We are in the midst of a climate emergency. Incontrovertible evidence presented by the IPCC published last October laid out the dramatic consequences of failing to contain global warming to a 1.5 C increase above pre-industrial levels. In response, governments in the UK asked our own climate science expert body, the UK Committee on Climate Change, to consider how the UK can contribute to stopping global warming.
In Scotland, this came at a particularly important time as a new Scottish Climate Change Bill was going through Scottish Parliament which sought to align Scottish climate ambitions with the Paris Agreement and the commitment to limit temperature rise to 1.5 C.
On the 2nd of May, the Committee on Climate Change published its much awaited report. It recommended that Scotland can reach a net zero target for greenhouse gases by 2045 – ahead of the UK as a whole which could meet the same target by 2050. The report was published a week after Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland declared a ‘climate emergency’.
The Scottish Government’s response was swift: Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham committed to legislating for a net zero target by 2045 in the new Scottish Climate Change Bill.
This is incredible news and it has been welcomed by environmental charities, young campaigners, progressive businesses and citizens. Members of Scottish Environment LINK warmly welcomed the Scottish Government’s response; setting a net zero target by 2045 was one of the network’s key priorities.
A Roadmap to net zero emissions in Scotland
The next critical step is agreeing on the action that Scotland needs to take to achieve net zero. Again, the Committee on Climate Change offers some very important recommendations.
It highlights that Scotland has proportionately greater potential for emissions removal than the UK overall. In other words, Scotland’s nature and geography make it ideal for rolling out nature-based solutions which actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and lock it away in soils and vegetation, a process known as carbon sequestration.
LINK members have long argued that nature is one of our greatest allies in tackling climate change. Throughout the deliberations around the provisions of the new Scottish Climate Bill, LINK members have maintained that nature is part of the solution:
1) We need ambitious emission reduction targets to protect our own wellbeing but also wildlife.
2) We need healthy ecosystems to ensure we enhance nature’s capacity to sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
Scotland’s nature already stores large amounts of carbon:
• 50 megatonnes of carbon is locked in Scotland’s vegetation.
• Scotland’s soils contain more than 3,000 megatonnes of carbon; 53% of that is held in our peatlands.
• Agricultural soils have the potential to hold an estimated 115 megatonnes of it, equivalent to 22% of total carbon dioxide emissions from Scotland’s energy sector.
• Scotland’s seas store more than 1,700 megatonnes of inorganic carbon.
The Committee on Climate Change highlights Scotland’s potential to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions through afforestation and peatland restoration. On peatlands alone, the Committee notes that ‘there is potential to more than double the area of restored peatland from 0.6 million hectares today to over 1.4 million hectares by 2050’.
Enhancing the resilience of Scotland’s nature will not only enhance the ability of our peatlands and moors to be carbon sinks, but also improve our biodiversity. When it comes to woodlands, Scotland’s Forestry Strategy states that ‘all Scotland’s forests, woodlands and associated open ground habitats provide some biodiversity value’, and suitably managed native, ancient and semi-natural woodlands contribute the most to biodiversity. The Strategy also says that ‘while the forest and woodland creation target will help deliver additional carbon reductions, the existing resource must also be managed sustainably to preserve Scotland’s carbon sink’.
The need for a healthy and resilient natural environment
A recent poll highlighted that one of the main reasons people are concerned about climate change is its implications for wildlife. Global evidence, such as the recently published UN Global Assessment on the state of the planet’s biodiversity, confirms that climate change is a direct driver of biodiversity loss while it also exacerbates the impact of other factors.
So not only are we in the midst of a ‘climate emergency’, but also a biodiversity emergency. Climate change it not only affecting our nature, but it is also making it much more difficult for species and ecosystems to cope with other pressures, thus aggravating the ecological crisis.
