Develop a routemap (end of 2025) for soil security in Scotland including a review and update of Scotland’s Soil Framework and action/implementation plan (2030).
Objective 3: Embed nature positive Farming, Fishing and Forestry
Priority Action 14. Ensure increased uptake of high diversity, nature-rich, high-soil carbon, low-intensity farming methods while sustaining high-quality food production
A Soil Route Map for Scotland was published in 2025 through ClimateXChange. It was commissioned by the Scottish Government to develop an overarching approach to soil security and to improve coordination of soil-related policy delivery across sectors.
The route map sets out a framework to address soil security across Scotland and identifies the need to better coordinate existing soil-related actions across agriculture, climate, biodiversity, forestry, and planning policy. It also highlights that soils are currently governed through multiple separate policy areas rather than a single integrated soil policy framework.
The route map references alignment with existing Scottish Government strategies and policies including the National Planning Framework 4, the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045, and the National Adaptation Plan.
The publication is intended to inform future development of soil policy, including review and potential updating of Scotland’s Soil Framework (2009), and to support development of implementation planning toward 2030.
Soil systems underpin ecosystem function, including carbon storage, water regulation, food production, and biodiversity support. Scottish Government soil governance evidence identifies soils as critical to ecosystem services and highlights that soil degradation risks affect climate resilience, biodiversity outcomes, and land productivity.
The Soil Route Map identifies key pressures on soils in Scotland including erosion, compaction, and loss of soil organic matter, and sets out the need for coordinated action across land-use sectors to improve soil condition and resilience.
Environmental Standards Scotland and ClimateXChange evidence note that soil protection policy in Scotland is currently fragmented across multiple policy areas, limiting coordinated delivery of soil outcomes and monitoring of soil condition at national scale.
Taken together, this evidence indicates that while the Soil Route Map provides a coordinated policy direction for improving soil security, there is currently limited integrated delivery or national monitoring of soil condition outcomes. As a result, ecological benefits are dependent on future implementation across multiple sectors rather than current measurable system-wide recovery.
ClimateXChange – Soil Route Map for Scotland
ClimateXChange – Securing soils in a changing climate (report)
Scottish Government – Soils policy and legislation overview
NatureScot – Soil and ecosystem service context (linked soil functions)
Scottish Government – National Planning Framework 4
Environmental Standards Scotland – The risks to Scotland’s soils: a scoping report
Increase the uptake of integrated pest management across Scottish agriculture to minimise risks and impacts of pesticides to the environment in line with the UK National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides.
Develop evidence-based Soil Health Indicators that can be considered for inclusion in Whole Farm Plans and Forest Management Plans.
Undertake an evidence-based update of currently available information and advice on biodiversity management to farmers/land managers, to ensure it is up-to-date, clear and easily accessible.
Improve information for land managers on how to assess and interpret soil erosion risks and implement measures to avoid erosion (and other impacts on soil health related to climate change), including: i) the impacts of extreme rainfall drought events on soils; and ii) maps of soils that have been subject to anthropogenic degradation and are candidates for soil improvement programmes.
Develop and promote clear guidance for practitioners on soil compaction and farm and forestry machinery contractors are engaged in ensuring appropriate use of equipment, uptake of decisionmaking tools and training, to minimise and ultimately avoid compaction damage to soils.
Set up monitoring frameworks to assess change in soil health, based on evidence from the Natural Resources theme of the Strategic Research Programme (2022-2027).
Reduce inputs of nutrients to freshwaters that cause enrichment impacts on biodiversity, by controlling both diffuse and point source pollution through effective nutrient management through agricultural reform and SEPA’s Priority Catchment programme, ensuring compliance with the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (CAR) under River Basin Management Planning.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
