Biodiversity Duty Report 2015-2017

The Scottish Government Biodiversity Duty Report 2015-2017

Contents

1. Introduction ...... 4 2. Natural Resources ...... 5 3. Agriculture and Rural Economy ...... 9 4. Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services ...... 12 5. Energy and Climate Change ...... 13 6. Environmental Quality ...... 16 7. The Scottish Government Estate ...... 17 8. Education ...... 19 9. Marine Scotland ...... 21 10. Population health ...... 26 11. Local Government and communities...... 27

1. Introduction

This report sets out how the Scottish Government has furthered the conservation of biodiversity in the course of exercising its functions during the period 2015 to 2017.

Under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act (2004), all public bodies in Scotland are required to further the conservation of biodiversity when carrying out their responsibilities. The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act (WANE Act) (2011) requires public bodies in Scotland to provide a publicly available report every three years, on the actions which they have taken to meet this biodiversity duty.

The Scottish Government published the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy: Scotland’s Biodiversity: It’s in Your Hands in 2004 which aims to

“conserve biodiversity for the health, enjoyment and well-being of the people of Scotland, now and in the future”.

The Strategy was updated in June 2013 with the publication of the 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity as a supplement to the 2004 Strategy which reflects our commitment to delivering the international targets agreed at Aichi and the European Union’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2020 in Scotland. It aims to:

 protect and restore biodiversity on land and in our seas, and to support healthier ecosystems.  connect people with the natural world, for their health and wellbeing and to involve them more in decisions about their environment.  maximise the benefits for Scotland of a diverse natural environment and the services it provides, contributing to sustainable economic growth.

The Strategy was further updated in 2015 with the publication of Scotland’s Biodiversity: a route map to 2020. This set out the priority work needed to meet the international Aichi targets for biodiversity and improve the state of nature in Scotland.

2. Natural Resources

Natural Resources Division (NRD) is part of the Directorate for Environment and Forestry (ENFOR) and has a national policy focus across a broad range of subjects. It engages with a wide range of stakeholders and is responsible for the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. This includes accounting for Scotland’s delivery against European Union (EU) and international obligations and engaging with the UK government, the European Commission and relevant EU forums.

NRD is also responsible for national policy on:  the ecosystems approach;  wildlife crime;  terrestrial protected areas (and aspects of compliance with the Habitats and Birds Directives);  invasive non-native species (INNS);  National Parks;  access legislation under the Land Reform Act which includes core paths; landscape policy, wild land policy, biospheres, geodiversity and geoparks;  natural capital and greenspace.

2.1 Governance, leadership and management

Biodiversity policy is devolved in Scotland and NRD takes the lead in coordinating work in this area. It is responsible for the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy: 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity and for Scotland’s contribution to the UK’s national and international biodiversity commitments.

2.2 Partnership working

NRD works to promote and provide advice on biodiversity across government, in particular with colleagues working on issues relating to Energy, Planning, Marine, Historic Environment, and Transport policies, and with public bodies and local authorities. NRD works to help resolve complex and challenging policy issues relating to the balance between economic development and environmental protection.

NRD is responsible for sponsoring a close partner relationship with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Cairngorms National Park Authority, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority and co-ordinating the Scottish contribution to the four nations sponsorship of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). It also engages with a large number of stakeholders (including coordinating Scottish Government’s relationship with Scottish Environment LINK and environmental NGOs).

2.3 Actions taken to improve biodiversity conservation

NRD takes a lead in government in promoting and delivering Ministers’ policies for protecting and enhancing biodiversity.

Scotland’s Biodiversity Strategy (the 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity) and its accompanying Route Map set out the Scottish Government’s key policy objectives. The Route Map sets out six Big Steps for Nature and Priority Projects to

achieving the Aichi Targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Big Steps for nature set out at a high level the broad range of issues we are addressing and 12 Priority Projects which are focused on delivering actions in the areas which are the most critical for Scotland.

 Big Step 1: Ecosystem Restoration - to reverse historical losses of habitats and ecosystems, to meet the Aichi target of restoring 15% of degraded ecosystems o Priority Project 1: Restoration of peatlands o Priority Project 2: Restoration of native woodland o Priority Project 3: Restoration of freshwaters  Big Step 2 - Investment in Natural Capital - to ensure the benefits which nature provides are better understood and appreciated, leading to better management of our renewable and non-renewable natural assets o Priority Project 4: Securing economic and social benefits from, and investment in, natural capital  Big Step 3 - Quality greenspace for health and education benefits - to ensure that the majority of people derive increased benefits from contact with nature where they live and work o Priority Project 5: More people experiencing and enjoying nature o Priority Project 6: Taking Learning Outdoors o Priority Project 7: Developing Scotland's natural health service  Big Step 4 - Conserving wildlife in Scotland - to secure the future of priority habitats and species o Priority Project 8: Protected Areas in good condition o Priority Project 9: Conservation of priority species  Big Step 5 - Sustainable management of land and freshwater - to ensure that environmental, social and economic elements are well balanced o Priority Project 10: Improving ecological connection o Project Priority 11: Sustainable land management  Big Step 6 - Marine and Coastal ecosystems restored - to secure a healthy balance between environmental, social and economic elements o Priority Project 12: Increase environmental status of our seas

