Getting the best from our land A land use strategy for Scotland

Getting the best from our land A land use strategy for Scotland

Land Use Strategy Background & context Development Policy Content Delivery Land use pilots

Background & context Context: CAP 2007 Royal Society of Edinburgh Committee of Inquiry into the Hills and Islands 2008 Renewables targets 2009 Forestry targets 2009 Rural Land Use Study 2009

Background & context Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 Publication March 2011 Requirement to review at intervals of not more than 5 years March 2016

Project Structure Parliament Stakeholders Early spring regional events Submissions Web forum Consultation in autumn SEA consultation process Cab. Sec. for Environment and Rural Affairs Steering Group: Director-level SG family representatives Project Board: Workstream leads Key SG representatives Project Team Workstreams Natural Capital Land Based Industries People, Culture, Communities Development Planning Communications

Technical & supporting work Natural Capital Land Based People, Culture and Communities Development Planning Communications Research into land use strategies from outside Scotland Scenarios planning Strategic Environmental Assessment

Work Programme Phase 1 (Nov 09 - Feb 2010) Identify key policy issues, conflicts, complementarities and likely land use tensions Consider policy responses to 2020 and to 2050. Phase 2 (Feb April 2010) Analysis of workstream outputs Regional stakeholder workshops Analysis and synthesis of workshop outputs.

Phase 2 - Stakeholder 11 Workshops with over 500 participants Geographic spread Small group discussion format Outputs analysed and published Workshops

Work Programme Phase 3 (May/June 2010) Prepare consultation draft strategy Cabinet process for consultation draft Phase 4 (July Dec 2010) Prepare and undertake statutory public consultation. Analysis of responses

Work Programme Phase 5 (Jan March 2011) Parliamentary processes and laying of strategy before Parliament by March 2011 Post March 2011 Statutory requirement to review at 5 yearly intervals

Policy Content Vision A Scotland where we fully recognise, understand and value the importance of our land resources, and where our plans and decisions about land use deliver improved and enduring benefits, enhancing the wellbeing of our nation.

Policy Content Land Use Strategy Objectives: Land based businesses working with nature to contribute more to Scotland s prosperity Responsible stewardship of Scotland s natural resources delivering more benefits to Scotland s people Urban and rural communities better connected to the land, with more people enjoying the land and positively influencing land use

Policy Content Shifts in approach Delivering multiple benefits Partnerships with nature Linking people to the land

Delivery LUS Delivery Evaluation Project Scottish Biodiversity Strategy National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy CAP Reform Strategic R esearch Programme LUS Pilots

Planning - NPF3 Scotland's Third National Planning Framework, the spatial expression of the Government Economic Strategy, sets out a long-term vision for development and investment across Scotland over the next 20 to 30 years.

Planning - SPP Scottish Planning Policy is a statement of Scottish Government policy on how nationally important land use planning matters should be addressed across the country.

Delivery LUS Delivery Evaluation Project Scottish Biodiversity Strategy National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy CAP Reform Strategic R esearch Programme LUS Pilots

Land Use Strategy Pilot Projects Aberdeenshire Scottish Borders

Land Use Strategy Pilots Purpose: To test & evaluate the practicality of preparing regional land use frameworks

Land Use Strategy Pilots Aim: To pilot a mechanism which uses an ecosystems approach to consider existing and future land uses in a collective and integrated way, with a view to optimising the use of the land, and establishing a means to prioritise of guide decisions about possible conflicting or competing uses of land.

Land Use Strategy Pilots Objective: To produce a regional land use framework which will facilitate the delivery of policies, strategies and objectives in relation to integrated land use by providing a framework to guide decisions about land use.

Land Use Strategy Pilots take an ecosystems approach reflect policy consider all major land uses have regard to the LUS Principles

Land Use Strategy Pilots consider land use opportunities and constraints w ork in partnership with local stakeholders work at a scale to support grant funding decisions

Land Use Strategy Pilots SEA develop a tool to guide decisions making undertake consultation

Timescale complete by Autumn 2013 complete by Spring 2014 complete by Autumn 2014 Key Stages: 1. Baseline mapping Policy mapping Resource/asset mapping 2. Identification of constraints and opportunities 3. Production of a draft framework

Land Use Strategy Pilot Project Aberdeenshire

100% of domestic electricity consumption from renewables 2020 Sustainable economic growth 100,000 ha new woodland in Scotland by 2022 Biodiversity Halt the loss and reverse previous losses? Population 17% increase in Aberdeenshire 2012-2037 Water Quality good ecological status by 2027 GHG Emissions 42% reduction by 2020

