Partners Launch Plan For Highland Nature Action

15th June 2021

The launch today (Tuesday 15 June 2021) of Highland Nature, the biodiversity action plan for 2021 to 2026, shows the commitment to positive work for nature all across the region.

Creating the plan has been coordinated by the Highland Environment Forum and funded by NatureScot and The Highland Council, but the actions for nature will be carried out by the 43 partners who represent land managers, local conservation groups, nature conservation membership organisations and government agencies.

The priorities in Highland Nature take their lead from international and national strategies and focus on what can be contributed at a regional level.

Caroline Vawdrey of the Highland Environment Forum said: "2021 is a year of international significance for making agreements to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, with the UN Biodiversity Conference being held in Kunming in China in October, and the UN Climate Conference in Glasgow in November.

"Working to protect and benefit nature is a vital undertaking at all levels - from international agreements to individual land managers. We are indebted to members of the Highland Environment Forum for helping to identify priorities for the Highlands. It is remarkable that forty-three partners have come together to share their ambitions for Highland biodiversity. We also know that this is just some of the work being undertaken in the region, and that there are many other people undertaking positive actions for nature. We'd love them to be involved."

Welcoming the new biodiversity action plan Chair of the Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee and the Council's Climate Change Working Group, Cllr Trish Robertson said: "Highland Nature is a highly ambitious plan and Highland Council are looking forward to playing its part to protect nature and secure improvements for biodiversity. We will be developing existing partnerships and building new relationships across the Highlands to realise the actions and commitments of Highland Nature and help deliver positive outcomes to mitigate the current ecological emergency."

The actions range from landscape-scale work, such as peatland restoration and woodland expansion to the smaller-scale activity so vital for individual species, like the work by the Caithness Biodiversity Group, growing and planting out kidney vetch to feed the rare small blue butterfly and help it to thrive.

There are many inspiring commitments in the plan, from mapping curlew hotspots which will help to protect important places for a species in worrying decline; to continuing to tackle invasive non-native species. There are also ambitious plans for Highland rivers, including expanding deciduous woodland to create shade in order to protect salmon spawn and other species from rising water temperatures. Tackling and reducing the impact of climate change is recognised as key to the work to protect Highland nature, and this plan links with Highland Community Planning Partners' plans to address these issues by working alongside communities through their ‘Highland Adapts’ programme.

Commenting on the launch of Highland Nature, NatureScot South Highland Area Manager Chris Donald said: "As funding partners we’re delighted to welcome the launch of Highland Nature - a plan which sets out the ambitions of the 43 partners involved to protect and enhance nature across the region. Now the real work begins and we’re calling on as many interested people as possible to get involved in helping deliver positive actions for biodiversity in a way that is both inclusive and just.

“Highland Environment Forum will be setting up working groups to drive biodiversity projects forward and help turn these ideas and ambitions into reality. We know there are many more organisations and individuals out there doing fantastic work for nature and we’d love them to join us."

Highland Nature, 2021 - 2026 can be seen on the Highland Environment Forum website www.highlandenvironmentforum.info where there are also contact details to find out how to get involved.

The Highland Environment Forum
The Highland Environment Forum (HEF) was established in 2009 to bring together all those with an interest in this key asset, and is the only group of its kind in the region. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the natural environment, who agrees with the aims of the Forum and meetings attract people from across the region, including interested individuals, and representatives from agencies and third sector organisations that include a variety of environmental and land use perspectives.

Forum members help to set the agenda for meetings and working groups, and the reach of the Forum is maintained between meetings via the website, email updates and facebook pages.

The Forum contributes to the Highland Community Planning Partners aims of delivering ‘better outcomes’ for the region, with the aim of reducing inequalities.

There are working groups on themes such as biodiversity, climate change, marine litter and outdoor volunteering. These provide valuable opportunities for networking and information exchange, generating coordinated action at both a regional and local level.

Partners in Highland Nature
Ardtornish Estate
Association of Deer Management Groups
Assynt Field Club
Beauly Fisheries Board
Buglife Scotland
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Bunloit Rewilding
Butterfly Conservation Scotland
Cairngorms National Park Authority
Caithness Biodiversity Group
CONFOR
Corrour Estate
Cromarty Firth Fishery Board
Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust
Forestry and Land Scotland
Highland Biological Recording Group
Highland Council
Highland Environment Forum
High Life Highland
John Muir Trust
Lantra
Lochaber Biodiversity Group
Marine Conservation Society
Ministry of Defence
Moray Firth Coastal Partnership
National Farmers Union, Scotland
National Trust for Scotland
Nature Friendly Farming Network
NatureScot
Plantlife Scotland
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland
Scottish & Southern Electricity
Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks: Transmission
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Scottish Forestry
Scottish Land and Estates
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Spey Catchment Initiative
Spey Fisheries Board
Trees for Life
West Sutherland Fisheries Trust
Wester Ross Biosphere
Woodland Trust Scotland

Case Studies
There are many examples of recent positive work for nature collated in Highland Nature Action 2015 - 2020 which can be downloaded at www.highlandenvironmentforum.info