Here in Scotland, we are affected too. The joint LINK-WWF Scotland report ‘Scotland’s Nature on Red Alert’ produced earlier this year, illustrated that Scotland’s biodiversity is already experiencing a changed climate, affecting species abundance, distribution, their food sources, breeding and ability to adapt.
There is now a real danger that by not investing in the protection of our nature, we will undermine the critically important role it is performing in terms of carbon sequestration. Evidence suggests that if the health of our natural ecosystems deteriorates, we could be faced with a situation where vegetation becomes a net emitter of greenhouse gases by the end of the century.
Promoting nature-based solutions
Our nature is in peril, therefore nature-based options should be the foremost in the suite of actions to reach net zero by 2045.
From the outset, LINK members have highlighted 5 key actions needed in the Climate Bill to ensure nature can play its part: 1) Strengthening Scotland’s Land Use Strategy and introducing regional land use plans – Regional land use plans must be introduced to better guide how land is used at a local level and how land managers are financially supported to reduce climate emissions and help nature. 2) Introducing a nitrogen balance sheet by 2020 – The Scottish Government recently announced research to help understand how emissions can be cut from the use of nitrogen fertilisers. This work must be followed up with targets to reduce emissions and policies which enable better use of fertiliser. 3)Restoring peatlands and establishing a sunset clause for peatland extraction – Governments must start accounting for emissions from peatlands as early as possible. This will show honesty about historical emissions but also incentivise more restoration action to stop the huge amounts of ongoing emissions. The current funding for peatland restoration activities must be boosted to meet the targets proposed in the CCC’s report. Finally, the future of peatlands under threat from planned extraction of peat for horticultural use must also be made clearer through a sunset clause which sets time limits for decisions to be made on the status of these areas. 4) Recognising the importance of blue carbon stores – Carbon stored on the sea bed and at our coasts is vulnerable, so we must do more our marine ecosystems. A programme of coastal habitat recreation is also needed to sequester more carbon and help protect coastal communities. 5) Introducing a National Ecological Network – this is a long-standing Scottish Government commitment through the 2020 Biodiversity Route Map which seeks to introduce a national ecological network to help with the identification of priority areas for action on habitat restoration, creation and protection. Healthy habitats are critically important to removing carbon and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and therefore help us tackle climate change.
June will be a key month for introducing such ambitious policies. The Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee will now play a critically important role for getting our net zero pathway right.
More than 22,000 people, including primary school children, have written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon calling for a Scottish Environment Act to protect Scotland’s nature and ensure Brexit doesn’t roll back crucial environmental protections.
The calls come at a time of renewed focus on environmental issues, with the Scottish Government committing to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, reversing plans to cut air passenger duty and announcing a deposit return system for drinks containers.
But campaigners fear that with 80 per cent of Scotland’s environmental protections stemming from EU membership, Brexit could unravel much of the legislation that helps us safeguard our wildlife and take action to tackle problems like air pollution. This could be detrimental at a time when our environment is in crisis, in Scotland and across the globe.
Jade of Sunnyside Primary School in Glasgow wrote to the First Minister saying: “Nature gives us everything we need and everything we have so it would be mad not to have laws to protect it.”
Haris of Hillhead Primary School also in Glasgow said: “I am only 10 years old and I feel very worried about what’s happening to nature. It’s not fair that children my age might never see the amazing wildlife that adults have taken for granted. Scotland needs strong laws to help stop this before it’s too late.”
A Scottish Government consultation seeking views on the measures that will be required to ensure that environmental standards are retained in the event of Brexit closed on 11 May. Environmental charities, wider civil society, businesses, academics and young campaigners took part.
Charles Dundas, Chair of Scottish Environment LINK, said today: “With 1 in 11 species in Scotland, both plant and animal at risk of extinction, we cannot afford to roll back on our environmental protections. Given the prospect of Brexit and the uncertainty this creates, we fully support the Government’s ambition to retain and build on existing EU protections. Now that this important consultation has closed we hope to quickly see a clear plan for action emerge.”
