2 September 2010, LINK Sustainable Land Use Taskforce

LINK Sustainable Land Use Case Studies

Scotland's land is used in a huge variety of ways and provides a large number of beneits from food and fuel, to wildlife and wellbeing.  The need to get more from our limited land resources has increased in recent years and there is concern that this will lead to further environmental impact.  Climate change adds another dangerous pressure.

LINK's ten case studies demonstrate what multifunctional land use can look like and the benefits it can provide for the economy society and the environment.  They highlight aproaches to land use and management which can be applied much more widely in Scotland and show what can be achieved through more integrated and different ways of working.

1 September 2010, LINK Wildlife Natural Environment

Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill - Stage 1 Evidence

LINK welcomes the opportunities to update the law on wildlife and the natural environment afforded by this bill.  We particularly welcome elements such as the provisions on non-native species and on arrangements for Sites of Special Scientific Interest and have some positive suggestions for improvement in these areas.  Whilst welcoming parts of the bill, we also have deep reservations about other aspects, especially the disappointing and unworkable proposals on deer management.

27 August 2010, LINK Planning Taskforce

LINK Response to the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 2010 Consultation

LINK broadly welcomes the consolidated Regulations....

17 August 2010, LINK Marine Taskforce

LINK Consultation Response to the Draft Plan and SEA for Offshore Wind Energy in Scotttish Territorial Waters

Link believes there has not been adequate consideration of the provisions of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 or the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 in the SEA or draft Plan.   Virtually no consideration is given to the new system of marine spatial planning or NC MPAs, whilst neither the draft Plan nor SEA mention the UK MPS or marine ecosystem objectives.  LINK's Marine Taskforce believes this is a serious oversight and must be corrected in the next iteration of the plan.

17 August 2010, LINK

LINK Newsletter Summer 2010

Recent activity and forthcoming plans, including Marine Renewables, launch of the Fred Edwards Trust, Members' Congress, Organisational Supporters.  From the members read about Scottish Native Woods new machine (you can hire it!); Butterfly success stories; Scottish Badgers join LINK; Biodiversity in the Cairngorms; and Peat and Archaeology. 

16 August 2010, LINK Marine Taskforce

Draft Scottish Seal Management Code of Practice and Guidance Notes for Applications for a Licence to Shoot Seals

LINK marine taskforce response to the Draft Scottish Seal Management Code of Practice and Guidance Notes for Applications for a Licence to Shoot Seals to Prevent Serious Damage to Fisheries of Fish Farms in Scotland.

We welcome the new seal management regime as contained in Part 6 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 (herein referred to as ‘the Act’), and support the Scottish Government’s stated policy that non-lethal measures should be used wherever possible, with seals only being shot as a measure of last resort...

22 July 2010, LINK

LINK Annual Report 2009-10

The  2009-10 Annual report and accounts of Scottish Environment LINK.

22 July 2010, LINK

Sustainable Development Commission in Scotland

We are disappointed that the UK Government has decided to close the Sustainable Development Commission in London and aware that this is likely to have implications for the future of SDC Scotland. Independent advice, support and scrutiny of government efforts towards delivering sustainable development is critical and SDC Scotland plays a valuable role in supporting and critiquing Scottish Government progress...

Letter sent to Scottish Government

24 June 2010, LINK Marine Taskforce

Comments on Marine Nature Conservation Strategy

Scottish Environment LINK’s Marine Task Force (LINK MTF) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft Marine Nature Conservation Strategy. We are largely supportive of the draft strategy as presented and we believe that the strategy will provide an excellent framework for our approach to marine nature conservation. However, we have some outstanding concerns and these are set out in the detailed comments below...

24 June 2010, LINK Marine Taskforce

Comments on ‘Marine Protected Areas in the Seas around Scotland: Guidelines on the selection of MPAs and development of the MPA network’

Scottish Environment LINK’s Marine Task Force (LINK MTF) welcome the opportunity to comment on the draft guidance on the selection of MPAs and development of the MPA network. We are largely supportive of the draft guidance as presented and we believe that the draft guidance provides an excellent framework for meeting our international commitment of setting up a representative, ecologically coherent network of MPAs. However, we have some outstanding concerns and these are set out in the detailed comments below...

17 June 2010, LINK Marine Taskforce

Visionary Report Charts A Sustainable Future For Marine Renewables

Today Scottish Environment LINK launch a visionary report setting out recommendations for the responsible growth of the fledgling marine renewables energy industry.

