Conservation in Scotland

Overview article

Scottish red deer stag (Cervus elaphus scoticus)

This article gives an overview of the structure of environmental and cultural conservation in Scotland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom.

Upon the introduction of devolved government the environment and built heritage were not listed as reserved issues, and so for the most part conservation is the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Government, and the public bodies that report to them. Although originally reserved, responsibility for all planning and nature conservation matters at sea up to 200 miles from the Scottish coast was transferred to the Scottish Government in 2008.[1] Some matters related to conservation, such as international treaties and border controls on prohibited species, remain the responsibility of the UK Government.

Much environment legislation in Scotland is based on the adoption into Scots law of European Union directives, such as the Habitats Directive. As such there may be changes to the structure and nature of conservation activities in Scotland following the UK's departure from the European Union.

## Scottish Government

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### Scottish Government directorates

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Conservation matters are dealt with across a number of directorates of the Scottish Government:

* Environmental protection, forestry and biodiversity are the responsibility of the Environment and Forestry Directorate.[2]
* The Marine Scotland Directorate is responsible for the integrated management of Scotland's seas.[3]
* The Energy and Climate Change Directorate covers measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[4]
* Cultural Heritage is the responsibility of the Culture, Tourism and Major Events Directorate.[5]

### Scottish ministers

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Three Cabinet Secretaries hold portfolios with responsibility for conservation issues:

* The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport has ministerial responsibility for many conservation issues, including cross-government co-ordination of Net Zero policy, climate crisis and environmental protection, biodiversity, sustainable development, renewable energy, energy and energy consents, flood prevention and coastal erosion, and water quality.[6]
* The portfolio of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands includes ministerial responsibility for agriculture and crofting, fisheries and aquaculture, and forestry.[7]
* The portfolio of the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture includes ministerial responsibility for architecture and built heritage.[8]

### Public bodies

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Neptune's Staircase on the Caledonian Canal is looked after by Scottish Canals.

The following are public bodies of the Scottish Government, with notes on their areas of responsibility.

#### Executive agencies

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* Forestry and Land Scotland is responsible for management of the national forest estate.[9][10]
* Scottish Forestry is responsible for forestry regulation and support.[9][10]

#### Executive non-departmental public bodies

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* Cairngorms National Park Authority
* Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for cultural and built heritage.[11]
* Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority
* NatureScot is responsible for landscape protection and wildlife conservation.[12]
* The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh undertakes scientific study into plants and their conservation.[13]
* Scottish Environment Protection Agency is responsible for waterways, pollution and waste management.[14]

[15]

#### Public corporations

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* Crown Estate Scotland is responsible for managing a range of rural, coastal and marine assets that are held 'in right of the Crown'.[16]
* Scottish Canals manages Scotland's inland waterways.[17]

[18]

## United Kingdom Government

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Within the UK Government, environmental protection is the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Two UK-wide executive agencies with responsibility for conservation matters include Scotland within their remit:

* The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) co-ordinates the work of the UK's nature conservation bodies (SNH being the Scottish body).[19]
* The Forestry Commission co-ordinates international forestry policy support and certain plant health functions in respect of trees and forestry.[9]

## Non-governmental organisations

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Many non-governmental organisations are active in conservation issues in Scotland. The following list provides some examples.

* Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland
* Botanical Society of the British Isles
* British Dragonfly Society
* Buglife
* Butterfly Conservation
* Cockburn Association
* Council for British Archaeology
* Historic Churches Scotland
* Institute of Conservation
* John Muir Trust
* Marine Conservation Society
* National Trust for Scotland
* Plantlife
* Royal Scottish Forestry Society
* Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB Scotland)
* Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
* Scottish Civic Trust
* Scottish Ornithologists' Club
* Scottish Wildcat Association
* Scottish Wildlife Trust
* Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
* Trees for Life
* Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT)
* The Woodland Trust

## Protected areas

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Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park

Main article: Protected areas of Scotland

### National environmental designations

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* National parks -- National parks of Scotland
* National nature reserves
* National scenic areas
* Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) -- Lists of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Scotland
* Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPA)

### National designations for historic and cultural sites

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* Scheduled monuments
* Listed buildings -- Listed buildings in Scotland
* Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
* Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland
* Historic Marine Protected Areas

### International designations

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* World Heritage Sites -- List of World Heritage Sites in Scotland
* Ramsar sites -- List of Ramsar sites in Scotland
* Natura 2000
* Special Areas of Conservation -- List of Special Areas of Conservation in Scotland
* Special Protection Areas --List of Special Protection Areas in Scotland

### Local designations

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* Local nature reserves
* Conservation areas
* Regional parks