He added: “As the First Minister said last week, we must ensure that our actions produce the transformative change needed to protect our natural environment. It is therefore critical that any action we take to safeguard Scotland’s nature from the risks of Brexit also acknowledges the wider ecological crisis our nature is facing. A Scottish Environment Act would build on existing Government commitments on Brexit and help protect and enhance Scotland’s nature, now and in the future.”
Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of over 35 leading environmental charities launched the campaign, Fight for Scotland’s Nature, to call for Scotland to have its own Environment Act. Together, they want an Act to embed EU environmental principles in Scots law, create an independent watchdog to enforce laws, and set clear targets for environmental protection.
Notes
(1) Scottish Environment LINK is the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, with over 35 member bodies representing a broad spectrum of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society.
LINK is a Scottish Charity (SC000296) and a Scottish Company Limited by guarantee (SC250899). LINK is core funded by Membership Subscriptions and by grants from Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Government and Charitable Trusts.
(4) The petition calling on the First Minister to act with urgency to better protect Scotland’s nature through a Scottish Environment Act was run by Scottish Environment LINK and its members, with support from campaigning organisation 38 Degrees. A total of 22,181 people took part in the petition.
Read our latest blog from our Chief Officer, Deborah Long –
After more than 17 years working for small environmental and cultural charities in Scotland, I left the eNGO sector for two years. And now I’m back. Coming back in with fresh eyes has been a revelation. Some things have changed and others haven’t but the clarity of a new perspective has been invaluable.
What’s changed?
The value given to working cooperatively and collaboratively: two years ago, environmental bodies in Scotland rubbed along, usually pulling in the same direction although not always. That marriage of convenience has changed into a marriage of necessity as this sector and others respond to external and significant threats, including the current consitutional crises. There has been a realisation that we face enormous challenges and that if any one of us wants to achieve our broad objective of making Scotland a sustainable place to live, work and play then we have to work together in defending the environment. (more…)
Scotland must take urgent action to halt its declining biodiversity, say campaigners following the release of a major global report revealing that one million animal and plant species worldwide are threatened with extinction.
A ground-breaking assessment released today on the state of the planet’s nature found that human actions threaten more species with global extinction now than ever before.
Scotland’s nature faces the same fundamental challenges. Despite environmental laws that have allowed us to stem the tide of biodiversity loss, 1 in 11 species in Scotland is at risk of extinction. Along with the vast majority of countries, Scotland is set to fail many of the global targets for halting biodiversity loss by 2020 (in Scotland’s case 13 out of 20 targets), ahead of a meeting of states in Beijing which will seek to renew efforts to protect our planet’s life supporting system.
The global assessment highlights that stronger environmental laws and their implementation are essential to tackle the underlying drivers of nature deterioration.
35 of Scotland’s leading environmental charities are calling for a Scottish Environment Act to protect and enhance Scotland’s nature. The charities, members of Scottish Environment LINK, say Brexit brings even greater urgency to the need for government action, as Scotland is set to lose 80 per cent of its environmental protections following an exit from the European Union.
Deborah Long, chief officer of Scottish Environment LINK, said today:
“The global biodiversity report released today paints a stark picture of the horrific damage humans are doing to the natural world we rely on. Scotland’s nature faces similar challenges. 5 per cent of our invertebrates and 13 per cent of our plants are at risk of extinction while our globally important seabirds have declined by 38 per cent since the 1980s.
“We’re facing a profound ecological crisis, and we need to take action fast. We can’t let ourselves be dragged backwards by losing decades of progressive European environmental legislation. A strong Scottish Environment Act would allow Scotland to retain and build on the protections we have at present, and to take action to safeguard the unique wildlife and landscapes for which the country is famous. Having our own Environment Act would also underpin the essential changes we need to tackle major issues like air pollution.”
Scotland’s environmental charities are fighting for Scotland’s nature and calling for a Scottish Environment Act to maintain and enhance environmental protections: fightforscotlandsnature.scot.