Scotland's first Land Use Strategy 2011-2016 was a step change in the Scottish Government's approach to land use, adopting the ecosystems approach defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity. The first Strategy provided a policy agenda for all land in Scotland and set out a direction of travel towards a more integrated and strategic approach to land use, though a vision and a set of objectives and principles. It recognised the benefits we all derive from land, including underpinning our economic prosperity, assisting with measures to both mitigate and adapt to climate change and the need to ensure a sustainable future for our land. Decisions about the way land is managed are important to balance pressures on ecosystem services, in light of the increasing number of demands placed on Scotland’s land, and the impacts of climate change. The second Land Use Strategy (2016-2021) maintains the vision, objectives and principles from the first Strategy and sets out a programme of action to deliver them, through a series of policies and proposals.

The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy: progress report 2014 – 2016 was published on 20 July 2017. It provides information on recent progress in the delivery of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. Examples of the many ongoing activities which contribute to the aims of the 2020 Challenge are listed below:

 The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Land Reform announced on 24 November 2016 that the beaver populations in Knapdale in Argyll and in the Tay and Earn catchments can remain in Scotland, subject to satisfactory completion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment and a Habitats Regulations Assessment. The intention is that beavers in Scotland will be given protection under the law as a European Protected Species as soon as is practicable after completion of the Assessment processes. The first meeting of the Scottish Beaver Forum, of which the Scottish Government is a member, was held in early May 2017.

 In 2016, SNH undertook a review to assess the effectiveness of current deer management arrangements in protecting the public interest, with specific attention on the impact on the natural heritage. A report from the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee into the review highlighted the need for action across the deer sector to develop a more sustainable approach to deer management in Scotland. Following this review, the Scottish Government set up an independent expert group in October 2017 to look at deer management issues and a separate panel to look at lowland deer management. The group is due to report back in 2019. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 also introduced further provisions relating to deer management.

 The insolvency of two coal companies in 2013 had repercussions for industry, employment and the environment at various sites in the Scottish coalfields including the Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area (SPA) which is designated under the EU Birds Directive. To address the impacts on the SPA, the Scottish Government convened a cross-sector working group to address the significant environmental impacts on the site and in 2016, committed £10 million over 5 years to restore the site. Further information is available here.

 Following widespread concern about the disappearance of satellite-tagged golden eagles, the Scottish Government commissioned a report from SNH on the circumstances of these disappearances. The report was published in May 2017 and showed that around one-third of tagged golden eagles had disappeared in suspicious circumstances many of which were on or near grouse moors. As part of a package of responses the Scottish government established the Grouse Moor Management Group in November 2017 to look at the environmental impact of grouse moor management practices. The review is due to report its findings in 2019.

 The Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project has been successful at significantly reducing grey squirrel geographic range and occupancy in North East Scotland and as well as reducing the incidence of grey squirrels north of the ‘Highland Line’ to no more than the occasional occurrence. In Southern

Scotland grey squirrel control has contributed to the maintenance of red squirrel populations despite the continued spread of squirrel pox in grey squirrels. A new project phase started in 2017, this focused on building community action networks until such a time as alternatives means of controlling grey squirrel numbers and disease impacts become widely available.

 The reintroduced white-tailed sea eagle population continues to increase and expand following re-establishment of a self-sustaining population. In 2016, SNH produced a report looking at future growth and spread of the species. The report can be found here.

 Scottish Government contributes to the Great Britain-wide effort to tackle Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) by supporting the ‘Check Clean Dry’ campaign, aimed at preventing the spread of aquatic species, and the Be Plant Wise campaign, aimed at preventing the introduction of invasive pond plants. The Non-Native Species Action Group, chaired by Scottish Government, has identified a list of INNS priorities to prevent from becoming established in Scotland, and a shortlist of management priorities, to guide investments in INNS control at a landscape-scale and on islands.

2.4 Monitoring

The Route Map to 2020 interim progress report was published at the beginning of 2017. The report shows that 16% of the actions listed have already been achieved, and 63% of actions are on track to achieve or exceed their targets by 2020.

NRD also published a report showing Scotland’s contribution to global biodiversity goals which consist of an assessment of progress to the 2020 Convention on Biological Diversity Aichi Targets. Out of the 20 Aichi targets, seven were shown to be on track. Twelve of the targets were progressing but additional action would be required if the targets were to be met.

2.5 Communications

The 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity is available on the Scottish Government’s web page. In addition, the Scottish Government webpage contains further information on Scotland’s biodiversity policies, monitoring and action.

3. Agriculture and Rural Economy

NRD has policy responsibility for agri-environment measures under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP), the principal funding mechanism for delivering the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. NRD oversees the development of the Agri- environment-climate Scheme under the 2015-20 SRDP. This provided £350 million to support changes in land management to benefit biodiversity across a range of habitats, from lowland enclosed farmland to moorland and peatlands. Support was targeted to the locations where it would deliver the greatest benefit to biodiversity, based on an assessment of the priority species and habitats which benefit from agri- environment management.

