Identify and realise opportunities for expansion of existing NNRs or the designation of new ones, identifying a range of sites by 2026 and designating those considered suitable by 2028.
Objective 2: Protect nature on land and at sea, across and beyond Protected Areas
Priority Action 10. Fulfil the potential of National Nature Reserves (NNRs) for nature recovery
NatureScot has identified five demonstration examples within the National Nature Reserve (NNR) suite as part of its strategic plan for NNRs (2025–2035), as set out in a June 2025 Board paper. This confirms early-stage planning to use NNRs to demonstrate best practice in wildlife management, including habitat restoration and addressing key pressures such as grazing and invasive species.
NNRs in Scotland already play an important role in conservation delivery and monitoring, with Site Condition Monitoring showing that protected area features are assessed on a rolling basis to track condition and trigger management responses where needed. However, there is currently no published operational programme setting out how these five demonstration examples will be implemented, funded, monitored, or evaluated, and no evidence yet of delivery at scale across the NNR network.
While the identification of demonstration sites is a positive step towards sharing best practice, the approach remains in a planning and early implementation phase, and it is not yet possible to assess outcomes or effectiveness in improving biodiversity or provisioning services.
Early-stage pipeline development with limited delivery visibility. NatureScot has identified five demonstration areas within the National Nature Reserve network through its 2025–2035 strategic planning, indicating an initial step towards strengthening the role of NNRs in applied conservation and wildlife management.
NNRs already function as key protected sites with ongoing monitoring and management interventions, but there is currently no published national programme setting out how additional sites will be selected, assessed or progressed into designation. Information on how expansion opportunities will be identified and taken through to designation decisions by 2028 is not yet in place in an operational sense.
A well-developed approach would include a structured national review of existing NNR coverage, identification of gaps in ecological representation and connectivity, and a prioritised list of candidate sites with clear criteria for designation. It would also include formal progression routes from identification through to designation, backed by resourcing and monitoring so that new and expanded NNRs demonstrably improve habitat condition, strengthen ecological networks and increase resilience at landscape scale.
NatureScot Board Paper – Strategic Plan for NNRs (2025–2035)
NatureScot – Site Condition Monitoring programme
National Nature Reserves
NatureScot – National Nature Reserves
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