In July 2025, Scottish Environment LINK reached an amazing milestone! Our membership reached 50 member organisations. Deborah Long, LINK’s current CEO, has been talking to early supporters, early drivers of change and some of LINK’s newer members about this milestone…
LINK has come a long way since its start in 1987, with 14 member organisations signing up as what was Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link (SWCL) at its inaugural meeting on 3 February.
Reaching this milestone is happening at a time when action for nature and the environment needs to be stronger and faster than ever. LINK’s growing network helps us all build momentum and be a stronger voice for Scotland’s environment, together. We’re so grateful to our members for all they contribute towards our network. Between them, they are supported by an estimated 0.5 million supporters: this gives weight to LINK as the coordinated voice for Scotland’s environment: politicians and Government should listen to the people of Scotland, represented through LINK, because environment obviously matters to them.
LINK’s first twenty years is the subject of A strong, coherent voice, written by Honorary Fellow Michael Scott, Chair of LINK between 1995 – 1999. LINK then marked thirty years with a short film, Scottish Environment LINK at 30. The film heard from those actively engaged in LINK in 2017 and about how it helps coordinate a strong voice for the environment and the importance of a support network for those working in the sector, giving often difficult messages, watching what is happening in the natural world and looking forward. It’s not an easy or comfortable place to be. Plans are afoot for marking 40 years in a couple of years’ time.
Drennan Watson, one of LINK’s earliest Chairs, was an early driving force at LINK and was vital in revolutionising ideas about what was possible for the environment voluntary sector. He recalled LINK’s early days:
“Early days of what was then SWCL, and then LINK, saw discussions among us on things like ‘how can we penetrate this apparently impregnable institution called the Scottish Office and influence policy’. We certainly managed to get meetings with Scottish Ministers of the Environment but these were not particularly useful. I recall one meeting with Lord James Douglas Hamilton when, looking around me at the delegation we had got together at expense of their time, I got so annoyed that I sort of fell out onto their civil service adviser after Lord James had left the meeting, who was also upset. “What’s the matter?” I asked. His face rather crumpled and he said, “Drennan, If we advised him to jump out the 8th floor window of the Scottish Office and the leader of the opposition would catch him – He’d do it!”. Lord James was succeeded by Lord Sanderson, who was the ultimate in right wing hunting and shooting chap. He sat in front of us, thumped his fists on the table, and said, “The sporting estate is the backbone of the Highland economy!” The tourist industry had apparently escaped his attention.
“But devolution had come and oversight on protected areas like SSSIs was passing to a devolved government along with broader oversight over land use. But of course the whole structure of protected areas was based on a UK assessment – not just Scotland. We could foresee problems and asked for a meeting with Malcolm Rifkind, then Secretary of State for Scotland and therefore chief Scottish minister. He replied, saying – you had best see my minister of environment about this. However, we were not wasting our time on another cheerfully useless meeting so I sent another letter saying this was more widely significant and we needed a meeting with him, as chief minister for Scotland – code for ‘We deal with organ grinders, not monkeys!’ We immediately got a meeting! We found out later from his advisers that we were pushing at an open door. Rifkind took one look at the breadth and size of the diverse NGOs behind the request and thought he had to meet with us. A very significant moment for LINK!
“The meeting was very different from those before with Lord James and others. I did a brief explanation of the issue. He then looked thoughtful for a moment and said, “I need to know more about this!” Michael Scott (Plantlife) led off with a clear explanation of the issue followed on by Lloyd (RSPB) clarifying it further. Rifkind listened attentively. Then came the follow up: I still have a copy of a lengthy letter from him asking our opinion on which of diverse arrangements would work – like setting up an overseeing committee. WE HAD ARRIVED!”
Michael Scott says:
“For as long as I can remember, Scottish Environment LINK has been very considerably more than the sum of its parts. But when the sum of the parts reaches 50, then LINK really does become a significant force of nature.”
Alice Walsh was LINK’s long standing Development Officer, from 1991 until 2021 and said:
“It is immensely encouraging to see the numbers of member bodies grow, each of them contributes time, expertise and, not least, a sizeable membership subscription. This helps ensure LINK’s independent voice, speaking loud and clear for the essential public good of having a thriving natural environment as the basis for humans to flourish.”
