Scottish Rural Development Programme 2014-2020: ex-post evaluation - main report

29. Biodiversity

This chapter answers CEQ26: To what extent has the RDP contributed to improving the environment and to achieving the EU biodiversity strategy target of halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services, and to restore them?

Response

Environmental and climate related measures, plus support to agriculture in LFA that contain HNV farming (that is, AECS, FGS, and LFASS) accounted for over three-quarters (79%) of total SRDP 2014-2020 realised expenditure.

The impact of the SRDP in improving the environment, halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services and restoring them has been covered in a number of CEQs under Priority 4.

Under CEQ 8, we concluded that SRDP interventions have supported the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of biodiversity, including in Natura 2000 areas.

However, the extent of these impacts was not always quantified. There were inherent difficulties in establishing a baseline position from which to measure change and determining causality was also problematic. Further, in many cases, it was too early to expect impacts from this programming period to have emerged. That said, it was clear that the general direction of travel over successive programming periods has been positive, and this was expected to continue. For example, the AECS evaluation concluded that the scheme results were indicative of benefitting biodiversity. While this falls short of the biodiversity strategy’s aim of halting the loss of biodiversity, mentioned in this CEQ, it helps.

When considering other aspects of the environment, CEQ 9 examined the extent to which SRDP interventions have supported the improvement of water management, including fertiliser and pesticide management (and hence diffuse pollution).

We concluded that SRDP interventions have supported the improvement of water management, including fertilizer and pesticide management. However, the extent of this impact was not always quantified – but it was clear that the general direction of travel over successive programming periods has been positive and this was expected to continue. The AECS evaluation found that the scheme supported various water management projects that aim to benefit water quality – it supported arable and grassland water margins to help improve water quality estimated at more than 1,060 hectares and this was targeted at catchments identified as having diffuse pollution or poor water quality. The FAS one-to-one service evaluation did not provide direct evidence on the impacts of the scheme on water quality.

Other contributions to halting biodiversity decline and the degradation of environmental service (and help with their restoration) were encountered in other SRDP schemes, not just those most clearly directed at the environment (such as AECS and FGS). The ability of investment in human and social capital (such as KTIF, FAS, LEADER and LFASS) to contribute to this aim should be noted.

Conclusion

There is a time lag between action and impact in this area, and that makes drawing a definitive conclusion problematic. We are, however, satisfied that the SRDP has supported relevant agri-environment schemes and has also funded specific grant schemes and specialist advice. Further, and as noted above, there are inherent difficulties in establishing a baseline position from which to measure change and determining causality is also problematic.

The AECS evaluation does, however, provide some evidence on how the activity supported is likely to contribute towards the following outcomes (albeit not quantified):

• farmland bird options have helped maintain a stable trend in the farmland bird index and the recovery of vulnerable species such as the corn bunting.
• management of moorland habitats in the uplands and special rare heaths to maintain habitat condition.
• protecting carbon rich soils such as the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands, the largest blanket bog in Europe – a key carbon store in Scotland of international significance.
• extensive management of species rich pastures, moorland and wetlands too maintain high nature value systems.
• conservation of unique habitat such as Machair only found in the Western Isles and Ireland.
• management of water margins to improve water quality, benefit fish, and management of other landscape features.