In 2020, the Convention on Biological Diversity will adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework as a stepping stone towards the 2050 Vision of “Living in harmony with nature”. This will be a Global Deal for Nature which will aim to serve as a universal framework for action on biodiversity.
Scotland must take urgent action to halt its declining biodiversity, say campaigners following the release of a major global report revealing that one million animal and plant species worldwide are threatened with extinction.
A ground-breaking assessment released today on the state of the planet’s nature found that human actions threaten more species with global extinction now than ever before.
What about Scotland?
Scotland’s nature faces the same fundamental challenges. Despite environmental laws that have allowed us to stem the tide of biodiversity loss, 1 in 11 species in Scotland is at risk of extinction. Along with the vast majority of countries, Scotland is set to fail many of the global targets for halting biodiversity loss by 2020 (in Scotland’s case 13 out of 20 targets), ahead of a meeting of states in Beijing which will seek to renew efforts to protect our planet’s life supporting system.
Photo credits: Helen Todd
Stronger laws needed
The global assessment highlights that stronger environmental laws and their implementation are essential to tackle the underlying drivers of nature deterioration.
35 of Scotland’s leading environmental charities are calling for a Scottish Environment Act to protect and enhance Scotland’s nature. The charities, members of Scottish Environment LINK, say Brexit brings even greater urgency to the need for government action, as Scotland is set to lose 80 per cent of its environmental protections following an exit from the European Union.
Deborah Long, chief officer of Scottish Environment LINK, said today:
“The global biodiversity report released today paints a stark picture of the horrific damage humans are doing to the natural world we rely on. Scotland’s nature faces similar challenges. 5 per cent of our invertebrates and 13 per cent of our plants are at risk of extinction while our globally important seabirds have declined by 38 per cent since the 1980s.
“We’re facing a profound ecological crisis, and we need to take action fast. We can’t let ourselves be dragged backwards by losing decades of progressive European environmental legislation. A strong Scottish Environment Act would allow Scotland to retain and build on the protections we have at present, and to take action to safeguard the unique wildlife and landscapes for which the country is famous. Having our own Environment Act would also underpin the essential changes we need to tackle major issues like air pollution.”
Scotland’s environmental charities are fighting for Scotland’s nature and calling for a Scottish Environment Act to maintain and enhance environmental protections: fightforscotlandsnature.scot.
In 2020, the Convention on Biological Diversity will adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework as a stepping stone towards the 2050 Vision of “Living in harmony with nature”. This will be a Global Deal for Nature which will aim to serve as a universal framework for action on biodiversity.
Scotland’s nature is in decline. Climate change alongside habitat loss and pollution is threatening our diverse wildlife and environment.Will you help give nature a voice?
1. THE WILDCAT IS ONE OF THE UK’S MOST ENDANGERED MAMMALS
There are fewer than 100 wildcats left scattered across the Highlands. The wildcat is on the edge of extinction due to changes in its habitat, interbreeding and persecution.
2. NATIVE WOODLAND NOW ONLY COVERS 4% SCOTLAND’S LAND
Scottish Woodland areas have been affected by grazing pressure, land use change, invasive species, pests and disease. This combination of impacts may make woodland more susceptible to climate change. Birds like the famous capercaillie rely on dense woodland to live and are now in peril. Trees also capture carbon from the atmosphere and in turn affect the air we all breathe.
3. SEA TEMPERATURES ARE HAVING DRASTIC IMPACTS ON SCOTTISH OCEAN WILDLIFE
Climate change, pollution and human activities are impacting marine ecosystems. Even small changes in sea temperatures are having a drastic impact on Scotland’s ocean wildlife. Diverse habitats which are home to dolphins, whales, sharks and seals are under threat.
4. PUFFINS ARE AN AMBER LIST SPECIES
Many of our Scottish seabirds rely on sand eels which are in decline due to climate change, warming seas and fishing pressure. Puffins are a prime example of a bird under pressure, suffering a dramatic decline in numbers.
