Scottish Government

Best Value and Biodiversity in Scotland: A HANDBOOK OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR PUBLIC BODIES

CHAPTER 3 Biodiversity and Local Authority Services

In carrying out their functions, local authorities have an opportunity to ensure actions that benefit biodiversity are incorporated into most, if not all areas, of service delivery. By making sure that environmental conditions, including biodiversity conservation, are taken into account alongside economic and social factors, local authorities can demonstrate that they operate in a sustainable manner.

Placing the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity at the heart of decision-making makes sense for local authorities. The natural character and biodiversity of an area can be a valuable asset, providing the basis for many social and economic activities of direct benefit to the local community. There are some 8,000 jobs ¹⁸ directly involved in management of the natural heritage, including nature reserve managers, countryside rangers, and environmental consultants. A larger number of jobs in tourism (from visitor management to catering) are dependent on the quality of biodiversity and the natural heritage, with an estimated 29,000 jobs being associated with outdoor recreation alone. ¹⁹

Local authorities now have a central role in promoting understanding and awareness of biodiversity. They can do this through publications and events, providing places where people can go to experience and learn informally about biodiversity (e.g. Local Nature Reserves (LNRs), country parks, greenspace, access routes, etc.), or through the school education system. Local authorities can encourage and advise schools to provide learning opportunities through school grounds development, and can help schools to provide visits to local biodiversity sites.

Local authorities are well placed to maintain and improve quality of life through their capacity to resolve conflicting interests, and to deliver solutions to complex problems and cross-cutting issues associated with sustainable development. They provide local democratic accountability for a wide range of public services and provide a community leadership role.

Local authorities are already doing much for biodiversity conservation across many relevant service delivery areas. A single project may fulfil a number of service delivery area best value review requirements. All the case studies cited in table 2 can be found in full in chapter 5, chapter 8, or in appendix 2.

Table 2: Local Authority Services Areas, and related Case Studies

* SIPs = Social Inclusion Partnerships
Case studies appear in chapter 5, chapter 8 and appendix 2