3.1 Governance, leadership and management

Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) participated in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) working groups including the Biodiversity Science Support Group and the Invasive Non-Native Species Group.

The team also provided one of the main financial sources of support to biodiversity outcomes within a broader package of agricultural and rural payments delivered through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). These activities extend to monitoring actions delivered on the ground and included disincentives for lack of action or poor outcomes through the withholding of CAP payments.

Senior staff in ARE provided leadership and direction in taking forward the delivery of the CAP both within Europe and at a more detailed level for delivery of that policy in Scotland. Whilst these negotiations were not restricted to biodiversity issues alone, delivery of enhanced biodiversity for Scotland, particularly within the farmed environment, was one of the key outcomes through CAP 2015 and beyond.

Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) helps to maintain agricultural diversity and plays a lead role for Scotland in maintaining a comprehensive collection of agricultural crop varieties held in ex-situ conservation. SASA led the field in preserving landraces of crops under threat of extinction through the Scottish Landrace Protection Scheme.

Through CAP inspections, both for payment schemes and cross compliance, ARE staff worked to ensure that land managers worked in compliance with the provisions set out within the CAP framework to deliver environmental benefits including protection and enhancement of Scotland’s biodiversity.

3.2 Partnership working

Staff in ARE work in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders particularly those with an interest in the farmed environment. ARE and ENFOR staff work in close conjunction with advisory bodies to ensure that the key communicators in the rural sector are informed about the detail of how payments will be made and what biodiversity benefits should be achieved. Some specific issues around biodiversity includes the work done in conjunction with partners across the UK on the Pollinator Strategy and the bee community on the Honey Bee Health Strategy. Here engagement

between the bee inspectorate, SASA, and both hobby and commercial bee keepers has improved dramatically in recent years with the result that the universities are now engaged with this work. This has been through a shared desire to maintain healthy bees against a backdrop of increasing disease pressure. This work also supports the maintenance of the health of wild bees through the control of pest and disease organisms but more importantly provides more data on how pollinators are faring in the environment.

In terms of conservation, SASA works in partnership with growers of Scottish landrace crops such as Bere Barley, Hebridean Rye and Shetland Cabbage. The growers of these traditional crops are becoming fewer in number and as such they are at risk of being lost. The growth of these varieties is an integral part of the Machair, a globally important habitat for which Scotland is one of the few remaining custodians.

In terms of innovative science, SASA staff helped to initiate and then supported work led by Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh to provide a novel method to monitor in-situ preservation of genetic diversity within species which properly addresses Aichi target 13.

3.3 Actions taken to improve biodiversity conservation

The main role played by ARE is in formulating the rules which apply to CAP payments and then monitoring payees for compliance with those rules. Therefore the large bulk of the activity goes on monitoring and payment processing. In this sense the main actions are taken by land managers. Staff in the area offices have a statutory duty to provide impartial scrutiny of payments and therefore are a step removed from the actions taken on the ground. In relation to the ARE estate, SASA staff at the Gogarbank farm site have an active biodiversity committee who have a programme of work to improve the biodiversity of the site.

 NRD provided policy input to decisions over the national implementation of CAP Pillar 1 Greening rules. The element of Greening with the greatest potential to benefit biodiversity was a new Ecological Focus Areas (EFA) requirement. Scotland decided to go further than other UK countries in implementing this requirement, for example by requiring EFA nitrogen-fixing crops to meet management conditions designed to benefit farmland birds and pollinators.

 For many years ARE, through the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme, chemistry staff at SASA, have provided a lead in the monitoring and prevention of wildlife poisoning through the misuse of abuse of pesticides and/or biocides. In particular the chemistry team support partner organisations seeking to prosecute wildlife crime cases, notably those involving raptor persecutions. This capacity has recently been extended by SASA to include molecular forensics to support prevention of other forms of wildlife crime including trade in endangered species.

 SASA added two strips of fruit trees companion planted with wildflowers as a novel replacement for lost field boundaries. This is a pilot example of a potential agroforestry approach to land management to give biodiversity and climate smart agriculture benefit.

3.4 Monitoring

A key element of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy is prevention of biodiversity loss due to the destructive effects of INNS, many of which are also referred to as quarantine organisms or in some cases are regulated non-quarantine pests. SASA has a robust monitoring programme for such organisms, particularly microorganisms, which cause diseases in crop plants, or organisms that can be present in traded plants and pose a risk to Scotland’s environment. Specific examples include annual surveillance programmes for the potato rot causing bacteria, Dickeya solani, monitoring agricultural soils for the quarantine nematodes from the genera Globodera and monitoring nursery plants for presence of tree diseases. The Horticultural and Marketing Inspectorate also monitor produce imported directly into Scottish ports for the presence of potentially damaging pests.

This work was supported through the creation of the Scottish Centre of Expertise for Plant Health comprising experts across a range of disciplines with relevance to plant health and plant protection who are now organised to give rapid response to Scottish Government in the face of emerging issues threatening plant biodiversity in Scotland.

