Establish a programme to enable protected woodlands to be brought into favourable condition with clear targets and a clear framework for decision making.
Objective 2: Protect nature on land and at sea, across and beyond Protected Areas
Priority Action 8. Ensure that at least 30% of land, freshwater and sea is protected or conserved and effectively managed to support nature in good health by 2030 (30 by 30)
There is currently no single published national programme specifically established to bring all protected woodlands into favourable condition through a unified framework with clear national targets and decision-making processes. However, a range of related activity is underway through woodland restoration funding, deer management reform, invasive non-native species control, protected area management, and woodland condition monitoring. Existing mechanisms include Site Condition Monitoring, Forestry Grant Scheme support, NatureScot management agreements, and new deer management powers introduced through the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act.
Many protected woodlands remain in unfavourable condition due to high deer impacts, invasive species, habitat fragmentation and lack of regeneration. LINK has consistently highlighted that restoring woodland condition requires landscape-scale action, particularly on deer management and rainforest restoration, rather than site-by-site intervention alone. While policy direction is strengthening, a clearly defined national programme with measurable restoration targets, transparent reporting and a consistent decision-making framework has not yet been published.
Protected woodlands (including ancient woodland and rainforest fragments) are key biodiversity habitats supporting specialist woodland species and ecological networks, but their condition is strongly influenced by pressures such as herbivore impacts, invasive non-native species, and limited natural regeneration, as reflected in NatureScot Site Condition Monitoring. A significant proportion of woodland features remain in unfavourable condition, meaning ecological recovery depends on active restoration and pressure reduction rather than designation alone. Improving woodland condition requires landscape-scale action, particularly on deer impacts and regeneration pressures, rather than isolated site-level interventions, to restore ecosystem function and resilience. Overall, ecological outcomes depend on sustained reduction of pressures and coordinated restoration across the woodland network, rather than protected status alone.
Scottish Environment LINK – SBS consultation response (protected woodland condition action)
NatureScot – Site Condition Monitoring
Ensure that at least 30% of land and sea is protected or conserved, as protected areas or Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), and effectively managed to support nature restoration.
Based on results from the current pilot, develop and implement a national Protected Areas monitoring programme to ensure that Protected Area sites deliver their objectives.
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