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Biodiversity

Scotland has some of the best wild areas and most iconic species in the whole of Europe.

Scotland's biodiversity is a vital part of our natural and cultural heritage that enriches and underpins our lives; the air we breathe, the water we use and the soil we grow our food in all depend on it.

  • The top-level target for biodiversity within the European Union is halting the loss of biodiversity by the year 2010.
  • A key target for SNH is to contribute to the delivery of the EU Biodiversity Action Plan and we do this particularly through our Biodiversity Action Programme as well as the wider range of our work.

Our biodiversity work

Our biodiversity work is mostly driven by three things

  • the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy external site
  • the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and its list of priority habitats and species - a recent decision to devolve responsibility for UK BAP planning, delivery and reporting to countries has brought a range of new challenges to Scotland
  • the Species Action Framework, listing 32 species for priority action, and we are also developing a Habitat Action Framework.

Other areas of work

However, our biodiversity work includes a much wider range of other work such as looking after protected areas and providing advice on species, advising on development proposals and promoting the sustainable use of biodiversity.

We promote an ecosystem approach to the management of natural resources which seeks to take better account of how ecosystems work and of the benefits ecosystems provide to people (ecosystem services), and to involve people in the management of these resources.

All of this work is helping Scotland and the UK meet commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the EU Biodiversity Action Plan.

Biodiversity action

Biodiversity action in Scotland is co-ordinated through a structure which combines Scotland's UKBAP responsibilities with those in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, all with the aim of managing habitats and species within the wider ecosystems that they, and we, depend upon.

Scottish Natural Heritage supports the main groups:

  • the Scottish Biodiversity Committee - a high level group chaired by the Scottish Government Minister for the Environment
  • the Biodiversity Steering Group, chaired by SNH, which oversees the implementation of strategic policy directions set by the Scottish Biodiversity Committee
  • a People and Communications Group, a Biodiversity Science Group and five Ecosystem Groups undertake specific tasks as required by the Biodiversity Steering Group. The Ecosystem Groups aim to integrate action for relevant habitats with those of the species which depend on them.

For further information contact Brigid.Primrose@snh.gov.uk 01463 725251