Project Governance Land Use Strategy Steering Group Aberdeenshire Pilot Project Board SL&E NFUS Confor SNH FCS SE Link Cairngorms NP Scottish Enterprise Scottish Government Aberdeenshire C. Non-Board affiliates Historic Scotland SEPA Scottish Water SGRPID

Geographic scales and work stages Regional Scale three stage process: Local Scale 2 Focus Areas: 1. Baseline Mapping 2. Constraints and Opportunities 3. Production of a Framework Defined by specification 1. Upper Dee 2. Huntly Process of local engagement on ecosystem approach and land use change

Pilot Outputs 1. Interactive, web-based tool to aid land use change decision making 2. Overview report of key land use issues and opportunities Pilot = process demonstration

Land Use Strategy Pilot Scottish Borders

Who is involved? Scottish Borders Council s role Overall coordination and management of the pilot project including external GIS support (Environment Systems- Dr Katie Medcalf) Report to Scottish Government Tweed Forum s Role Coordinating Stakeholder Engagement University of Dundee (Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science)- Prof Chris Spray providing scientific advice & drafting framework & lessons learned report

UK NEA service type Stocks that deliver the main Provisioning and Market services (4 maps) Services mapped Food: Agricultural crops Food: Agricultural livestock Energy Trees: Timber resource Stocks that contribute Flood risk and natural flood management to modifying Land areas that enhance raw water quality and regulating natural Land erosion risk processes in the sediment input to water courses environment (6 maps ) Climate regulation: Soil carbon storage Climate regulation: Vegetation carbon storage Stocks that underpin life and support ecosystem functioning (3 maps) Stocks that contribute to cultural and economic services and well-being (4 maps) Wild species diversity: Areas important for biodiversity and nature conservation Wild species diversity: Biodiversity resilience and networks Pollination Landscapes Local Places Historic and archaeological significance Recreation (non-motorised access) Sporting Recreation

Policy mapping and SEA Consideration of key policies affecting land use Identifying key land uses- stakeholder engagement & catchment based approach. Matching policies to SEA topics. Matching SEA topics against ecosystem services mapped. Causal chain assessments: likely reactions increasing one ecosystem service and impacts on other Ecosystem services and SEA topics.

Key policy drivers What are the key policy drivers influencing decision making and the spatial and temporal distribution of ecosystem services? Food Production (SRDP) Timber & woodland (SFS, SBWS) Natural Flood Management (FRM(Sc)Act 2009) Diffuse Pollution Control (WeWs Act 2003) Carbon storage (CCAct 2009) Recreation (Land Reform (Sc) Act 2003) Biodiversity (NC(Sc) Act 2004 Renewable energy (SPP) Development (SPP, LDP)

Multiple benefit map Reduction of the risk of flooding where would the subsequent changes in land use lead to delivery of other ecosystem services

Stakeholder Engagement (18 Months) Stakeholder Engagement Programme From September 2013 to February 2015. Key Stakeholder Group 20 organisations represented. Met every 12 weeks. Borders wide- Engaged with over 44 Organisations & Agencies, including 36 Community Councils Case Study Areas 7 sub catchments & held 18 workshop events

Stakeholder Engagement Engaged with approx 950 stakeholders - 845 engaged directly (organised workshops, presentations, events & one to one meetings) including 297 farmers 210 stakeholders - attended stage 2 case study area workshops & 63 attended stage 3 workshops. Very positive engagement process but not exclusively so.

Phase 2 - Aberdeenshire Forest and Woodland Strategy Proposed State of Environment Report Integration with Planning processes Taking forward dialogue at regional level

Phase 2 Tweed Forum Assess how the LUS opportunity maps correlate with SRDP target maps Consider how the LUS opportunity maps could be used within SRDP assessment

Phase 2 Scottish Borders Council Integration of framework into flood risk management and protection schemes Link to Borders climate change adaptation programme Further work on forestry policy and forestry grants scheme Biodiversity offsets Historic land use value pilot

Key contacts - Aberdeenshire Project Manager: Irina Birnie Irina.Birnie@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Project Officer: James Davidson J.Davidson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Key contacts Scottish Borders Andy Tharme, Scottish Borders Council: ATharme@scotborders.gov.uk Derek Robeson, Tweed Forum: derek.robeson@tweedforum.org

For more information: www.scotland.gov.uk/landusestrategy