5. MOORLAND
Iconic Scottish moorlands have been affected by over-grazing, commercial forestry and drainage. Moorlands have already experienced several physical changes as a result of human activity. Many birds and butterflies rely on it.
6. THE GREAT YELLOW BUMBLEBEE HAS DECLINED 80% IN THE LAST CENTURY
The great yellow bumblebee is in decline because of land use change and is now restricted to some Scottish islands, Caithness and Sutherland. This is bad news for people as insects play a vital role in pollinating crops.
7. FRESHWATER PEARL MUSSELS ARE BECOMING EXTINCT IN LOCHS AND RIVERS
Our lochs and rivers support a huge variety of plants and populations, including Atlantic salmon and freshwater pearl mussels. They’re being affected by water quality, rising water temperatures, increased flooding, commercial fisheries, and illegal harvesting.
1 IN 11 SCOTTISH SPECIES ARE AT RISK OF EXTINCTION
Scotland’s nature is in urgent need of protection. Climate change, pollution and loss of habitats are all contributing to it’s decline. Leaving the EU means risking the environmental protections that our wildlife and landscapes depend on.
Brexit has the potential to unravel critical environmental protections in Scotland. The Scottish Geodiversity Forum has joined 35 environmental charities to ‘Fight for Scotland’s Nature’ and foster support for a Scottish Environment Act.
New legislation would provide the opportunity for a more integrated, holistic approach to the environment that recognises the importance of geodiversity – the variety of rocks, landforms, sediments, soils and the natural processes which form and alter them – both in its own right, and as ‘nature’s stage’, providing essential supporting services to maintain biodiversity.
Siccar Point, a geological SSSI and one of the world’s most important geological sites.
There are a range of existing protection measures for Scotland’s geodiversity, in the networks of geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Local Geodiversity Sites. However there are inconsistencies in the application of these measures, and many sites of national or local importance have no formal recognition in the planning system. This is particularly acute in the stalled process of designating nationally important Geological Conservation Review sites as SSSIs. However, if Scotland adopts new frameworks for monitoring, measuring and reporting on environmental outcomes under a new Scottish Environment Act, there are opportunities for improvement and to recognise the value of geodiversity as part of our natural capital and the benefits and services it provides for society.
Gannets on the Bass Rock. Scotland’s geology creates a wide variety of habitats.
Scotland’s geodiversity supports a complex mosaic of habitats that host a wide range of species. However, the value of geodiversity as part of nature and natural diversity is not only in the presence of rocky crags and islands, and a varied landscape that provides a range of habitats. It also lies in the ongoing processes that are continually shaping our slopes, river banks and dynamic coasts. The impact of climate change on Scotland is now becoming very obvious, and attention needs to be given to these ongoing geological processes to help inform natural solutions and to give nature the best chance of adapting to change.
A Scotland Environment Act would present unique opportunities to lead the way in giving due attention to the interactions of all parts of nature. This is particularly relevant in Scotland, given our unique and world-class geoheritage that has played a part through the work of the likes of James Hutton and John Muir in recognising the “Earth system” and the interconnectedness of all things.
Scotland has world-class geodiversity that provides the foundation of our remarkable geoheritage and essential benefits for people and nature. It has a profound influence on landscape, the economy, historical and cultural heritage, habitats and species, education, health and well-being.
35 environmental charities from across Scotland, including the Scottish Geodiversity Forum, have come together to ‘Fight for Scotland’s Nature’ and foster support for a Scottish Environment Act. Join us in calling for a Scottish Environment Act to protect and enhance our nature now and in the future!
We are very used to hearing about the two key culprits responsible for the decline of butterflies and moths in our countryside – habitat loss and climate change, but a third ‘driver’ increasingly being identified as guilty is nitrogen, the two main sources being vehicles and farming.
