Future of National Parks: strategic environmental assessment - environmental report

6. Proposed SEA monitoring programme

Monitoring in SEA

6.1 Monitoring in SEA is a means of evaluating the environmental performance of the plan or strategy and monitoring compliance through its implementation. It is also a way to check whether the effects predicted in the SEA arise as envisaged, or whether unforeseen issues arise.

6.2 Monitoring can help to evaluate whether a plan or strategy is fulfilling its core objective of delivering sustainable development and providing for a high level of protection of the environment. The information gathered through monitoring provides a basis to inform the review and preparation of subsequent iterations of plans, strategies and projects that sit within them, thus better informing future decisions.

6.3 Measuring indicators over time can identify long-term positive or negative changes and trends in the environment and can build knowledge on how these trends will affect (or will be affected by) the implementation of the plan or strategy itself. In this respect monitoring environmental changes occurring during the new National Park proposals' implementation phase can help to identify the need for additional mitigation measures or for appropriate remedial action to be undertaken where issues are identified, as well as to inform project-level assessments.

Proposed SEA monitoring programme for the new National Park proposals

6.4 Schedule 2 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act highlights that the Environmental Report should include "a description of the measures envisaged concerning monitoring."

6.5 In response to this, this Environmental Report presents a proposed draft monitoring programme for measuring the proposals' implementation.

6.6 It draws on the identified potential significant effects identified through the assessment of the various components of the proposals, and also suggests where monitoring is required to help ensure that the potential benefits of the proposals are effectively achieved through implementation.

6.7 This will enable appropriate interventions to be undertaken if monitoring highlights negative or underperforming trends relating to the proposals' implementation.

6.8 The Scottish Government intends to monitor and evaluate the performance of key performance indicators and use the data to enable them to adjust their approach if necessary. It is therefore beneficial if the SEA monitoring strategy builds on monitoring systems which are already in place. To this end, many of the indicators of progress chosen for the SEA are likely to reflect data that is already being routinely collected by the Scottish Government. As such, the indicators proposed for the SEA will be integrated into the Scottish Government's monitoring approach.

6.9 The following overview therefore outlines a proposed monitoring programme for measuring the proposals' implementation. It pays particular attention to the areas where the SEA has identified potential significant effects and also suggests where monitoring is required to help ensure that the positive effects of the proposals are achieved through implementation. It includes:

• The significant effect or environmental change to be monitored
• The SEA topic(s) to which the monitoring proposal relates
• The indicator to be monitored
• The source of information and frequency of monitoring; and
• The trigger for where intervention should take place if monitoring suggests it is required.

6.10 It should be noted that the programme set out below comprises preliminary suggestions for the types of indicators which can be monitored. It is anticipated that a refined set of indicators will be developed following further engagement with stakeholders and during the selection and designation stage for the new National Park(s) (Chapter 7)

Indicator 1:

• Significant effect/ environmental change to be monitored: Area of key biodiversity habitats
• Indicator: Hectares of land supporting key habitats in designated areas
• Data source: Scottish Government
• Frequency of monitoring: Annual
• Trigger for intervention: When areas of specific habitat do not increase on a year-by-year basis to targets set by the Scottish Government.

Indicator 2:

• Significant effect/ environmental change to be monitored: Area of restored habitat
• Indicator: Hectares of former farmland or other uses restored as biodiversity habitats in designated areas
• Data source: Scottish Government
• Frequency of monitoring: Annual
• Trigger for intervention: When area does not increase on a year-by-year basis to targets set by the Scottish Government.

Indicator 3:

• Significant effect/ environmental change to be monitored: Impact of proposals on woodland creation
• Indicator: Area of woodland in designated areas
• Data source: Scottish Government
• Frequency of monitoring: Annual
• Trigger for intervention: When area does not increase on a year-by-year basis to targets set by the Scottish Government.

Indicator 4:

• Significant effect/ environmental change to be monitored: Community involvement in ecological restoration projects
• Indicator: Percentage of management and stewardship roles associated with biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration filled by those from local communities
• Data source: Scottish Government
• Frequency of monitoring: Annual
• Trigger for intervention: Where percentage decreases year on year.

Indicator 5:

• Significant effect/ environmental change to be monitored: Impact of proposals on landscape character
• Indicator: Landscape character assessment findings
• Data source: Scottish Government
• Frequency of monitoring: Ongoing
• Trigger for intervention: Where landscape character assessment suggests significant change has taken place.

Indicator 6:

• Significant effect/ environmental change to be monitored: Impact of proposals on dark skies
• Indicator: Dark sky and tranquillity rating
• Data source: Scottish Government
• Frequency of monitoring: Ongoing
• Trigger for intervention: Where rating falls.

Indicator 7:

• Significant effect/ environmental change to be monitored: Impact of proposals on greenhouse gas emissions
• Indicator: Carbon footprint of designated areas
• Data source: Scottish Government
• Frequency of monitoring: Annual
• Trigger for intervention: Where emissions increase year-on-year