### Non-statutory protected areas

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* Forest parks of Scotland

## Objects of conservation

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* Abbeys and priories in Scotland
* Castles in Scotland
* Caledonian Forest
* Fauna of Scotland
* Flora of Scotland
* Gardens in Scotland
* Historic houses in Scotland
* Lighthouses in Scotland
* National Trust for Scotland
* Scotland's Great Trails \- long-distance trails

## See also

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* Biodiversity Action Plan
* List of Conservation topics
* Article 4 direction
* United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP)
* Conservation in the United Kingdom

## References

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1. ^ Scotland handed sea planning role BBC News, 27 November 2008
2. ^ "Environment and Forestry Directorate". Scottish Government. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
3. ^ "Marine Scotland Directorate". Scottish Government. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
4. ^ "Environment and Forestry Directorate". Scottish Government. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
5. ^ "Culture, Tourism and Major Events Directorate". Scottish Government. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
6. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport". Scottish Government. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
7. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands". Scottish Government. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
8. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture". Scottish Government. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
9. ^ a b c "Forestry devolution: resource list". Scottish Government. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
10. ^ a b "Report setting out the administrative arrangements that the Scottish Ministers intend to make for the carrying out of their functions under the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Act 2018". March 2019. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
11. ^ "About Us". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
12. ^ "About NatureScot". NatureScot. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
13. ^ "Science and Conservation". Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
14. ^ "FAQs". Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
15. ^ "Executive non-departmental public bodies". Scottish Government. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
16. ^ "About Us". Crown Estate Scotland. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
17. ^ "About Us". Scottish Canals. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
18. ^ "Public corporations". Scottish Government. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
19. ^ "The UK". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 7 August 2019.

* v
* t
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Conservation of species

* Index of conservation articles

Conservation
biology|

* Biodiversity
* Captive breeding
* Compassionate conservation
* Conservation behavior
* Conservation-dependent species
* Conservation genetics
* Conservation-induced extinction
* Conservation status
* Endemism
* Ex-situ conservation
* Extinction threshold
* In-situ conservation
* Latent extinction risk
* Marine conservation
* Mutualisms and conservation
* Nature conservation
* Nuisance wildlife
* Pest
* Vermin
* Conservation biology of parasites
* Species translocation
* Conservation welfare
* Threatened species
* Vulnerability and susceptibility

Approaches|

* Conservation agriculture
* Conservation development
* Conservation finance
* Conservation grazing
* Conservation management system
* Conservation movement
* Conservation photography
* Conservation psychology
* Conspicuous conservation
* Community-based conservation
* Ecoregion conservation status
* Environmental protection
* Evidence-based conservation
* Flagship species
* Forest management
* Forest protection
* Tropical rainforest conservation
* Integrated Conservation and Development Project
* Other effective area-based conservation measures
* Riparian buffer
* Roadless area conservation
* Roadside conservation
* Site-based conservation
* Wetland conservation

Protected
areas|

* Conservation designation
* Conservation district
* Conservation easement
* Conservation reserve
* Gap analysis
* Habitat conservation
* High conservation value area
* Landscape-scale conservation
* Marine protected area
* Marxan
* Open space reserve
* Wildlife corridor
* 30 by 30 target

Key issues|

* Conservation refugee
* Fortress conservation
* Habitat fragmentation
* Human–wildlife conflict

Restoration|

* Assisted natural regeneration
* Ecosystem restoration
* Island restoration
* Reforestation
* afforestation
* Rewilding
* marine
* Species reintroduction

By taxon|

* Arthropod
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By country|

* Angola
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Related|

* Conservation officer
* De-extinction
* Planetary boundaries
* IUCN Red List
* NatureServe conservation status
* Special Area of Conservation
* Soil conservation

* List of conservation issues
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Conservation in Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
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* Cyprus
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*   * Italy
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* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
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* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* England
* Northern Ireland
* Scotland
* Wales

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

* v
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Scotland articles

* Outline of Scotland

History|

* Timeline
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Geography|

* Anglo-Scottish border
* Central Belt
* Climate
* Conservation
* Fauna
* Flora
* Geology
* Highlands
* Islands
* Lochs
* Lowlands
* Mountains and hills
* highest
* Protected areas
* Waterfalls
* Glens
* Ecoregions
* Biosphere reserves
* Environment
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Politics|

| Government|

| Politics|

* Government
* list of governments
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|

Law|

* Advocate General
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* Crown Office
* Lord Advocate
* Lord President
* Procurator fiscal
* Solicitor General
* Sheriff principal
* College of Justice
* Scots property law
* Udal law
* Prison population
* Police Scotland

Economy|

* Agriculture
* Bank of Scotland
* Charities
* Companies
* Fishing
* Forestry
* Harris Tweed
* Housing
* Media
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* Power stations
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Society|

| Culture|

* Architecture
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|

Demographics|

| Languages|

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|

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