Provide direction on, and investment in, green skills and local economic opportunities supporting nature-based education, nature restoration skills and volunteering.
Objective 5: Invest in nature
Priority Action 27. Provide direction on, and investment in, green skills and local economic opportunities supporting nature-based education, nature restoration skills and volunteering.
Investment in green skills, nature education, volunteering, and nature restoration jobs is being delivered through programmes such as Peatland ACTION, woodland creation support, and wider nature restoration funding, alongside NGO-led volunteering and training.
Scottish Government policy recognises that achieving biodiversity and climate goals requires a transition to a green economy supported by increased green skills, jobs, and workforce capacity, including nature-based education and training pathways.
LINK highlights that biodiversity delivery is constrained by limited implementation capacity, meaning workforce and skills systems are not yet fully aligned with restoration needs. CIEEM similarly identifies shortages in ecological professionals, noting that this is already affecting delivery of conservation and restoration work.
Green skills investment supports delivery of peatland restoration, woodland creation, habitat management, and ecological monitoring.
Government strategy confirms that skills and workforce development are necessary enablers of environmental recovery, while LINK and CIEEM evidence shows that current shortages are limiting delivery capacity. However, activity remains fragmented across programmes and is not yet coordinated under a single national workforce strategy.
Scottish Government – Draft Environment Strategy (green jobs, skills and workforce transition)
NatureScot – Peatland ACTION (skills delivery and restoration workforce)
Scottish Environment LINK – Biodiversity Investment Plan comments (delivery capacity and workforce constraints)
Scottish Environment LINK – Nature finance and system capacity position
CIEEM – Scottish Manifesto 2026 (ecological workforce shortages and skills needs)
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