“Our report includes recommendations to safeguard the marine environment, thus helping the responsible development of the industry. Our vision is of a thriving industry that will help reduce the causes of climate change and bring secure longterm jobs whilst safeguarding a diverse, productive sea. By setting out clear environmental objectives along with simple, practical solutions, we set out our aims to avoid potential damage or conflict from the outset.

17 June 2010, LINK Marine Taskforce

Avoiding Conflicts in the Marine Environment

LINK's report on effective planning for marine renewables energy in Scotland.  Our vision is of a thriving industry that will help reduce the causes of climate change and bring secure long-term jobs, while safeguarding a diverse, productive sea.  The aim is to safeguard the environment, so bolster the sustainability and reputation of the burgeoning industry, and help rather than hinder the potential growth of responsible development.

Print version

17 June 2010, LINK Agriculture Taskforce

LINK response to the Common Agricultural Policy debate

Agricultural practice continues to cause significant environmental damage e.g. artificial inputs, and a general decrease in habitat heterogeneity has led to declines in farmland species and reduced the quality of the landscape. The focus of agricultural payments on the more productive types of farming, has also contributed to the abandonment of land which was managed using some of Europe’s more “marginal”, farming systems which are likely to be of greater environmental value. In Scotland, crofting is an example of such a high nature value system. Its small scale and low intensity forms of agricultural land use, can create and maintain valuable wild life habitats and iconic coastal and upland landscapes for all to enjoy.  The majority of funds continue to be paid out through pillar 1 of the CAP which is insufficiently targeted to produce public goods. Distribution of pillar 1 is unfair and in many countries rewards those most who also receive the best returns from the market. It is important that in future, funds are directed towards encouraging the production of environmental goods.

10 June 2010, LINK Wildlife Natural Environment

A Missed Opportunity? Wildlife Bill and Deer Management Planning

We are concerned that the proposals do not offer a serious improvement to the current voluntary approach to Deer Management Planning, organised by the network of Scottish Deer Management Groups. We believe that the current voluntary approach to deer management planning has been given a chance over at least a decade or more and has proved largely ineffective, as evidenced by the recent Scottish Government response to Parliamentary questions on this subject. We think that Deer Management Groups need enhanced Scottish Government support to deliver effective deer management planning as part of wider sustainable land use planning and delivery of public goods...

7 June 2010, Scottish Environment Week

Scottish Environment Week 2010 Report

The theme, Scotland’s Environment – It’s Great!, was chosen to re-focus the Week on its original, celebratory function and to re-establish the idea that for one week of the year the message for Scotland’s Parliamentarians is not hard-edged advocacy but a celebration of all that is good for Scotland in connection with its environment. The events provided the perfect showcase to highlight some of the work undertaken by LINK member organisations across Scotland; in particular we looked at those with a emphasis on citizen involvement.

28 May 2010, LINK Planning Taskforce

LINK's response to the consultation on the draft order to modify designation order on the Cairngorms National Park

LINK supports the proposed extension of the southern boundary into Perth and Kinross.

18 May 2010, Joint LINK

Pre-Consultation On The Draft UK Marine Policy Statement: A Paper For Discussion

Following requests at the Defra MPS workshop in March 2010 for detailed comments and where possible make suggestions for changes and additions to the document, we have produced a detailed response to the discussion document.

A joint response to the DEFRA preconsultation on the Draft UK Marine Policy Statement. by; The Wildlife and Countryside Link Marine Task Force, the Scottish Environment LINK Marine Task Force, the Wales Environment Link Marine Working Group and the Northern Ireland Marine Task Force.

12 May 2010,

Oral Evidence on Scotland's Hills and Islands

Scottish Environment LINK give Evidence to the Scottish Parliament's Rural Affairs and Environment Committee as they look at the Royal Society of Edinburgh's 2008 report on Scotland's hills and islands. 

28 April 2010, LINK

Independent Budget Review, Initial Call

Response to the Scottish Government Independent Budget Review: Initial Call for Contributions

We recognise that there will be a reduction in the Scottish budget in the face of the current economic situation and support efforts to ensure that public expenditure is sustainable...

23 April 2010, LINK

LINK Carbon Accounts 2009-10

A detailed report on LINK's carbon emissions during the financial year 2009-10.  This is the second year we have published carbon accounts.  This year we have extended our reporting to include emissions from travel to LINK-organised meetings: our quarterly Board meetings and AGM, our annual members' Congress, and LINK workshops and training events for members.

