Helping hand for land managers

A new online platform can help land managers make more informed and sustainable choices on land use options across Scotland. Rethink Carbon's Freddie Ryan explains how.

Land management has rarely been more complex and challenging. With increasing land use pressures, emerging carbon and biodiversity markets, and shifting government policies, it can be difficult to navigate the many opportunities available.

But help is at hand. Rethink Carbon (pictured above) has partnered with the John Muir Trust and other stakeholders (Southern Uplands Partnership, The Langholm Initiative and South of Scotland Enterprise) as part of the Scottish Government’s CivTech programme to develop an online platform that empowers land managers to make more informed decisions and increase carbon capture and storage.

It is designed to be user-friendly and accessible at any scale, making it easy for land managers to visualise and analyse their land use options.

The software can ‘stack’ opportunities and present the benefits of different land management decisions. For example, suppose there is actively eroding deep peat on a land parcel. In that case, the platform runs a Peatland Code scenario automatically, calculating the tonnes of CO2e that can be locked in by starting a peatland restoration project.

After drawing a land parcel on a map, the user is shown an analysis of their land, such as protected areas, soil type, biodiversity records, historic sites and deer counts where available. The platform also suggests grants that may be available for changes in land use that could improve outcomes for local communities and land managers alike.

Rethink Carbon also integrates industry-standard carbon calculators such as the Woodland Carbon Code (pictured above), making it easy to run multiple ‘what-if’ scenarios and analyse the potential impacts of different land use options. This enables land managers to make the best carbon capture and storage decisions, while generating significant benefits for biodiversity and the local community.

At the core of the platform is a commitment to fostering community engagement and collaboration. We understand that the perspectives and experiences of local communities are essential for informed and sustainable land management decisions. And by including the community in decision making, land managers can better understand the social and cultural values associated with the land and how those values may be impacted by different management options.

Communities can easily provide input, upload photos, videos or lidar scans – a form of laser imaging – and offer a unique local perspective on potential land use options. This ensures that the voices and perspectives of the community are heard and considered in the land management process.

By providing a central data source and collaborating with stakeholders, Rethink Carbon helps streamline the decision-making process and ensures that all options are considered. It’s a powerful, highly visual and interactive tool that can help navigate the complexities of land management and enable land managers to make decisions that will leave a positive lasting legacy for future generations.

• Find out more at Rethink Carbon
• This article first appeared in the spring 2023 edition of our Members' Journal. Keep up to date with news and views relating to wild places - and help protect and enhance them - by becoming a Member of the John Muir Trust.