Partners launch plan for Highland Nature action

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.

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