3.5 Mainstreaming

Through CAP reform many environmental aspects of managing the farmed environment, including biodiversity, are being mainstreamed i.e. through the greening requirements which are mandatory to receive entitlements. Moreover the maintenance of good agricultural and environmental condition and actions under the statutory management requirements forms part of the cross compliance inspection regime undertaken by ARE inspectors. Where breaches are found, penalties are applied. Staff in ARE have been instrumental in negotiating these provisions and will continue to work with farmers and land managers in Scotland to deliver these benefits on the ground.

Maintenance of crop variety diversity though the acquisition and preservation of seed of varieties of relevance to Scotland is a core activity for SASA.

3.6 Communications

ARE developed a range of communication activities around CAP with the greening elements a major part of the engagement. These included a number of formal consultations supported by meetings with land managers, representative bodies and Non-Government Organisations with an interest in this area. A major strategic objective of ARE is to develop online tools for enhanced communication and engagement with stakeholders around the CAP and this work was rolled out from December 2014 onwards.

SASA has become more involved in citizen science projects and continues to build on this work. Recent examples include engaging with bee keepers to survey pollen sources to establish which plant species are important for foraging honey bees, and surveillance of leaf hopper larvae (spittle bugs) which are a potential vector for the emerging disease Xylella fastidiosa.

4. Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services

The Scottish Government invests in science, including biodiversity research through the Environment, Rural Affairs and Food Strategic Research Programme 2016-21. This broad portfolio includes research on Scotland’s natural assets (soils, water and biodiversity). A key objective is to better understand the processes that underpin the functioning and resilience of our natural assets, in particular biodiversity. The research should provide new approaches to deliver sustainable land management, and new metrics for monitoring the health of ecosystems and the services they provide.

4.1 Partnership working and research

The research conducted was relevant to a broad range of stakeholders, as it aimed to provide information on how biodiversity helped to regulate ecosystem functions, how environmental management impacted on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and how management actions could be targeted to achieve outcomes – including the delivery of ecosystem services.

The work addressed the challenge of protecting and restoring our natural capital. Specifically the research intended to:

 Deliver an improved understanding of the linkages between biodiversity and ecosystem function.

 Provide an improved capacity for targeted environmental management through the development of Ecosystem Health metrics, including understanding how the connectivity of ecosystems might affect ecosystem function.

 Improve the understanding of the impacts of management interventions (including restoration) on Ecosystem Service flows, and of associated trajectories of change.

 Investigate components of resilience that might help predict the consequences of environmental and climate change on species, habitats and ecosystem health, and to manage them such that their resilience is enhanced.

 Help Scotland meet biodiversity goals as set by the Aichi Targets, EU Biodiversity Strategy and Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, by considering management measures and potential options for safeguarding against biodiversity loss.

5. Energy and Climate Change

The Directorate for Energy and Climate Change is responsible for a wide range of policy areas, including:

 driving Scotland's adaptation to climate change;  reducing greenhouse gas emissions across Scotland to achieve a more prosperous, low carbon economy;  supporting decarbonisation in the public sector;  engaging with business and industry on decarbonisation;  encouraging individuals to move towards low carbon living;  leading international action on climate change;  energy industry and consents; and  water industry and drinking water quality.

The environment and economy are intrinsically linked, and Scotland’s transition to a more prosperous, low carbon economy is already well underway. We have created jobs and backed innovative new industries while winning international respect for our ambition and leadership on climate change.

The Paris Agreement supports a worldwide market for low carbon goods and services, as other countries have committed to reducing their carbon footprint. It will also enhance the long term international competitiveness of low carbon business in Scotland by ensuring that more eco-friendly business practices are adopted elsewhere.

Most of the low carbon economic activity in Scotland so far has been associated with the provision of renewables and low carbon electricity, but there is significant economic turnover for some other sectors, including provision of energy efficiency products and low carbon services.

The directorate also play an active role in maintaining and improving the quality of all fresh and marine waters in Scotland, and ensuring that our water resources are managed and supplied responsibly.

5.1 Governance, leadership and management

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 created the statutory framework for greenhouse gas emissions reductions in Scotland by setting an interim 42 per cent reduction target for 2020. The independent statutory body, the Committee on Climate Change, was established under the Climate Change Act 2008 to advise the UK Government and devolved administrations on setting and meeting carbon emissions targets and preparing for climate change. It also monitors and reports on the progress made to Parliament.

Scotland's public drinking water and sewerage services are provided by Scottish Water, a public cooperation accountable to Scottish Ministers and Scottish Parliament. Scottish Ministers are responsible for setting the objectives for the water industry. One of the directions placed on Scottish Water is to support the

achievement of the Scottish Government's targets for the proportion of natural features in favourable condition.

Scottish Water works with Scottish Natural Heritage to identify and undertake management activities at identified sites that will contribute to achievement of the national indicator 'Improve the condition of protected nature sites'. Scottish Water support Scotland’s biodiversity strategy by managing landholdings across Scotland, primarily to protect rivers and reservoirs that supply drinking water in Drinking Water Protected Areas (DWPA), and working with landowners and tenants to protect healthy ecosystems and maintain landscape value.

