NatureScot ( gd, NàdarAlba), which was formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, is an

executive non-departmental public body In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body (NDPB) is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to public sector organisations that have a role in the process of na ...

of the Scottish Government responsible for the country's

natural heritage Natural heritage refers to the sum total of the elements of biodiversity, including flora and fauna, ecosystems and geological structures. It forms part of our natural resources. Definition Heritage is that which is ''inherited'' from past gener ...

, especially its

natural Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...

, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government on nature conservation, and acts as a government agent in the delivery of

conservation designation A conservation designation is a name and/or acronym which explains the status of an area of land in terms of conservation or protection. Examples United Kingdom *Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) * Environmentally sensitive area * Local ...

s, i.e. national nature reserves, local nature reserves,

national parks A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...

Sites of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...

(SSSIs),

Special Areas of Conservation A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and ap ...

Special Protection Area A Special Protection Area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and cert ...

s and the national scenic areas. It receives annual funding from the Government in the form of Grant in Aid to deliver Government priorities for the natural heritage. NatureScot is the Scottish Government's adviser on all aspects of nature, wildlife management and landscape across Scotland, and also helps the Scottish Government meet its responsibilities under European environmental laws, particularly in relation to the Habitats Directive and the

Birds Directive The Birds Directive (formally known as Council Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds) is the oldest piece of EU legislation on the environment and one of its cornerstones which was unanimously adopted in April 1979 as the Dire ...

. The agency currently employs in the region of 700 people, but much of NatureScot's work is carried out in partnership with others including local authorities, Government bodies, voluntary environmental bodies, community groups, farmers and land managers. The body has offices in most parts of Scotland including the main islands. NatureScot works closely with the

Joint Nature Conservation Committee The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is the public body that advises the UK Government and devolved administrations on UK-wide and international nature conservation. Originally established under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, J ...

(JNCC) and the equivalent bodies for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to ensure a consistent approach to nature conservation throughout the United Kingdom and towards fulfilling its international obligations. The agency was formed in 1992 as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). In November 2019 it was announced that SNH would be re-branded as NatureScot, however its legal persona and statutory functions would remain unchanged. The change took effect on 24 August 2020.

Roles and responsibilities

The general aims of NatureScot as established in the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 are to: * Secure the conservation and enhancement of Scotland's natural heritage; * Foster understanding and facilitate the enjoyment of Scotland's natural heritage; For the purposes of the Act, Scotland's natural heritage is defined as the

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring ( indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms ''gut flora'' or ''skin flora''. Et ...

and

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zo ...

of Scotland, its geological and physiographical features and its natural beauty and amenity. Specific responsibilities of NatureScot include: * Providing advice to the Scottish government on the development and implementation of policies relevant to the natural heritage of Scotland; * Disseminating information and advice relating to the natural heritage of Scotland to the public; * Carrying out and commissioning research relating to the natural heritage of Scotland; * Establishing, maintaining and managing designated areas of conservation in Scotland;

Protected areas

NatureScot has responsibility for the delivery of

s in Scotland, i.e. national nature reserves, local nature reserves,

long distance route Scotland's Great Trails are long-distance "people-powered" trails in Scotland, analogous to the National Trails of England and Wales or the Grande Randonnée paths of France. The designated routes are primarily intended for walkers, but may have ...

(SSSIs),

s and the national scenic areas. The conservation designations overlap considerably with many protected areas covered by multiple designations. In total around 20% of the area of Scotland is covered by some form of protected area designation, with SSSIs alone covering 13%.

National nature reserves

National nature reserves (NNRs) are areas of land or water designated under the

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom implemented to comply with European Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. In short, the act gives protection to native species (especia ...

to contain habitats and species of national importance. NNRs can be owned by public, private, community or voluntary organisations but must be managed to conserve their important habitats and species, as well as providing opportunities for the public to enjoy and engage with nature. There are currently 43 NNRs in Scotland, which cover . NatureScot is responsible for designating NNRs in Scotland and for overseeing their maintenance and management. The majority of NNRs are directly managed by NatureScot; however, some are managed by, or in co-operation with other bodies, including the

National Trust for Scotland The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland ( gd, Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba), is a Scottish conservation organisation. It is the largest membership organ ...

(7 NNRs), Forestry and Land Scotland (5 NNRs), the

RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment thr ...

(5 NNRs), the Scottish Wildlife Trust (1 NNR), South Lanarkshire Council (1 NNR), and the

Woodland Trust The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the United Kingdom and is concerned with the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage. It has planted over 50 million trees since 1972. The Woodland T ...

(1 NNR). All NNRs in Scotland are also designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Many also form part of the

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectivel ...

network, which covers

s and

. Additionally, some of the NNRs are designated as Ramsar sites.

National scenic areas

There are 40 national scenic areas (NSAs) in Scotland, covering 13% of the land area of Scotland. The 40 NSAs were originally identified in 1978 by the Countryside Commission for Scotland in 1978 as areas of ''"national scenic significance... of unsurpassed attractiveness which must be conserved as part of our national heritage"''.

Protected species

Vulnerable plant and animal species in Scotland are protected under various legislation. In many cases it is an offence to kill or capture members of a protected animal species, or to uproot plants. NatureScot's primary role in regard to protected species is to license activities that would otherwise be an offence.

