2 nd Scottish Biodiversity Forum
Summary
Heriot Watt Conference Centre, Edinburgh
March 2004
Paper 2004/2
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Contents
The Biodiversity Strategy in Scotland: progress so far
How the Strategy was formed
Scottish biodiversity in context
Communicating biodiversity - getting the message across
Gathering the information
Celebrating Biodiversity!
Biodiversity and business
Case studies:
Environments for all!
Trees and people
Urban waterways and wildlife
Gardening for life
Environmental justice - what does it mean?
Scottish Biodiversity Forum
Biodiversity matters. It matters to all of us. It is a major component of Scotland's natural resource - something to be proud of. Yet most of us do not understand it. The Scottish Biodiversity Forum aims to encourage the exchange of information, co-operation and collaborative working and to develop a strategy for the protection and promotion of biodiversity.
We look for an endorsement of the vision and objectives of the draft Strategy and specifically, the ten point action plan in the final section which sets an exciting agenda for the future" Alan McKirdy, Scottish Natural Heritage |
The Scottish Biodiversity Forum held its second conference at Heriot Watt Conference Centre on 25 February 2003. More than 200 delegates attended the Conference, representing many interests, both national and local, including the public sector, business, tourism, land management, voluntary bodies, consultancy and research. The main feature of the conference was the presentation of the draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to Deputy Minister for the Environment, Allan Wilson, but the programme also included expert talks, case studies, workshops and opportunities for informal contact. Full transcripts of the presentations can be found at www.scotland.gov.uk/biodiversity
The morning session presented what Allan Wilson described as "A Strategy for the People", Towards a strategy for Scotland's Biodiversity: Biodiversity Matters. The Forum heard a series of presentations explaining why biodiversity matters and the strategy was formally presented to the Minister.
"I am sure, indeed I know, that the strategy will be welcomed across the broad spectrum of public opinion and it will, I am sure, achieve the public approval that it so deserves." Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for the Environment |
The afternoon session narrowed the focus to a single sector: urban biodiversity. Delegates heard a range of presentations showing how biodiversity fits into and contributes to the urban environment - through our woodlands, our waterways, our gardens and most importantly, our communities.