Undertake mapping of opportunities for creating Local Authority wide Nature Networks that connect locally important areas for biodiversity, provide linkages with 30 by 30 sites, and address local and regional priorities for climate and nature.
Objective 2: Protect nature on land and at sea, across and beyond Protected Areas
Priority Action 11. Identify, expand and enhance Nature Networks and ecological connectivity
Work to map and identify opportunities for Nature Networks is underway in a number of Local Authority areas, supported by NatureScot guidance and the Nature Networks Framework, which sets out how spatial ecological networks should be developed through Local Development Plans.
The approach is being taken forward locally, with some authorities developing early spatial analysis and opportunity mapping to identify priority areas for habitat connectivity and links to protected areas and emerging 30 by 30/Nature30 sites.
However, delivery is not yet complete or consistent across Scotland. There is currently no single national, standardised map of Nature Network opportunities covering all Local Authorities, and progress varies significantly depending on local capacity, data availability and resourcing. Where mapping is happening, it is generally still in the early stages of identifying opportunities rather than fully agreed or implemented network designs.
Mapping Nature Network opportunities identifies where habitats can be connected, restored or expanded, supporting species movement and strengthening ecological coherence across landscapes. NatureScot guidance highlights that spatial mapping is a critical first step in linking locally important sites with protected areas and 30 by 30 sites, helping to target action where it will deliver the greatest biodiversity and climate benefits. However, ecological benefits depend on moving from mapping to delivery, and on capacity and funding for Local Authority biodiversity officers to translate opportunity maps into planning decisions and on-the-ground habitat restoration. Overall, mapping provides the evidence base for connectivity and nature recovery, but ecological outcomes depend on consistent implementation across all areas.
Ensure spatially defined Nature Networks are being implemented in every Local Authority area to provide connectivity between important places for biodiversity, deliver local priorities and contribute to strategic priorities at local, regional and national scales.
Promote Nature Network implementation via local and regional decision-making processes, following the Nature Networks Framework.
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