Enjoying the outdoors

NatureScot is responsible for promoting public access and enjoyment of the outdoors. It created and updates the

Scottish Outdoor Access Code The Scottish Outdoor Access Code provides detailed guidance on the exercise of the ancient tradition of universal access to land in Scotland, which was formally codified by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Under Scots law everyone has the ri ...

, which provides detailed guidance on the exercise of the ancient tradition of universal access to land in Scotland, which was formally codified by the

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which establishes statutory public rights of access to land and makes provisions under which bodies representing rural and crofting communities may buy land. Provisions T ...

. It also hosts the National Access Forum, which brings together all bodies with an interest in land access issues. NatureScot also support the management of the three regional parks. It acts as the "custodian" of Scotland's Great Trails, maintaining the official list and providing some finance and publicity to the trails, although responsibility for creating and maintaining each route lies with the local authorities through which a route passes.

Governance

NatureScot is governed by its board. As of August 2022, the board is made up of twelve members and is chaired by Mike Cantlay. Board members are appointed by Scottish Government ministers for an initial term of 4 years and normally serve a maximum of two terms. The primary roles of the board are to determine the objectives, strategies and policies of NatureScot in respect to its statutory obligations and guidance from the Scottish Government. Meetings of the NatureScot Board are open to the public to attend as observers. Day-to-day operations are led by the Senior Leadership Team, consisting of a chief executive, who is appointed by the board, and a number of directors and deputy directors. the Senior Leadership Team comprised: *Chief Executive and Accountable Officer: Francesca Osowska *Director of Business Services and Transformation: Jane Macdonald *Director of Green Economy: Robbie Kernahan *Director of Nature and Climate Change: Nick Halfhide *Deputy Director of Green Economy: Claudia Rowse *Deputy Director of Nature and Climate Change: Eileen Stuart *Head of External Affairs: Jason Ormiston *Deputy Director of Business Services and Transformation: Stuart MacQuarrie Supporting the Board are three committee, the Scientific Advisory Committee, the Protected Areas Committee, and the Audit and Risk Committee. NatureScot programmes and priorities have a strong focus on helping to deliver the Scottish Government's National Outcomes and Targets which comprise the National Performance Framework. NatureScot is also a member of SEARS (Scotland's Environmental and Rural Services).

History

The agency was formed as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in 1992 from the amalgamation of the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland and the Countryside Commission for Scotland to ''“secure the conservation and enhancement of, and to foster understanding and facilitate the enjoyment of the natural heritage of Scotland”''. In March 2003, Scottish Ministers announced their decision to transfer SNH's headquarters from Edinburgh to

Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...

, with around 270 jobs to be transferred. Prior to the move, relocation costs were variously estimated at between £22 million and £40 million. The decision to transfer SNH's headquarters was heavily criticized by MSPs, unions, Edinburgh civic leaders and staff. Criticism focused on the cost of the move, the disruption to staff and the risk of compromising the effectiveness of SNH's work. Up to 75% of headquarters staff were reported to be against the move. Relocation took place between 2003 and 2006, many staff left at this point as they did not wish to, or were unable to transfer location. In 2006, SNH headquarters staff moved into Great Glen House, a £15 million purpose-built headquarters building in Inverness. Great Glen House was built by Robertson Property, working with Keppie Design. As part of the tendering process, SNH set seven environmental and sustainability criteria for the design including achieving an 'Excellent' rating under the BREEAM system. The final design met all criteria and achieved the highest ever BREEAM rating for a public building in the UK. On 1 August 2010, the functions of the Deer Commission for Scotland were transferred to SNH by section 1 of the Public Services (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Commission was dissolved. In 2020 SNH was re-branded as NatureScot.

Projects

In support of its statutory duties, NatureScot undertakes many individual projects across Scotland, often in collaboration with land managers, charities and local communities.

Stoat eradication project

The introduction of alien stoats since 2010 has created serious problems for native species in

Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

: In 2018, a stoat eradication project was presented by NatureScot to be applied "across Orkney Mainland, South Ronaldsay, Burray,

Glimps Holm Glimps Holm or Glims Holm ( non, Glums Holm) is a small uninhabited islet in Orkney, Scotland. Geography Glimps Holm lies in Holm Sound, one of the eastern entrances to Scapa Flow, between Mainland, Orkney and the island of Burray. The Churc ...

, Lamb Holm and Hunda, and the biosecurity activities delivered on the non-linked islands of the archipelago". The project, which is run by a partnership including NatureScot, RSPB Scotland and Orkney Islands Council, uses "humane DOC150 and DOC200 traps". A report issued in October 2020 stated that over 5,000 traps had been deployed. Specifics were provided as to the locations. Not all was going well as of 15 January 2021, according to

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ( ...

which stated that the project "has been hit by alleged sabotage after the destruction and theft of traps that have also killed and injured household pets and other animals" but added that the £6 million programme was supported by most islanders. Another news item stated that some of the traps had "caught and killed family pets as well as hundreds of other animals". A subsequent report confirmed that "Police Scotland is investigating a number of incidents involving damage to and the theft of stoat traps in Orkney".