Increase public connection and action for nature through expanding the reach of the Make Space for Nature campaign and develop a national nature volunteer and citizen science frameworks.
Objective 6: Take action on the indirect drivers of biodiversity loss
Priority Action 28. Engage and strengthen the connection between people and communities with nature.
Public engagement with nature is being supported through campaigns such as Make Space for Nature, which provides seasonal guidance and encourages nature-friendly actions. However, available information does not include a published, system-wide evaluation of its impact on behaviour change or ecological outcomes.
Scotland also has multiple nature volunteering and citizen science initiatives delivered by public bodies, NGOs, and research organisations. These include local conservation volunteering schemes and species recording programmes, but there is currently no single consolidated national framework for volunteering and citizen science that integrates delivery across sectors. Existing activity is therefore distributed and not fully standardised or coordinated at national level.
Campaigns and citizen science initiatives contribute to nature recovery by increasing public awareness, participation, and data collection, which can support conservation planning and local biodiversity actions.
However, ecological benefits are indirect and difficult to quantify at national scale, and current evidence does not show a fully integrated framework or evaluated system-wide behaviour change impact. Strengthening coordination and evaluation would be needed to improve effectiveness.
NatureScot – Make Space for Nature
NatureScot – Citizen Science for biodiversity
Develop a communication and engagement programme to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of biodiversity and its links to climate change and the changes needed to ensure a just transition to a net zero and nature-positive Scotland.
Encourage people’s connection to nature through local green spaces and other land managed for nature, supporting capacity-building projects.
Work with stakeholders to complete a review of opportunities for increasing community participation in safeguarding marine biodiversity.
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