Scotland's Land Use Future
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Scotland’s Land use future Meeting Scotland’s land use needs sustainably Niall Benvie (rspb-images.com) RENEWABLE ENERGY Sustainable land use With 23% of the European wind energy resource (on- and off-shore), – the need 59% of the UK’s coastline and a well- established hydroelectric network, Scotland has a huge potential for renewable energy production. Population growth, increasing consumption and However, to achieve the Scottish demand for energy mean that Scotland’s finite land Government target for generating 50% of electricity from renewable resources are under pressure, with climate change sources by 2020 without causing environmental harm will require posing additional challenges. How we use and careful planning. RSPB Scotland is strongly in favour of well-designed manage our land resources will play a vital role in and located renewable energy schemes and only objects to those building a sustainable future for Scotland’s people that are likely to harm biodiversity and the environment. and wildlife. Land provides a wide range of vital goods and services – so-called ecosystem services. Some of these, such as food, fibre and timber, are obvious to see but others are less evident. Rural land is habitat for a diversity of wildlife and plays a fundamental role in water, nutrient and carbon cycles. Land has aesthetic, spiritual and cultural value, and we use it for recreation and play. FOOD and FORESTRY Agriculture and forestry are the Sectoral, single-purpose land use policies that zone land primarily on suitability primary productive land uses, covering for development, food and timber production, for example, have largely failed 60% and 17% of Scotland, respectively. to optimise the delivery of goods and services. Ensuring the continued Within these sectors, there is a broad provision of these ecosystem services and the economic, social and range of activity and land use, from environmental benefits they provide to society is a key challenge. Halting the ancient Caledonian pine forest to Sitka loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services by 2020 must plantation, from hi-tech arable be central to how we use and manage our land in future. operations to moorland sheep grazing. There is also a corresponding broad Climate change brings new challenges. Activities such as agriculture and range of impacts on biodiversity from forestry are significant emitters of greenhouse gases, but appropriate land these activities. Food and wood Andy Hay(rspb-images.com) management can help to both reduce emissions and create carbon sinks. Land products, including biomass for management also has a vital role to play in helping us, and wildlife, adapt to energy, are needed by society but the climate change that is already happening. must be produced in ways that do not damage the natural environment. New, integrated approaches to land use policy, planning and management are Instead they must provide space needed urgently if we are to optimise the delivery of goods and services that for nature. land can provide. To realise these benefits and to help people and nature adapt to the impacts of a changing climate, we need action, planning and management at a landscape scale. The Scottish Government’s Land Use Strategy must help to achieve multi-benefit land use, and existing land use policies and funding streams must now be reviewed and revised accordingly. Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) WATER RESOURCES CARBON STORAGE How land is used can have a strong With a target to achieve reductions influence on water resources. in greenhouse gas emissions Activities, such as draining peatland or of 42% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, pesticide application, can lead to Scotland will need to protect its pollution and additional cost to water existing carbon stores and turn customers. But land can also be used these sources of carbon into to manage water for public benefit, for carbon sinks. Peatlands, saltmarsh, example, through storing floodwater, woodland and permanent or treating farm or urban waste water. grassland are all valuable stores of RSPB Scotland seeks commitment carbon and have the potential to from government to incentivise these sequester more, but much of this sustainable solutions, which are often Andy Hay(rspb-images.com) natural resource is damaged. cost-effective and provide benefit to Restoration of these habitats will wildlife, and to ensure land is be incompatible with some land managed to minimise pollution, with uses, but will benefit wildlife and polluters paying for damage done to carbon storage, and in the case of the environment. peatlands can also benefit water quality. Terry Button (rspb-images.com) Button Terry (rspb-images.com) Hamblin Mark BIODIVERSITY WELLBEING Scotland’s wildlife has evolved and The uniqueness and beauty of adapted over centuries to the changing Scotland’s landscape and heritage are face of the countryside and changes in well-loved and provide an incalculable how land is