Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Tracker

Delivery Update May 2026

The Scottish Government’s agricultural reform programme introduced a “two-out-of-five” baseline requirement for the Basic Payment Scheme (from 2025), requiring applicants to complete at least two of the following: biodiversity audit, carbon audit, soil analysis, animal health and welfare plan, or integrated pest management plan as part of conditionality linked to public support payments.

The requirement is being implemented through the rural payments administrative system, with compliance assessed as part of application eligibility processes rather than outcome-based ecological monitoring.

There is currently no published central dataset reporting aggregate results from these audits (e.g. biodiversity audit findings, soil outcomes, or carbon audit results) at national level, limiting the ability to assess ecological impact from implementation.

Existing audit tools (e.g. soil analysis and biodiversity audits) are delivered through multiple providers and advisory systems, but there is no single integrated national reporting framework linking audit completion to ecological outcomes.

SEFARI and NatureScot research evidence highlights that while farm-level environmental audits can improve awareness and management planning, ecological outcomes depend on sustained action beyond compliance-based completion of assessments.

Ecological Contribution

SEFARI research on agricultural systems and natural capital shows that environmental audits can support improved land management decisions when linked to follow-up action, particularly in relation to soil condition, habitat management, and input reduction.

NatureScot biodiversity evidence indicates that monitoring and assessment tools are important for identifying habitat condition and targeting interventions, but biodiversity recovery depends on consistent implementation of management changes rather than audit completion alone.

State of Nature Scotland reports continued long-term declines across multiple species groups, indicating that current land management changes have not yet been sufficient to reverse biodiversity loss at national scale.

Soil Association Scotland evidence highlights that biodiversity and soil outcomes improve when audits are embedded within active management systems (e.g. regenerative practices), rather than treated as standalone compliance exercises.

Taken together, this evidence indicates that the introduction of mandatory baseline audits represents a significant policy shift toward nature-positive conditionality in agricultural support. However, in the absence of centralised outcome monitoring, the ecological impact of implementation cannot yet be evidenced, and benefits remain uncertain and dependent on follow-up action.

Evidence Links

Scottish Government – Agriculture Reform Route Map
Scottish Rural Payments Scheme
NatureScot – Biodiversity Indicators
State of Nature Scotland