5 Analysis
Fallen oak leaves, Ariundle National Nature Reserve, Strontian:
Image courtesy of SNH
The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy's five objectives cover a wide range of aspects of biodiversity conservation.
1. Species and habitats: To halt the loss of biodiversity and continue to reverse previous losses through targeted action for species and habitats.
2. People: To increase awareness, understanding and enjoyment of biodiversity, and engage many more people in its conservation and enhancement.
3. Landscapes and ecosystems: To restore and enhance biodiversity in all our urban, rural and marine environments through better planning, design and practice.
4. Integration and co-ordination: To develop an effective management framework that ensures biodiversity is taken into account in all decision making.
5. Knowledge: To ensure that the best new and existing knowledge on biodiversity is available to all policy makers and practitioners.
Current status
The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Indicators provide evidence of the current state of biodiversity in relation to the first two of the Strategy's objectives - Species and Habitats, and People. They point to the following key conclusions.
Species and Habitats
- Of the 153 UK priority species in Scotland, nearly 40% are increasing or stable, while 18% are declining. The status of around 30% of these species is not currently known.
- Of the 41 UK priority habitats in Scotland, 35% are increasing or stable, while nearly 30% are declining. For 34% of habitats however the status is unknown.
- Four indicators show biodiversity responses to climate change across terrestrial, coastal and marine environments. Major declines in some nesting seabirds are of particular concern.
- Several indicators show species faring better as a result of improvements in environmental management and legislation, including the recovery of otters, estuarine fish, and increases in some breeding and wintering birds. However, nitrogen pollution continues to affect some plant types, and many of Scotland's commercial fish stocks remain outside safe limits.
- Increases in generalist species and declines of those specialising in particular habitats (e.g. amongst butterflies) and the spread of some non-native species are reducing the distinctiveness of Scotland's biodiversity.
People
- Most people in Scotland care about the natural world. An increasing majority participate in outdoor activities, and a small but increasing minority are more actively involved in conservation through volunteering or membership of environmental and conservation organisations.
- The green space in towns and villages provides a key opportunity for people to connect more with the natural world.
Conclusions
The status of many species and habitats in Scotland is good or improving, with the status of some species having improved dramatically as a result of improvements in their environments resulting from control of pollution, or protective legislation. Targeted conservation action, often through partnership with the non-governmental sector, has produced significant successes for some species and habitats. The integration of biodiversity considerations into other policies is likely to continue these improvements.
There remain a significant number of species and habitats whose status is deteriorating, and there is a need to focus new action towards those. Loss of habitat is a significant issue that still needs to be halted. There is also an urgent need to improve the quality of information we have about the status of a number of species and habitats. The review of priority species and habitats that has recently been carried out across the UK will help ensure that effort is prioritised towards those aspects of our natural environment that are most under threat and reduced where it has achieved sustainable improvement.
There has been significant progress towards the Strategy's aim of increasing the number of people who are aware of and involved with their natural environment. Major communication campaigns, particularly through broadcasting media, are reaching growing numbers of people and stimulating interest in biodiversity and in practical work to improve their natural surroundings.
In addition to direct nature conservation work, much has been achieved to integrate biodiversity issues more widely into other areas of policy and work. In the long term, it is through this approach that the most significant and sustainable improvements for biodiversity may be delivered. Public bodies have launched a range of initiatives in response to their duty to conserve biodiversity as part of their work, including through the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive, developments in management of sea fisheries, transport infrastructure, and crucially as an integral part of the new arrangements for supporting land managers in Scotland. Integration remains a key area where further progress can and should be made over coming years, building on these successes.
In terms of knowledge about the status of our biodiversity, some significant progress has been achieved. The publication of the first Scottish Biodiversity Indicators is an important development. More people are involved in learning about and collecting information on the natural environment and information about biodiversity is being collated and used more effectively. Understanding of the natural environment is increasingly built into the school curriculum. However, there remain major gaps in our knowledge of the status of some aspects of our natural environment, and in the impact of climate change on biodiversity, and effort will be required to address these.
Dark Bordered Beauty Moth:
Image courtesy of Roy Leverton
Bumble Bee:
Image courtesy of SNH
Scots Pine woodland and blanket bog, Loch Maree Islands National Nature Reserve:
Image courtesy of SNH