As part of the Directorate, the Energy Consents Unit (ECU) processes applications under the Electricity Act 1989 to construct and operate generating stations and/or electricity grid infrastructure. These generating stations and grid infrastructure projects are typically of a size that require the applicant to complete an Environmental Impact Assessment (under The Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulation 2017). This requires a report to be submitted to the ECU as part of the application process.

Once received, the ECU consult with a wide range of stakeholders, specifically Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in relation to any impacts identified by the applicant on Scotland’s flora and fauna. SNH, through the medium of standing advice and tailored advice bespoke to a particular application, advise the ECU if the application will be acceptable or indeed if an objection should be raised. In determining any application, Ministers will take this advice, along with other consultees views, into account to consider if the project should be consented or refused. Procuring SNH’s expert advice, among other consultees, allows Ministers to assess the application’s merits, and where appropriate attach conditions that will either enhance biodiversity and/or help to conserve biodiversity.

Additionally, for applications that do not require an Environmental Impact Assessment, consideration is always given to conserving and where possible enhancing Scotland’s biodiversity through the use of planning conditions (if consent is received).

5.2 Partnership working

We work closely with a range of partners to ensure that environmental protection is balanced with the interests and safety of industry and consumers. The public sector - as a provider of services, a major employer and procurer of goods and services - has an important role to play in decarbonising Scotland. We expect Scotland's public bodies to lead by example in combating climate change and making a valuable contribution towards achieving our emissions reduction targets. We publish climate change reports for our own estate within the yearly sustainability reports.

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires public bodies to:

1. contribute to carbon emissions reduction targets; 2. contribute to climate change adaptation; and

3. act sustainably.

The Act also allows ministers to impose other climate change duties, require reports on compliance with climate change duties and designate one or more bodies or persons to monitor compliance and carry out investigations.

5.3 Actions taken to improve biodiversity conservation

The Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme (SCCAP) 2014-2019 aims to increase the resilience of Scotland's people, environment and economy to the impacts of a changing climate.

The Climate Ready Natural Environment section considers the most important impacts of the changing climate on the natural environment and sets out the Scottish Government’s related objectives associated with the identified climate risks.

The following issues are considered:

1. Biodiversity and ecosystem services – Scotland’s habitats and species and the goods and services provided by its plants, soils, rivers and lochs and other natural capital; 2. The health of the seas around Scotland and the species that live in them; 3. The role of land management and marine planning in protecting and enhancing habitats and biodiversity; and 4. The productivity of our land and seas and what this means for Scotland’s land-based and fishing industries.

5.4 Monitoring

Annual Progress Reports for the Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme are published and the Adaptation Programme is also independently assessed by the Committee on Climate Change. In addition, a set of indicators, developed by ClimateXChange (CXC), are being used to assess how well Scotland is doing against objectives. We have established baseline information that gives us a picture of where we are starting from, and makes it possible to assess trends over time and to understand the nature, extent and effectiveness of adaptation responses.

5.5 Communications

The Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2014-2019, annual reports and other relevant climate change policy documents are available on the Scottish Government website.

Further information on actions undertaken by Scottish Water to support and promote biodiversity are detailed in its Sustainability Report 2018.

6. Environmental Quality

6.1 Governance, leadership and management

Environmental Quality Division (EQD) has shown leadership in contributing to biodiversity by actively encouraging and supporting the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to help deliver against its biodiversity obligations. As Scotland’s principal environmental regulator, SEPAs main role is protecting and improving the environment, and managing natural resources in a sustainable way. SEPA established a biodiversity delivery agreement with the Scottish Government https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/162881/sepa-biodiversity-delivery- agreement_2015.pdf and set out a biodiversity positions statement https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/142680/sepa_position_statement_on_biodiversity_20 15.pdf

6.2 Partnership working

Scottish Government is also a lead partner in the North Sea Region. We are a partner in the EU Interreg (North Sea Region) Building with Nature (BwN) project which aims to demonstrate how measures that work with natural processes can manage flood and coastal erosion risks whilst enhancing ecosystem services. In that project, North Sea countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, and Sweden) have come together to develop and share a common transnational evidence base to justify investments in and optimise the use of BwN solutions. The Scotland partnership comprises the Scottish Government, the Tweed Forum and SEPA.

6.3 Actions taken to improve biodiversity conservation

 The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 recognises the important role of promoting and encouraging the use of natural flood management techniques whenever possible. Natural flood management aims to reduce the need for traditional hard engineering.

 Scottish Government is supporting the long term Eddleston Water pilot project which is developing an evidence base to improve our understanding and to encourage practitioners, planners, and land managers of the case for natural flood management.

7. The Scottish Government Estate

7.1 Governance, leadership and management

The Scottish Government’s Environmental Policy was signed by the Permanent Secretary in April 2014 and states that “We will protect and enhance the biodiversity on our estate”. The responsibility for managing the biodiversity on the Scottish Government estate falls to the Environmental Management Team which is part of facilities services in the Directorate for Communications, Ministerial Support, and Facilities.