Back in the 1990s, Bobbink was finding high levels of nitrogen in Dutch chalk grasslands, leading to their invasion by coarse grasses1. Since then much research has been carried out on the impact on the nitrogen deposition on a range of plant communities, and Plantlife has produced a report “We need to talk about nitrogen”2.
In 2006 Ockinger et al. found that butterflies dependent on dry, nutrient-poor habitats in Sweden were much more prone to extinction than those on nutrient-rich sites3. Weiss found a similar situation in the San Francisco area and reported his work in a paper entitled “Cars, Cows, and Checkerspot Butterflies: Nitrogen Deposition and Management of Nutrient‐Poor Grasslands for a Threatened Species”4.
Wallis deVries and Van Swaay have suggested that nitrogen, perhaps in tandem with warmer weather, could be a cause of the decline of butterflies whose caterpillars depend on very warm microclimates5. These hotspots are provided by bare ground, very short turf or dead plant material, and in the sunshine can reach temperatures of 30-35°C, while the adjacent grassland may only be around 10°C. Nitrogen, coupled with warmer temperatures, is allowing much greater vegetation growth and the loss of these hotspots is very bad news for the caterpillars that need high temperatures to function properly and to grow fast to avoid predators and disease.
Several of our scarce species that need open sunny habitats, such as the Grayling, Wall and Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, are undergoing further declines. Recent work on the High Brown Fritillary in Cumbria by Ellis et al. has revealed dramatic losses on nature reserves despite years of seemingly appropriate management6. The sites are becoming grassier, and the butterfly foodplants, violets, are losing out. So it is likely that these butterflies, already scarce due to habitat loss, and now suffering from the impact of both climate change and nitrogen pollution as well. Furthermore, studies by Kurze et al. on the impact of nitrogen on developing caterpillars themselves has shown serious negative effects7.
While Butterfly Conservation and others can try and manage key habitats as beneficially as possible, there is little we can do about air pollution – except by demanding policies and laws that aim to reduce it, which is one reason why we need an Environment Act for Scotland. Such an Act could embed in Scots law the four key principles that guide EU policy-making on the environment:
The precautionary principle: operates where there are reasonable grounds for concern that an activity could cause harm, despite there being some uncertainty.
Polluter pays: those who produce pollution should bear the costs of cleaning it up.
The rectification at source principle: policies should tackle the root of the problem rather than just tackling its consequences.
Preventive action: this is the need to address problems today rather than leave them for future generations to solve.
35 environmental charities from across Scotland, including Butterfly Conservation, have come together to ‘Fight for Scotland’s Nature’ and foster support for a Scottish Environment Act. Join us in calling for a Scottish Environment Act to protect and enhance our nature now and in the future!
References
Bobbink, O. Effects of Nutrient Enrichment in Dutch Chalk Grassland. Journal of Applied Ecology 28:28-41
Plantlife (2017) We need to talk about nitrogen. Plantlife UK, Salisbury. ISBN: 978-1-910212-49-3
Ockinger, E., Hammarsted, O., Nilsson, S. & Smith H. (2006) The relationship between local extinctions of grassland butterflies and increased soil nitrogen levels.Biological Conservation 128 564-573.
Weiss, S. (1999), Cars, Cows, and Checkerspot Butterflies: Nitrogen Deposition and Management of Nutrient-Poor Grasslands for a Threatened Species. ConservationBiology13:6 1476-1486.
WallisdeVries, M. & Van Swaay, C. (2006) Global warming and excess nitrogen may induce butterfly decline by microclimatic cooling. Global Change Biology12 1620–1626.
Ellis, S., Wainwright, D., Dennis, E.B., Bourn N.A.D., Bulman, C.R., Hobson, R., Jones, R., Middlebrook, I., Plackett, J., Smith, R.G., Wain, M. & Warren, M.S.(2019) Are habitat changes driving the decline of the UK’s most threatened butterfly: the High Brown Fritillary Argynnis adippe (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)? Journal of Insect Conservationhttps://rdcu.be/bowZU
Kurze, S., Heinken T. and Fartmann, T. (2018) Nitrogen enrichment in host plants increases the mortality of common Lepidoptera species. Oecologia 1881227–1237.
