Tracking the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Delivery Plan progress 2024 - 2030
This tracker shows how Scotland is progressing in delivering the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Delivery Plan (2024–2030), published by the Scottish Government. It shows which actions are complete, in progress, delayed or not yet started, highlighting where more action is needed. It also assesses whether actions are delivering real benefits for nature.
The assessment is an independent review drawing on evidence from Scottish Environment LINK members, public consultations, published reports, stakeholder meetings and engagement with public bodies. All updates are supported by publicly available evidence sources and links to relevant policy documents, consultations and official publications.
Progress Across the Six Objectives
A simple overview of progress across the six objectives, based on the status of all actions.
Objective 1
Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Objective 2
Protect nature on land and at sea, across and beyond Protected Areas
Objective 3
Embed nature positive Farming, Fishing and Forestry
Objective 4
Protect and support the recovery of vulnerable and important species and habitats.
Objective 5
Invest in Nature
Objective 6
take action on the indirect drivers of biodiversity loss
Ecological Contribution Across the Six Objectives
A measure of how much impact actions are having on nature recovery.
Objective 1
Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Objective 2
Protect nature on land and at sea, across and beyond Protected Areas
Objective 3
Embed nature positive Farming, Fishing and Forestry
Objective 4
Protect and support the recovery of vulnerable and important species and habitats.
Objective 5
Invest in Nature
Objective 6
take action on the indirect drivers of biodiversity loss
Reset
Key
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…
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.
Develop and implement an INNS Action Plan, which will ensure pathways for the introduction and spread of INNS are managed to prevent or reduce their rate of introduction and establishment, and prevent further damage to ecosystems. The plan will include: i. reducing the rate of establishment of known or potential INNS by at least 50% by 2030 compared to 2000 level; and, ii. detection of priority…
Develop and implement a pipeline of strategic INNS projects to coordinate the control of priority INNS at scale with the aim of eliminating or reducing the impacts of INNS in at least 30% of priority sites.
Raise public awareness of the impacts of INNS and embed INNS biosecurity practice across industries and recreational activities linked to the most important pathways of introduction and spread, measuring changes in awareness through the NatureScot Opinion Survey.
Identify and address gaps in current evidence on coastal habitats, through research and monitoring as an enabling action for all coastal biodiversity actions (2024-2028) and fund research commencing in 2024 into better quantifying the adaptation benefits of coastal landforms and habitats to maximise biodiversity benefits.
Complete an initial prioritisation exercise identifying accommodation space to be protected for coastal habitat change to promote recovery and adaptation, and identify potential future mechanism(s) to deliver recovery and adaptation, including agricultural subsidies.
Reduce marine litter and marine plastics by implementing the Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland (published 2022) through a six-year action plan that includes: {supporting the improvement of waste management for end of life fishing gear. Enable improved plastic pellet handling and management across the plastics supply chain to reduce pellet loss, and provide guidance to support pellet clean up in…
Introduce new deer legislation which will modernise the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 and introduce new powers for intervention for the purposes of enhancing or restoring nature, including preventing biodiversity loss.
Attain deer cull at level at which habitats and ecosystems can recover and regenerate, and where deer densities are maintained at sustainable levels. This is done by increasing the national cull by 25-30% (from 200,000 – 250,000) sustained over several years; achieving densities of 5-8 deer per km² in each of the DMG’s in the Cairngorms National Park; and, low deer densities of around 2 deer per…
Ensure contaminants of emerging concern that may impact on biodiversity are identified through existing mechanisms with an additional system in place that uses Scottish data to identify new problems.
Represent Scottish interests in UK chemicals regulation to ensure impacts on wildlife from chemical risks are reduced (eg work towards extending current restrictions on lead in ammunition), and contribute to UK chemicals regulatory reform.
Support projects and programmes that complement regulation to address emerging or novel contaminants in the water environment, e.g. The One Health Breakthrough Partnership on pharmaceuticals and the water industry’s Chemical Investigation Programme.
Take an adaptive approach to abstraction and flows management to protect freshwater biodiversity from the impacts of water scarcity in response to future climate change pressures, using the Controlled Activity Regulations and review of abstraction.
Continue to invest in improvements to the wastewater service to improve freshwater biodiversity by upgrading 40 wastewater treatment works and 24 intermittent sewage discharges, as required.
Develop and maintain effective compliance monitoring for grouse shooting licence conditions to ensure the legislation introduced in July 2024 acts as an effective deterrent to wildlife crime, particularly raptor persecution.
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.
Implement fisheries management measures for MPA sites that require them to support recovery and resilience of Scotland’s seas (by 2030).
Designate at least one new National Park within the current parliamentary term subject to the outcome of the reporter investigation and public consultation.
Actively use the NNR suite to develop, deliver and demonstrate best practice in wildlife management, putting in place five demonstration examples.
Ensure spatially defined Nature Networks are being implemented in every Local Authority area to provide connectivity between important places for biodiversity, deliver local priorities and contribute to strategic priorities at local, regional and national scales.
Undertake mapping of opportunities for creating Local Authority wide Nature Networks that connect locally important areas for biodiversity, provide linkages with 30 by 30 sites, and address local and regional priorities for climate and nature.
Promote Nature Network implementation via local and regional decision-making processes, following the Nature Networks Framework.
Develop and publish a biodiversity metric for Scotland’s planning system, to support delivery of NPF4 Policy 3b.
Raise awareness and promote the Developing with Nature guidance to support delivery of NPF4 policy 3c and develop user-friendly version of the guidance.
Support wider ongoing work on building skills and capacity on biodiversity and nature across the planning system, including through information sharing events.