managed. Habitat loss has sense of wellbeing to tourists, visitors seen the most threatened and from urban centres and those who live vulnerable of Scotland’s species within it. The land provides a variety of hemmed into the last remaining rich recreational and educational fragments of habitat, mostly within opportunities, and with this comes protected areas and including RSPB valuable income and employment to reserves. Many more widespread rural areas. RSPB Scotland calls on species have undergone dramatic government to invest in the natural declines, as the broader fabric of the environment in order to increase these countryside provides fewer of their food public benefits. Scotland also needs and shelter needs. RSPB Scotland more opportunities for people to works with land managers to reverse experience nature and the landscape these declines through management within easy reach of where they live, that is more sympathetic to the needs particularly the Central Belt. of biodiversity. The RSPB Working with the land RSPB Scotland is working on its own land and in partnership with landowners and land managers, to ensure that the countryside is managed responsibly and sustainably, to enhance biodiversity and optimise other public benefits. The RSPB manages 68,000 ha of land in Scotland as nature reserves. This covers a broad range of land types and habitats with many managed through agricultural methods, such as grazing with livestock. Reserves are primarily managed for wildlife but also provide other ecosystem services. We work in partnership with companies and with individual landowners and managers too, to seek similar goals on their land. Wildlife in Scotland relies on land that is being actively managed to some extent, so when working with land managers we aim to ensure the financial viability of land-based businesses whilst also ensuring the land is managed for wildlife or with wildlife in mind. The following case studies are examples of how we are trying to pursue integrated, multi-benefit land management on our land and in partnership with other organisations and land managers. We recognise that there are many challenges facing land managers who aim to achieve this and that there is a need to share the lessons we have learnt. Andy Hay(rspb-images.com) Strathspey Black Law Ecosystem flood control Renew ables in th e right place Insh Marshes covers almost 1,000 ha maintenance of water quality. This 124 MW, 54-turbine renewable the largest heathland restoration project of the River Spey floodplain between Cumulatively, these ecosystem energy development is located in an in the region. Habitat restoration work Kingussie and Kincraig, at the foot of services contribute significantly to the area of North and South Lanarkshire and includes restoration of a former the Cairngorms. Runoff and snowmelt local economy. West Lothian extensively damaged by opencast coalmine; removal of conifer from the hills in the surrounding mining, afforestation and drainage of plantations; and restoration of a catchments reach the marshes via the Land use in the surrounding wet heath. In terms of bird interest, it is watercourse to benefit otters and water River Spey and its tributaries, or via catchments has a direct effect on water host to a locally important population of voles, and modifications to the design to the small streams that drain into the quality and quantity on Insh Marshes breeding waders. reduce its environmental impact. marsh itself. This wetland is and downstream in Strathspey. RSPB internationally-important for birds and Scotland is working with farmers and By working closely with the developer, Black Law wind farm has been is managed by the RSPB. The naturally their agents throughout the catchment Scottish Power Renewables, Scottish operational since summer 2005 and functioning ecosystem of the to realise the vision for integrated Natural Heritage and the three local RSPB Scotland was delighted that this floodplain and its rivers, lochs and catchment management, and has councils, RSPB Scotland secured habitat development was awarded the Best wetlands provides several social, helped to secure SRDP (Scotland Rural mitigation and enhancement to benefit Renewable Project in the 2005 Green economic and environmental benefits, Development Programme) funding for breeding waders, farmland birds and Energy Awards. An application for not least flood water storage and this purpose. blanket bog. The resulting Habitat extending the wind farm by a further 23 defence for Aviemore, and Management Plan covers 1,440 ha and is turbines is currently being considered. Strathbeg Forestry N a tu ra l w a te r tre a tm e n t Multi-purpose, multi-benefits The Loch of Strathbeg in RSPB Scotland worked with partners Multi-purpose forestry can enhance the habitat and quality timber, while Aberdeenshire is a shallow, sand dune and funders including the EU, the wildlife value of Scotland’s native restructuring parts of non-native loch supporting tens of thousands of Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Natural woodlands and forestry plantations.