Crystal clear waters, tumbling through a rock-strewn channel – a scene that is encountered throughout Scotland. But in some of these watercourses, a truly special species can be found. Scottish Environment LINK has launched a call for Scotland to have it’s own Environment Act to protect and enhance Scotland’s nature, now and in the future.
The Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is one of the most critically endangered molluscs in the world. Up to a half of the world’s remaining population are found in Scotland. As a nation, we therefore have an international responsibility to safeguard the future for this species. Many of the rivers where these mussels are found are protected as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), as part of the EU Natura 2000 Network. This network, covering over 18% of the EU’s land area, aims to ensure the long-term survival of Europe’s most threatened species and habitats, listed under the EU Habitats Directive.
It’s not just Freshwater pearl mussels that benefit from protection through the Habitats Directive in Scotland. Special Areas of Conservation have also been designated for three tiny species of whorl snail (Vertigo angustior, V. geyeri, and V. genesii), and the Marsh fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia), together with a wide range of plants, fish, amphibians, and mammals. The SACs also cover habitats such as the flower-rich machair on the Western Isles which is important for pollinators, and mesotrophic lochs in the Highlands which are home to a huge variety of freshwater invertebrates.
In total there are 244 SACs in Scotland, and together with the network of 1,423 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, they represent the jewels in the crown of Scottish biodiversity. These SACs not only provide protection for our most valuable and threated wildlife, they also attract dedicated funding for conservation action. Over the past 25 years Scotland has received €25.5 million of funding from the EU LIFE programme – the EU’s dedicated environmental funding mechanism.
Established in 1992, the LIFE programme has provided €121 million to help conserve European protected species and habitats in the UK over the past 25 years. One example of how Scotland’s biodiversity has benefitted from these funds is the Pearls in Peril project. The project received €2.3 million from the EU LIFE programme to restore and improve habitats for Freshwater pearl mussels in 21 rivers across Britain, 19 of which were in Scotland.
For Scotland to continue to fulfil its international responsibilities we need to maintain these protections and the funding required to restore the condition of these species and habitats. The spectre of Brexit means that it is even more important that Scotland has strong environmental legislation. We cannot afford for our nature to be left behind. This is why we need a Scottish Environment Act to set clear ambitions for our wildlife, backed by funding mechanisms and a variety of routes to ensure implementation. Join us in the Fight for Scotland’s Nature by adding your voice to our petition here.
Scotland supports six species of native amphibian and four native reptile species. These charismatic species form a valuable part of Scotland’s biodiversity and form an important role in effective ecosystem functioning. Most are secretive and often go unnoticed, but are appreciated in the many and diverse habitats where they occur.
Common frogs and common toads are perhaps the most well recorded species, being obvious in parks and gardens during spring breeding and migration. Both species have a widespread distribution along with smooth newts and palmate newts which are more secretive. Great crested newts have a more scattered distribution in Scotland while the nattterjack toad is confined to a small number of isolated saltmarshes along the Solway coast. In addition one introduced species, the alpine newt, occurs at a few sites across central Scotland. The three established native reptiles in Scotland include the adder (or northern viper), slow-worm and common lizard. Adders may be seen basking in warm sunshine in March and slow-worms often frequent garden or allotment compost heaps. In addition, the grass snake has recently been reported as occurring in the southern belt, particularly around Dumfries and Galloway (McInerny & Minting, 2016). Around the inshore waters a number of turtle species have been recorded including the leatherback turtle, loggerhead turtle and Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.