7.2 Actions taken to improve biodiversity conservation

 There is a biodiversity meadow and pond at the Ellis Building in Aberdeen. The meadow contains bumblebee nesting boxes.

 There is a biodiversity meadow and pond at Victoria Quay in Edinburgh.

 Wildflower Meadows at SASA have been created in areas which were originally grassland.

 SASA have several bee hives on site to help promote biodiversity as well as providing educational support to the science operations.

 There are bee hives at Victoria Quay in Edinburgh, which are looked after by volunteers from Edinburgh and Midlothian Beekeeping Society with support from Scottish Government Staff.

 Bee hives have been introduced at Governors House in Edinburgh.

 200 Apple, Pear, Plum and Damson trees have been planted along field boundaries at SASA. Wildflower areas have been introduced between the trees to create a field margin for insects and birds.

 175 metres of hedging has been planted at SASA to create a protected habitat.

 The courtyard areas at Victoria Quay in Edinburgh contain native species and are maintained under the guidance of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

 Four raised herb beds have been installed at Victoria Quay.

 Window boxes have been installed at Victoria Quay and planted with a mix of insect friendly plants and herbs.

 A raised bed has been installed at Victoria Quay with butterfly friendly plants to support Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Butterfly Conservation Scotland (BCS) to create a square meter for butterflies across central Edinburgh.

7.3 Communications Information is provided to the public with regular updates on biodiversity improvements posted on social media and on the Scottish Government’s environmental blog page. Biodiversity improvements are also posted on public information boards installed at the Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen. And, information boards have been installed at the entrances to the wildflower meadow at Victoria Quay in Edinburgh and are regularly updated.

There are internal government web pages which are dedicated to biodiversity and show case studies of good practice on the estate. And, in the summer months, seminars, workshops, and volunteering events are organised for staff.

7.4 Monitoring

Biodiversity audits are carried out using a trail camera. The results are posted on social media.

8. Education

The Scottish Government Learning Directorate has policy responsibility for Scotland’s Curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence. This can include developing and delivering policy initiatives that can directly or indirectly support biodiversity.

8.1 Governance, leadership and management

Biodiversity has a place within Scotland’s Curriculum through Learning for Sustainability and work is underway to overcome challenges relating to consistent delivery of education on Learning for Sustainability.

8.2 Partnership working and biodiversity conversations

The Learning Directorate is currently developing action plans to take forward the recommendations of the Vision 2030+ report. This work will include engagement with a number of stakeholders across Scotland who have an interest in environmental sustainability including biodiversity.

8.3 Mainstreaming

Learning for Sustainability (LfS) is a theme across Curriculum for Excellence which brings together global citizenship, sustainable development education and outdoor learning in an effort to ensure Scotland’s young people have the skills to live environmentally, economically and socially sustainable lives. Education on biodiversity has a place within LfS.

Within the Curriculum for Excellence framework, Biodiversity and Interdependence is a key context for science learning, and the concept also features within the Biology national qualifications. Additionally, in Social Studies, Biodiversity is not specifically referenced however interactions with the environment and their impact features throughout.

The actions relating to the implementation of the recommendations from the Vision 2030+ report will involve a focus on working with education establishments and local authorities to improve education environments. This can include the development of natural green spaces. The work will also include actions aimed at supporting education practitioners in delivering outdoor learning.

8.4 Actions taken to improve biodiversity conservation

The Learning Directorate has supported the work of two groups which have specifically looked at embedding LfS within the Curriculum for Excellence. These groups are:

 the One Planet Schools Working Group which reported in November 2012.

 the Learning for Sustainability National Implementation Group which produced its Vision 2030+ report in March 2016.

Scottish Ministers accepted all recommendations put forward by both groups and in doing so committed to creating a framework by which all of Scotland’s learners can learn about biodiversity in the context of wider sustainability education.

8.5 Monitoring

Indicators for measuring success will be included within the Scottish Government action plan to take forward the recommendations of the Vision 2030+ report. These indicators will be used to measure progress and adapt the approach to implementation until 2030 - the year in which the report aims to achieve the specified objectives.

9. Marine Scotland

Marine Scotland is a Directorate of the Scottish Government and is responsible for the integrated management of Scotland's seas. Marine Scotland's purpose is to manage Scotland's seas for prosperity and environmental sustainability, working closely with our key delivery partners and others. Marine Scotland has a vision for “clean, healthy, safe, productive, biologically diverse marine and coastal environments, managed to meet the long-term needs of people and nature.”

9.1 Governance, leadership and management

 Work towards achieving good environmental status through our marine planning, licensing and other functions, to help ensure a healthy and sustainable environment.

 Promote sustainable economic growth from the marine renewables industry and other marine and maritime industries through integrated planning and, where appropriate, streamlined regulatory frameworks.

 Promote sustainable, profitable and well-managed fisheries and aquaculture industries in Scotland.

 Ensure sustainably-managed freshwater fish and fisheries resources.

 Ensure a sound evidence base to inform the development and delivery of marine policy, planning and services.

 Ensure effective compliance and enforcement arrangements.