Jen Anderson was LINK’s first member of staff and its Chief Officer until 2019. She too is pleased to see LINK’s membership still growing, from its base of 14 founding organisations in 1987; and still a strong partnership of small and large, national and local, all bringing something different to the collective knowledge and experience.
One of LINK’s current members, Archaeology Scotland, was represented at LINK meetings by Jonathan Wordsworth, who was their Rural Land Use Adviser:
“As a member of a small organisation (Archaeology Scotland) interested in protecting and enhancing Scotland’s past, I have always been impressed at how inclusive Scottish Environment LINK has been, caring for both Scotland’s cultural as well as natural heritage, for its valued landscapes as well as protecting its biodiversity.”
Today, LINK is chaired by Professor James Curran. He notes the power of LINK as the collaboration between, now, 50 environmental charities with, between them, around half a million, subscription-paying and dedicated individual members. For comparison, ALL the political parties in Scotland, combined, probably have around 150,000 paying members. He thinks it is certainly beyond time that mainstream politics took serious note of the environmental concerns of the people of Scotland:
“It’s never too late, as they say. But, genuinely, it nearly is …”
Even from outside the sector, the power and impact of working together has been noted:
Richard Lochhead, MSP, former Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Climate Change and the Environment (2007-2016) noted that LINK as a collective voice for the environment shaped public debate and worked with politicians to make sure Scotland addressed some of the urgent pressures and issues facing the environment. Even though he was seriously challenged, he found the voice and the input very valuable (Scottish Environment LINK at 30). Bill Wilson, MSP (2007 – 2011) commented on the value of one of LINK’s early campaigns, Don’t Take the P:
“LINK ensured that there was a coordinated effort rather than a piecemeal approach to the campaign. If an MSP had a question it was possible to approach a single body to obtain an overview…., making it easier for them to manage their time and avoid contradictory messages.”
(SCVO: Charities, Scotland and Holyrood: twenty years delivering change. 2019.)
Roger Crofts, former CEO of Scottish Natural Heritage and now a LINK Honorary Fellow says:
“This is brilliant news. It demonstrates the strength of Scottish Environment LINK as an environmental advocacy body which others wish to join to strengthen our collective voice.”
Two of our most recent members are happy to be part of the network: a small new charity, Bright Green nature, based in the Scottish Borders is one of them. Their CEO Karen Blackport says:
“As a grassroots organisation working on community-led nature restoration in the Scottish Borders, we joined LINK to connect with like-minded groups, share learning, and strengthen our voice within national policy and advocacy conversations. We’re particularly interested in contributing to discussions on biodiversity, land use, and youth engagement, and in learning from others doing impactful work across Scotland.”
The second very recent member is Association of Environmental Clerks of Works. Their Chair, Rebecca Passmore says:
“AEnvCoW is excited to have become part of a network that has similar aims and objectives, which will enable us to augment our work and make it more impactful in protecting Scotland’s environment. We are looking forward to identifying like-minded champions and groups through LINK to achieve this, and in turn, supporting other organisations in doing so.”
Another recent member is the Atlantic Salmon Trust. Alison Baker, their Restoration Director says:
“The Atlantic Salmon Trust is a proud member of Scottish Environment LINK, ensuring that the endangered wild Atlantic salmon is represented at the highest levels. Wild salmon don’t swim alone. As a keystone and indicator species they support, and rely on, the wider biodiversity of our rivers, coasts and seas. By aligning efforts with partners working to conserve and restore other species, we are stronger together as we work towards a thriving, resilient future for Scotland’s nature.”
LINK’s strength is its members and the dedicated staff team who support them. The environment and the planet has never needed champions more, ready to voice the uncomfortable and point out the awkward while always looking into the long-term future.
At twenty years, Simon Pepper, a key driving force for LINK in its early years, said:
“It is time to encourage environmental bodies to think and act out of the box, be exciting, take risks, attract attention, challenge shibboleths, expose the bogged down for being bogged down, loosen up the white-knuckle grip on precious old issues, and think of ways of generating new alliances for fresh, new, creative approaches.” (A strong, coherent voice 2007).
I hope we’ve managed to do that and will continue to do that as we all look forward to a very different world in 2050.