23 April 2010, Joint LINK

Draft report on the future of the CAP after 2013

A letter from the Joint LINKs to George Lyon MEP regarding his draft report on the future of the CAP after 2013.

We were disappointed that many of the points we raised in response to your working document have not been taken into account, particularly regarding an environmentally focused evolution of the CAP to become a European Sustainable Land Management Policy...

19 April 2010, LINK

LINK Carbon Accounts 2008-09

The first set of published Carbon Accounts for Scottish Environment LINK

15 April 2010, LINK

LINK Newsletter Spring 2010

Carrying news of  the network since December.  From the members, see Bill McDermott\'s piece on National Parks, Conservation or Cosmetics? Read about  current work of  Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the IUCN Peatland Programme and more. 

8 April 2010, LINK Sustainable Land Use Taskforce

LINK response to the Land Use Strategy SEA Scoping Report

LINK members welcome the opportunity to comment on this consultation and to support the development of the Land Use Strategy (LUS). LINK produced its ‘Living with the Land’ report in 2009 which set out LINK’s proposals for the vision, principles and definitions which, LINK believes, should underpin the LUS. We believe that the LUS has the potential to, and should, move land use planning away from a sectoral approach to one which achieves multiple objectives. It must seek synergies and reward multi-benefit land use, and must aim to resolve conflicts. Decisions need to be based on principles of sustainable development, in which environmental and social goals have equal status to economic ones.

25 March 2010, LINK

LINK Letter to the National Trust regarding its Strategic Review, March 2010

It is important that, in addition to managing its properties, the NTS allocates sufficient resources to enable it to play its role in advocacy in relation to the big environmental debates with government, parliament and other major stakeholders....

19 March 2010, Joint LINK

LINK and WCL letter to George Lyon MEP on CAP reform

The reformed CAP must be equipped with the means to deliver a wide range of environmental goods, now and in the future.   The level of funding to achieve this must be substantial.   The purposes of the reformed CAP should take into account all the public goods that need to be provided including preserving cultural landscapes and historic enivornment features as well as preventing biodiversity loss and climate change adaptation/mitigation.

19 March 2010, Joint LINK

LINK and WCL letter to Chris Davies MEP on CAP reform

Request that George Lyon's draft report to the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and  Rural Development, be viewed by the European Environment Committee.

10 March 2010, LINK Agriculture Taskforce

Future Agriculture Support Inquiry: Interim Report Response

LINK's response to the Interim Report of the Inquiry into Future Support for Agriculture in Scotland: LINK's vision for the future of agricultural funding is for a series of tiered payments aimed at delivering public goods which are otherwise undersupplied by the market.  This payment system would include a base payment with a series of management requirements attached: payments for High Nature Value farming and organic farming systems; targeted agri-environment payments for meeting the requirements of environmental legislation where this demands significant locally differentiated changes in practice.  Whilst LINK supports the aim of the inquiry and the rationale for future payments elaborated in the interim report, we disagree with the proposed funding mechanisms.   

10 March 2010, LINK Marine Taskforce

Marine Act Heralds New Dawn For Management Of Scotland’s Seas

Following a decade of campaigning by members of Scottish Environment LINK, and the passing of the Marine (Scotland) Bill by the Scottish Parliament on 4th February, today’s Royal Assent by Her Majesty the Queen creates the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

After almost ten years of campaigning, we are delighted that we now have a Marine (Scotland) Act. We particularly welcome the duty to protect and enhance our seas, a marine planning system that includes environmental targets and a duty to deliver a network of marine protected areas...

10 March 2010,

Oral Evidence on the Forth Crossing

Aedan Smith (RSPB) represented Scottish Environment LINK to the Scottish Parliament's Forth Crossing Bill Committee as they took evidence on the impact of the construction and operation of the bridge on designated sites and wildlife, air quality, the marine and terrestrial environment and the environment that is enjoyed by local residents and businesses.

9 March 2010, LINK Marine Taskforce

Aquaculture Briefing

The LINK marine taskforce believes all aquaculture legislation should ensure development within the industry is founded on the five guiding principles of sustainable development (in line with the Scottish Government’s own Sustainable Development Strategy): living within environmental limits; ensuring a strong, healthy and just society; achieving a sustainable economy; promoting good governance; and using science responsibly.

A briefing prepared by the LINK Marine taskforce for the Scottish Parliament debate on Aquaculture on the 10 March 2010