 Continue to integrate our functions and resources, and to develop our organisational skills, competencies and capacity to ensure effective and efficient marine management arrangements in Scotland.

Marine Scotland has participated in a broad range of national and international groups over the reporting period:

 Marine Pathways – This is a UK wide group covering administrations and advisors. This enables cross border working to share INNS knowledge and promote collaborative approaches to reducing threats.

 OSPAR group to manage preparation and publication of the Intermediate Assessment 2017 (ICG MAQ) – Marine Scotland convened this group which provided strategic oversight and leadership to the OSPAR intermediate assessment 2017.

 OSPAR Protection & Conservation of Species and Habitats group (ICG POSH) – Marine Scotland is a co-convenor of this group which seeks to ensure that appropriate action is taken to improve the status of habitats and species on the threatened and/or declining list.

 OSPAR Marine Protected Areas group (ICG MPA) – Marine Scotland participates in this group which aims to support delivery of a well-managed MPA network in the North-East Atlantic.

 OSPAR Coordination of Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring group (ICG COBAM) – Marine Scotland participates in this group which delivers assessments of biodiversity status in the North-East Atlantic.

 ICES Working Group on Deepwater Ecology (WGDEC) – Marine Scotland participates and provides monitoring data on the presence of indicators of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems, which lead to an international advisory process resulting in spatial measures for fisheries.

 Marine Scotland Science participated in 65 other ICES expert groups, contributing to a wide range of fisheries, aquaculture and marine environmental science and international advice. These included INNS, benthic ecology, marine planning, developing EU advice for sustainable fisheries management, pollution impacts, species and habitats.

9.2 Mainstreaming

Marine planning, as provided for the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, is being implemented at a national and regional level. The National Marine Plan was published in March 2015. It is statutory document directing decision making by public authorities and it takes an ecosystem based approach, meaning the health and function of marine ecosystems is central to marine planning policy and decisions made in accordance with the plan. A range of policies which relate to issues important for ecosystem health and function, and also policies protecting biodiversity, apply to all decisions by public authorities which may affect the marine environment. Marine planning at a regional level is currently established, meaning that national policy will be adapted to apply to local ecosystems, issues and circumstances.

Marine Scotland is the sponsoring Directorate for Crown Estate Scotland, a new public body created on 1 April 2017 which manages land and property owned by the Monarch in right of the Crown and leases land and property including the seabed to third parties. Marine Scotland works with Crown Estate Scotland to seek to optimise the management of the assets to deliver a wide range of benefits to communities and Scotland as a whole and these assets are significant in supporting the delivery of Scottish Ministers’ wider objectives including those relating to the environment. Crown Estate Scotland developed a Biodiversity Delivery Statement and the ‘Six Big Steps for Nature’ set out in Scotland’s Route Map to 2020 informed their work. This is demonstrated by the work CES do with tenants on ecosystem restoration, woodland management, habitat and species management and the educational work delivered through ranger service on the Glenlivet estate. Crown Estate Scotland is also supporting ‘Investment in Natural Capital’ as set out in the 2020 Routemap, by developing a trial project for land based businesses in partnership with several other organisations. Marine Scotland also led the development of the Scottish Crown Estate Bill on behalf of Scottish Ministers, which reforms the framework for management of the assets including new powers to contribute to sustainable development and wider social, economic and environmental benefits.

9.3 Partnership working and biodiversity communications

Marine Scotland’s principle work on biodiversity is delivering in partnership with SNH, SEPA, and JNCC through the Marine Conservation Programme.

Marine Scotland also works in partnership with the other UK administrations to collectively deliver international obligations such as those under the OSPAR Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. This involves collaboration with other contracting parties through various working groups and committees.

Marine Scotland Science has also partnered with national and international collaborators on a number of scientific projects addressing aspects of marine biodiversity conservation, including large European funded projects looking at deep sea conservation in the face of potential expansion of industrial interests offshore “ATLAS” and monitoring of marine protected areas and species of conservation importance across international borders “COMPASS”.

Loch Creran Biosecurity plan – This project has produced a plan to improve biosecurity and reduce risk of INNS transfer. Whilst not solely targeted at biodiversity work, it has raised awareness of the international biodiversity importance of Loch Creran. Marine Scotland held a local stakeholder workshop to communicate the plan.

Marine Scotland attends the annual Scottish Biodiversity Strategy stakeholder engagement event, where a wide range of stakeholders are brought together to raise awareness of the biodiversity work taking place across Scotland.

Marine Scotland scientists attended a variety of training events, where participants were hosted by partner organisations to improve taxonomic (species identification) skills to improve the accuracy of monitoring work and improve ability to identify changes, for example on plankton biodiversity and the arrival on non-native species.

A number of international scientific conferences are attended covering aspects of biodiversity, including “coastal futures”, the ICES annual science conference, MASTS annual science meeting and Scottish biodiversity conference.

