Working together to protect wild places

Our latest work with other organisations to protect Scotland's wild places

Planning

National planning policies, whether in Scotland, England or Wales, have a critical role in protecting wild places from inappropriate development of all kinds.

Earlier this year, we supported Scottish Environment LINK's call for the next National Planning Framework (NPF4) to aid a green recovery, with land identified for protection where wild nature can be enhanced. We joined LINK's call for a Nature Network to be part of Scotland's national infrastructure planning with associated investment in jobs, skills and education for nature-based rural economies. You can view the submissions of organisations and individuals in response to the Scottish Government’s Call for Ideas for NPF4 online.

The draft NPF4 is not expected to be available until September 2021; in the meantime, the drafting of political party manifestoes ahead of the Holyrood elections in May 2021 presents an opportunity for the Trust to propose a vision for Scotland’s uplands, including Scotland’s Wild Land Areas, as one of ecological restoration and community regeneration.

Fight for Scotland's Nature campaign

Over the coming months, we will be joining LINK members to scrutinise the provisions of the Scottish Government’s new EU Continuity Bill in support of the Fight for Scotland’s Nature campaign.

The Bill is intended to secure key environmental protections that would otherwise be lost in December this year by bringing the four EU environmental principles into Scottish legislation, so that they will continue to guide decisions on all matters relating to the environment in post-Brexit Scotland. The Bill is also intended to create an Office of Environmental Protection to replace the role of the EU courts.

While the Trust and members of Scottish Environment LINK welcome this crucial piece of legislation, the draft law must be significantly strengthened in a number of areas to safeguard Scotland’s precious landscapes and wildlife long into the future.

Scotland's rainforest

The Trust joined the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest (formerly Atlantic Woodland Alliance) in May 2019. As a member of the Alliance, the Trust will be contributing to a new monitoring project, while also providing policy support to help deliver an advocacy plan to deliver its vision. The aim is a regenerating and thriving rainforest, where the mosaic of woodland habitats that make up Scotland’s rainforest will be expanded and re-connected to allow the spread of wildlife.

In July, we signed a Scottish Government petition for new legislation to 'Protect Scotland's remaining ancient, native and semi-native woodlands and woodland floors'. We recommend that our members look at the petition and sign up to demonstrate your support for greater protection for ancient woodland.