of adaptation benefits – such as providing natural flood defences and promoting biodiversity resilience.

Ensuring new woodlands are resilient to the future impacts of climate change is embedded in the international principles of sustainable forest management, supported by the Scottish Government and applied through the UKFS. Information is available to support decisions on woodland design and tree species choice. For example, the Ecological Site Classification decision support tool incorporates future climate change projections and provides users with information on future suitability of tree species. Woodland creation also offers a range of adaptation benefits to society – such as providing natural flood defences and promoting biodiversity resilience.

Monitoring the resilience of Scottish forests and woodlands - The global COVID-19 pandemic has meant that Scottish Forestry's typical programme of helicopter-based tree-health surveillance was severely modified. However a single survey across Scotland was successfully completed. Scottish Forestry is currently reviewing and updating all of its contingency plans, taking on board new research evidence and information on the likelihood of pest and disease incursion from outside of the UK. Scottish Forestry has also commissioned work on drought risk to Scottish forests and woodlands due to climate change, and work on a series of best practice case studies looking at a range of forests and woodland types and exploring the different adaptation measures they have introduced.

Separately, in February 2020, a study into woodland ecological condition was published by the National Forest Inventory as Official Statistics. This is the largest and most in-depth assessment of the ecological condition of any habitat in the UK. The study found that all woodland can make a valuable ecological contribution with almost 80% of native woodlands found to be in 'favourable' or 'intermediate' ecological condition and only 6% of non-native woodlands in 'unfavourable' ecological condition.

Finally, Scottish Forestry has been working with the other UK administrations and Forest Research to produce a UK Forestry Standard Practice Guide on designing and managing woodlands and forests to reduce flood risk, to be published later in 2021.

NatureScot Pollinator Strategy for Scotland 2017-2027 - During 2020-21 there was activity across all five main objectives of the Strategy, as set out in the 2020 Progress Report. For example, surveys funded by NatureScot showed that farms benefiting from Scotland's Agri-Environment Climate Scheme had a higher number and diversity of pollinators due to habitat improvements. This positive impact can be seen across over 55,000 ha with a funding commitment of over £20 million. Furthermore, 2020 saw a range of pollinator habitat creation and enhancement projects including Buglife's 'Central Scotland B-Lines' mapping project and the RSPB's 'Enhance, Create and Pollinate', both of which received Biodiversity Challenge Fund support (see below). Evidence-based monitoring has also continued through the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme, which is financially supported by Scottish Government and secured a further two-year period of funding in partnership with Defra, Welsh Government and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Alongside this, pollinator-friendly management practices have been applied to a range of public spaces managed by local authorities, notably in East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Stirling, Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and Angus.

NatureScot Biodiversity Challenge Fund - During 2020, 16 projects addressing biodiversity and the impacts of climate change were funded. Examples of the projects include work to restore natural river processes; efforts addressing invasive species; boosting the resilience of pollinators by connecting their habitats; and riparian tree-planting to ameliorate rising in-stream temperatures. Overall, funding of £4.4 million has now been offered to 37 projects in two rounds of the fund. Ten of these are complete, many are now in their final stages, and only a limited number have identified the need for delays due to COVID-19 restrictions.

National Monitoring Strategy for Biological Diversity - In April 2020, NatureScot and partners, with other international experts, submitted advice to the Convention on Biological Diversity on the role of genetics in nature's resilience to climate change. This work has attracted international interest, particularly with potential partners in Europe and North Africa. Also during 2020, NatureScot completed an assessment of progress against the CBD Aichi targets up to 2019, including climate change impacts on biodiversity.

Protecting and improving Scotland's water environment - The River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) set out how the Scottish Government, SEPA, other responsible authorities and partners work together to protect and improve the water environment in Scotland. The plans aim to prevent deterioration and improve the quality of the water environment to at least good condition. SEPA is currently consulting on the draft RBMPs for 2021 to 2027 with the consultation closing on 22 June 2021. The draft plans are structured around how RBMPs can help deliver Scotland's environment strategy, contributing to a net-zero emissions and circular economy. The plan takes a whole systems approach to dealing with the climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis and is focussed on the following themes: healthier and more resilient communities; water supply and wastewater infrastructure; sustainable and resilient rural land-use; and removing man-made barriers to fish migration.

Environmental Protected Areas - During 2020, the NatureScot Protected Areas Committee, mandated by the NatureScot Board, oversaw a review of protected areas in Scotland. Alongside issues such as resourcing, public perceptions and addressing site condition, the review covers both the implications of climate change and how protected areas can contribute to adaptation (as well as mitigation) outcomes. The review identified protected areas as biodiversity hot-spots for creating nature-based solutions. This depends on them becoming better integrated into nature-rich ecological networks, delivering on the Vision for Protected Areas signed off for the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy in 2020. A sub-investigation of monitoring concluded that to properly understand the inevitable effects of climate change on Scotland's nature, requires a transition to more holistic measurement of ecosystem function, both within and around protected areas.

Examples of progress on policies in support of sub-outcome that "Scotland's natural environment and its contribution to wider societal adaptation is enjoyed, valued and maintained"

Public engagement in Forestry and Woodlands - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting opportunities for children to play and learn in woods has been has been delivered through the online provision of training for childcare and learning providers such as teachers and nursery staff. This included: webinars for early learning and childcare staff on woodland ecology; webinars on STEM teaching and learning in nature, in tree and forest settings for teachers.

NatureScot's People and Nature Survey 2017/18 found that 116.6 million visits were made to forests and woodlands in Scotland between May 2017 and April 2018, these included activities such as walking, cycling/mountain biking and picnicking. The survey is conducted every two to three years and when the survey was repeated in 2019/20 (concluding just before restrictions were imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic) it was estimated that 123.4 million visits took place. This was an increase of almost 6% over the previous reporting period and would likely have been higher still had the survey covered a full 12 (rather than 11) month period. Research carried out by NatureScot in 2020 showing a big rise in the number of people visiting the outdoors to enjoy nature. The proportion of people visiting the outdoors at least once a week rose from 64% in August 2019 to 71% during the initial lockdown from March to May, and 80% between August and September. Almost three-quarters (70%) of people felt spending time outdoors in nature this year helped them to de-stress, relax and unwind and 56% agreed that it improved their physical health.

Outdoor Learning in Nature - The NatureScot Learning in Local Greenspace project had, by December 2020, exceeded the target of 100 green spaces being regularly used for outdoor learning and play, improving the greenspaces where necessary to allow this to happen. The project has engaged 115 schools from 12 local authorities. All the schools have received their project resources and were supported by Outdoor Learning in Nature partners and others, including staff training on outdoor learning. In addition, NatureScot, ran a wildlife camera-trap competition and developed a webinar to support schools.

National Nature Reserves (NNR) - In 2020, NatureScot completed an internal review of how National Nature Reserves contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation, identifying a wide range of potential new measures. NNR management can be optimised to boost the resilience of habitats, which in turn supports work with neighbouring land managers to help wildlife affected by climate change move across wider landscapes. NatureScot also began developing follow-on arrangements to track the natural capital value of its landholdings, as it set out in its 2019 report.

How the Adaptation Scotland Programme is supporting this outcome

Adaptation Scotland collaborates closely with NatureScot to support and champion the importance of nature-based solutions to tackling climate change. For example, NatureScot is a key partner in the programme's work to support place-based adaptation in the Highlands and Islands (see chapter 1) and is actively engaged in using the Adaptation Capability Framework.