Additionally, since early 2015, volunteers from the Marine Laboratory have conducted regular marine litter clean-ups of shoreline in Torry. This work has been published on the Marine Scotland Blog and won an Eco City Award presented by the city’s Lord Provost. Since 2015 the total number of volunteers has been 110, numbers of cans and bottles recycled 6,076, full bin bags of waste collected 247 and person effort simply collecting 327 hours or 19,626 minutes. The work has been presented to the local Community Council.

A Marine Planning & Policy division away day in 2016 involved a beach clean in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society.

Marine Scotland staff from science and policy organised and participated in the 4 day beach clean of the litter sink at Arrochar; sampling, surveying and litter-picking.

9.4 Actions taken to improve Biodiversity Conservation

 We are working to improve the conservation status of Atlantic Salmon through the Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations. These Regulations provide a system whereby the killing of Atlantic salmon in inland waters is managed on an annual basis by categorising the conservation status of their stocks. The conservation status of each stock is defined by the probability of the stock meeting its conservation limit over a 5-year period.

 Management measures for 16 key locations in the Marine Protected Area network were delivered in early 2016. These measures will help ensure that the biodiversity protected at each of these locations can enhanced.

 The Loch Carron MPA was designated in 2017 to recover flame shell beds damaged by dredging activity. This resulted in a new project to ensure that priority Marine Features were being adequately protected outside the MPA network in accordance with the National Marine Plan.

 Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) - Marine Scotland leads the Marine INNS Group, a multi-agency /discipline group which develops INNS policy and also acts as a response team when action to manage an INNS threat is required. In responding to INNS either via policy or response action, the impacts on biodiversity and the natural environment of INNS are important considerations. This has been demonstrated through responses in relation to Carpet Sea Squirt and Japanese Wakame as examples of actions taken to help address impacts and minimise threats to existing biodiversity.

 Publication in March 2017 of a joint Ministerial Statement which reaffirmed our commitment to protect Scotland’s environment on which the Aquaculture sector and many others, such as freshwater fisheries, depend. This policy statement sets out how the Scottish Government and its agencies will work constructively with the sector and others with a direct interest to operate a policy and regulatory framework that enables sustainable growth while maintaining the right balance across our economic, environmental and social responsibilities; and with direct read across to our responsibilities within the Marine Plan.

 Marine Scotland has also established a Salmon Interactions Workstream to look, in part, at the reasons behind the decline in Scottish Atlantic salmon. An independently chaired Working Group is being established to examine and provide advice on the interactions between wild and farmed salmon. Many members of the Aquaculture sector in Scotland are now proactively engaging with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council salmon standards and their relevance to interactions between salmon farming and wild salmon and sea trout.

 Considerable progress has been made in ensuring fish, invertebrate and aquatic plants are harvested sustainably and in line with international obligations. This has been achieved through a range of strict management measures over the reporting period, taking action based on the best available scientific evidence. As a consequence, the overall biomass in the North Sea is

increasing with many stocks being harvested sustainably. However, in North Western Waters some stocks remain at very low biomass levels. Recovery was also documented in the OSPAR intermediate Assessment 2017 showing improvement in proportion of large fish, and the overall size structure, of the fish community found in the Northeast Atlantic, particularly in the North Sea.

 Marine Scotland has developed and is now implementing the Scottish Marine Protected Area Monitoring Strategy, which sets out how Scotland will determine whether the conservation objectives for protected sites are being met, and will provide the information required for reporting on the protected area network.

10. Population health

10.1 Mainstreaming

In June 2014 the Scottish Government published The National Walking Strategy. This aims to get “more people walking, more often” by creating a culture of walking; creating better walking environments throughout Scotland, and ensuring easy, convenient and independent mobility. In developing the Strategy, and taking forward the actions in it, the Active Scotland Division has and will continue to engage with SNH to ensure that there is no harmful impact on the protected environment.

11. Local Government and communities

11.1 Governance, leadership and management

All public bodies under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, have a duty to further the conservation of biodiversity. The Scottish Government expects public bodies to apply the Principles for Sustainable Land Use, as set out in the Land Use Strategy, when taking significant decisions. affecting the use of land.

Planning Authorities must reflect this duty in development plans and development management decisions. Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), which is a statement of Scottish Government policy on how nationally important land use planning matters should be addressed across the country, sets out that the planning system should seek benefits for biodiversity from new development where possible, including the restoration of degraded habitats and the avoidance of further fragmentation or isolation of habitats. National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3), the spatial expression of the Government’s economic strategy, recognises that biodiversity in Scotland is rich and varied, in both our rural and urban areas.

The Central Scotland Green Network, is a national development under NPF3 and a well-established initiative. The project supports a wide range of environmental enhancement measures across a range of delivery partners, including activities and initiatives that do not require development consent.

Scotland’s 2020 Challenge for Biodiversity aims to develop a national ecological network over time, and there is an opportunity to link this with green networks in and around our towns and cities. Benefits will be achieved by taking a long-term, strategic approach to environmental management and enhancement. A landscape-scale approach to environmental planning and management should address the decline in some ecosystem services by prioritising action across river catchments, as well as in and around our towns and cities. This can play a long-term role in sustaining diversity and delivering multiple benefits, not only for wildlife but also by providing sustainable food, fibre and fuel.