Collate, review and prioritise all the landscape scale nature restoration projects across Scotland. Using this spatial evidence, NatureScot will identify and help facilitate partnership projects for six exemplar large scale landscape restoration areas with significant woodland components by 2025. By the end of 2026 those projects will have engaged with communities; developed deliverable action plans; identified funding (and where appropriate private finance) to deliver the outcomes required by 2030 and beyond.
Objective 1: Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Priority Action 2. Introduce a Programme of Ecosystem Restoration
The first phase of the landscape-scale restoration programme has now been launched and the list of exemplar projects is publicly available on NatureScot’s website. The programme includes a diverse mix of community, farmer, NGO, and agency-led projects across a wide range of habitats and land ownership contexts. Adjustments have been made in response to earlier feedback, including the inclusion of coastal, urban, grassland, and pollinator habitats. NatureScot has engaged with funders to ensure that these exemplar priorities do not influence wider funding decisions and is supporting the growth of nature finance through initiatives such as the Scottish Rivers Fund, Nature Investment Prospectus, SMEEF, LENS, and emerging codes for woodland and ecosystem restoration.
This represents progress in coordinating and communicating landscape-scale restoration activity and in demonstrating effective models of delivery. The programme consolidates existing projects, incorporates a range of delivery approaches, and provides a clearer framework for engagement with communities and partners. However, despite these improvements, the current approach remains exemplar-led, with selection partly based on project readiness and existing partnerships rather than ecological need or biodiversity priorities. Geographic coverage remains uneven, particularly in the Northwest and Islands, and alignment with broader frameworks such as the Land Use Strategy, Nature Networks, Nature30, 30×30, and invasive species management is still developing. While exemplar projects are a positive step, they do not yet deliver fully connected, systemic landscape-scale restoration or ensure the step-change in ambition required for nature recovery.
The programme is an important milestone but, on its own, it is not sufficient to achieve Scotland’s biodiversity recovery goals. To deliver meaningful nature recovery, a strategic, whole-landscape restoration framework is needed. Priority landscapes must be selected based on ecological need, connected regional networks should be established, and delivery must integrate with wider land-use policies. Long-term, stable funding and recognition of community- and NGO-led initiatives as equal partners are essential to scale restoration nationally. Exemplar projects demonstrate good models and progress, but they remain incremental and do not yet provide the systemic transformation required to meet biodiversity targets by 2030 and beyond.
Scotland requires a strategic, whole-landscape restoration framework to achieve meaningful biodiversity recovery. Priority landscapes should be selected based on ecological need rather than project readiness, and exemplar sites should be integrated into connected regional networks that deliver systemic ecological impact. Restoration delivery must be aligned with land reform, agriculture, deer management, peatland restoration, and other policies to ensure long-term effectiveness. Mechanisms are needed to scale successful restoration models nationally, supported by long-term, stable funding. Community- and NGO-led initiatives must be recognised as equal partners, and restoration actions should be fully integrated with Nature Networks, Nature30, 30×30, and invasive species management to achieve transformative outcomes across Scotland’s landscapes.
Landscape-scale restoration is still not consistently prioritised based on ecological need, which limits overall biodiversity benefit. NatureScot identifies landscape-scale work as important for improving habitat connectivity and ecosystem resilience, but outcomes depend on how well projects are linked into wider land use planning and long-term delivery systems. At present, there is no clear evidence that exemplar projects are yet delivering measurable national-scale improvements in habitat condition or connectivity, as monitoring and aggregation of outcomes across sites is still developing.
Scottish Environment LINK – Response to Landscape Scale Engagement Paper
NatureScot – Landscape-scale Nature Restoration
Develop the new Register of Ancient Woodlands, to include locational data, a definition of the required ‘protected and restored’ condition of ancient woodlands, and a process for recording ancient woodlands that reach the required standard.
Ensure support mechanisms are in place for landowners to restore priority ancient woodlands by 2030, focusing initially on protected/designated woodlands in unfavourable condition.
Implement Scotland’s strategic approach for Scotland’s rainforest which aims to improve its condition and health so that it can regenerate and expand whilst providing benefits to communities.
Develop upland-specific, best practice guidance on measures for upland restoration to regenerate peatlands, increase nature woodland cover, manage grazing, protect certain target species and priority habitats and increase habitat heterogeneity.
Develop a national peatland monitoring framework that incorporates on-site and remotely sensed assessments of biodiversity indicators, climate resilience and associated functions within the wider landscape, hydrological and ecological network contexts.
Transition 4 of the pilot RLUPs (Cairngorms National Park, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and South of Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders Councils, NorthWest 2045 Region (Highlands Council)) to formal initiatives as we seek to continue to develop our understanding of how partnership work can help to optimise land use in a fair and inclusive way meeting local and…
Following consultation in 2023, continue ongoing work towards implementing a ban on the sale of horticultural peat in Scotland.
Publish a plan for marine and coastal ecosystem restoration, including identifying actions to help prioritise habitats and locations suitable for restoration.
Deliver additional protection for spawning and juvenile congregation areas where needed, and for species with are integral components of the marine food web.
Develop new approaches to marine biodiversity monitoring, covering both state and pressure assessment and aligned with the UK Marine Strategy.
Develop a Blue Carbon Action Plan to identify where the Scottish Government can most effectively address evidence gaps and progress actions to support the protection, restoration, and enhancement of blue carbon habitats.
The RBMPs aims and objectives for the 2021-27 period, and the associated programme of measures aim to ensure that 81% of all Scotland’s waterbodies (rivers, lochs, groundwater, transitional (estuary/ firth) and coastal waters) achieve a ‘good’ or better classification by 2027 and continue to improve as natural conditions recover beyond that date.
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