In recent decades populations of our most common amphibian and reptile species are under threat from a number of anthropogenic factors including habitat loss and fragmentation, introduced diseases, pollution and climate change (Downie et al., in press). The Fight for Scotland’s Nature campaign (www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot) aims to raise awareness of the plight of Scotland’s valuable species and protect and enhance Scotland’s natural environment. If you would like to help, please sign the petition/respond to the consultation at www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot/action/.
One of the biggest factors contributing to declines in Scotland’s native amphibian and reptile populations is habitat loss. For amphibians pond loss, coupled with a reduction in terrestrial habitat, has resulted in declines in many species. Research carried out by Froglife in 2016 showed that across the UK, common toad populations have declined by 68% over the past 30 years (Petrovan & Schmidt, 2016). In addition, filling in of garden ponds is likely to have negatively impacted common frog populations, which thrive in urban habitats and rely on garden features such as ponds for their successful breeding.
Habitat fragmentation is also a big problem, especially for migratory species with habitual breeding ponds such as common toads and great crested newts. Collisions of amphibians on roads can lead to massive mortality and is one of the factors thought to be responsible for the long-term decline in UK and continental European toad populations (Petrovan & Schmidt, 2016). Introduced diseases including Ranavirus have had negative impacts on common frog populations. Also, a rise in the pet trade and an increase in members of the public housing exotic pets, has increased the risk that emerging infectious diseases like Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) will become introduced into wild newt populations (Cunningham et al., 2019).
In an attempt to combat these threats, the national charity Froglife are carrying out a number of conservation programmes to help a range of amphibian and reptile species. The Come Forth for Wildlife project is in its development phase, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. If the main project is funded, this will tackle habitat loss in the Forth region of southern Scotland.
Through targeted restoration and creation of amphibian and reptile habitats, along with public education programmes, we will help preserve vital habitats for these species in this highly populated region of Scotland. Once habitats have been created and restored, Froglife are committed to re-visiting each site 1, 3, 5 and 10 years post-completion to ensure that they remain viable and successful for maintaining amphibian and reptile populations.
Road mitigation schemes are increasingly using under-road tunnels or culverts to help direct movements of amphibians from terrestrial to breeding habitats and prevent the negative effects of habitat fragmentation. Little research has demonstrated the success of tunnels in providing suitable corridors for amphibians. Research by Froglife in England has suggested that in certain circumstances tunnels may be effective in mitigating the impacts of road construction by linking key habitats, especially for the protected great crested newt (Jarvis et al., 2019). However, no research has demonstrated the success of tunnels for great crested newts in Scotland, where this species may have different habitat requirements (Harper et al., 2019). Froglife is carrying out a study on six newly created amphibian mitigation road tunnels at a site in southern Scotland with nationally significant populations of great crested newts. The research will determine whether the implementation of tunnels at this site is successful and will be important for determining the success of future tunnel mitigation projects.
Amphibians and reptiles face an uncertain future in Scotland but you can help by supporting The Fight for Scotland’s Nature campaign (www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot). This will help us to work together to protect the valuable amphibian and reptile species of Scotland, enable us to set clear ambitions for Scotland’s environmental policy, conserve habitats and create a more sustainable future.
References
Cunningham, A. A., Smith, F., McKinley, T. J., Perkins, M. W., Fitzpatrick, L. D., Wright, O. N. & Lawson, B. (2019) Apparent absence of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in wild urodeles in the United Kingdom. Nature Scientific Reports, 9: 2831. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39338.
Downie, J. R., Larcombe, V. & Stead, J. (in press) Amphibian conservation in Scotland: a review of threats and opportunities. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.
Harper, L. R., Downie, R., McNeill, D. C. (2019) Assessment of habitat and survey criteria for the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) in Scotland: a case study on a translocated population. Hydrobiologia, 828: 57–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3796-4.
Jarvis, L. E., Hartup, M. & Petrovan, S. O. (2019) Road mitigation using tunnels and fences promotes site connectivity and population expansion for a protected amphibian. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 65: 27-38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-019-1263-9.
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