Ensure that development provides positive effects for biodiversity, by developing clear guidance on the implementation and delivery of NPF4 policies which support the cross-cutting outcome ‘improving biodiversity’.
Develop and adopt a National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) that supports action on the twin crises, setting out planning policies on climate mitigation and adaptation, nature protection and enhancement, and sustainable use to guide decisions and activities in line with our ambitions for Scotland’s Seas.
Ensure that by 2030 every park, reserve or publicly owned green space has a management and maintenance plan that reflects the Open Space Strategy and Local Biodiversity Action Plan outcomes.
Increase the uptake of integrated pest management across Scottish agriculture to minimise risks and impacts of pesticides to the environment in line with the UK National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides.
Develop a routemap (end of 2025) for soil security in Scotland including a review and update of Scotland’s Soil Framework and action/implementation plan (2030).
Develop evidence-based Soil Health Indicators that can be considered for inclusion in Whole Farm Plans and Forest Management Plans.
Undertake an evidence-based update of currently available information and advice on biodiversity management to farmers/land managers, to ensure it is up-to-date, clear and easily accessible.
Improve information for land managers on how to assess and interpret soil erosion risks and implement measures to avoid erosion (and other impacts on soil health related to climate change), including: i) the impacts of extreme rainfall drought events on soils; and ii) maps of soils that have been subject to anthropogenic degradation and are candidates for soil improvement programmes.
Develop and promote clear guidance for practitioners on soil compaction and farm and forestry machinery contractors are engaged in ensuring appropriate use of equipment, uptake of decisionmaking tools and training, to minimise and ultimately avoid compaction damage to soils.
Set up monitoring frameworks to assess change in soil health, based on evidence from the Natural Resources theme of the Strategic Research Programme (2022-2027).
Reduce inputs of nutrients to freshwaters that cause enrichment impacts on biodiversity, by controlling both diffuse and point source pollution through effective nutrient management through agricultural reform and SEPA’s Priority Catchment programme, ensuring compliance with the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (CAR) under River Basin Management Planning.
In 2025, as part of eligibility requirement for Basic Payment Scheme, businesses must undertake two from the following five baselines: biodiversity audit, carbon audit, soil analysis, animal health and welfare plan and integrated pest management plan as part of a revised rural payments process that encourages Nature Positive activities.
Implement actions specifically benefitting farmland species as part of ongoing support and the new agricultural payments framework backed by advisory support including new greening requirements which will be introduced in 2026 and form part of the enhanced tier of the future framework.
In 2025 there will be new peatland and wetland standards under Cross Compliance which will prohibit a range of activities from being carried out on peatland and wetland areas. We will continue to develop rural support mechanisms to incorporate further requirements to protect and enhance soil health, promote control of soil erosion/compaction and maintain / enhance soil organic matter through…
Consult on proposals to transition our inshore fisheries to a more agile and responsive management system informed by the best available evidence.
Develop 21 Fisheries Management Plans as set out in the Joint Fisheries Statement to increase or maintain the sustainability of fish stocks.
Develop and implement a suite of technical and spatial measures to reduce levels of discarding of ‘unwanted’ fish catch alongside measures to reduce bycatch of sensitive marine species.
Identify high risk areas, gear types and/or fisheries for bycatch and entanglement of sensitive marine species, in which to focus monitoring and mitigation.
Work with stakeholders to focus on identifying practical, achievable actions to reduce pressure on seafloor habitats most at risk or most extensively impacted informed as appropriate by the development of an OSPAR Regional Action Plan on benthic shelf habitats.
Meet annual woodland creation target as set in the Scottish Government Climate Change Plans currently 18,000 hectares of new woodland annually (including 4000ha of native woodland).
Update woodland management guidance and plans including those for restocking from 2025 onwards to reflect greater emphasis on actions that will improve biodiversity.
Deliver key research and data analysis project (building on WEC) on improving understanding of biodiversity associated with our woodland types, to guide management requirements and maintain biodiversity in the face of climate change impacts.
Increase biodiversity across all woodlands by increasing the characteristics that improve woodland condition as identified by the Woodland Ecological Condition (WEC) National Statistic, initially by developing a tool based on WEC to allow site ecological condition assessment to be made by 2030.
Revise the Scottish Biodiversity List of species and habitats that are considered of principal importance for biodiversity conservation in Scotland.
Develop effective species recovery, reintroduction and reinforcement programmes drawing on partnership work on Species at Risk prioritisation, Species on the Edge programme, and evaluation of drivers.
Develop and implement national plans for conserving species groups for which Scotland holds internationally important populations including lichens and bryophytes (end of 2025), freshwater pearl mussels (end of 2028), herptiles (end of 2025) and national curlew plan (end of 2027).
Undertake measures to reduce human pressures to give habitats and species (especially specialists; arctic/alpine) more chance of surviving and improve the status of red listed species in Scotland.
Assess genetic diversity risks across Scotland and ensure mitigation of genetic diversity risks via Gene Conservation Units and other means. Genetic Scorecards for 50 marine and terrestrial species compiled and published by end 2025. Twenty-five Gene Conservation Units registered by mid-2025, with 50 registered by end-2028.
Raise public awareness of science and practice around conservation translocations through public engagement.
Publish a Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy which will identify actions to support species recovery and increase the resilience of seabird populations.
Publish the UK Dolphin, Porpoise and Whale Conservation Strategy and begin delivery of actions relevant to Scotland to conserve and manage pressures acting on these species.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
Provide direction on, and investment in, green skills and local economic opportunities supporting nature-based education, nature restoration skills and volunteering.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
No description has been added for this action. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent sodales volutpat nulla quis viverra. Fusce maximus enim quis purus ultricies, sollicitudin tincidunt dui scelerisque.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
