How we plan our work

We plan our projects and spending in detail to ensure that we achieve our priority outcomes within our set timescales and budget.  We also need to look ahead to new challenges and opportunities.  We do this through:

• Connecting People and Nature – our corporate plan for 2018-22
• Business Plan for 2020/21
• workforce plan

Read more on these below

Connecting People and Nature

It sets out our vision for Scotland’s nature and landscapes and is built around four interdependent outcomes:

• More people across Scotland are enjoying and benefiting from nature.
• The health and resilience of Scotland’s nature is improved.
• There is more investment in Scotland’s natural capital and its management to improve prosperity and wellbeing.
• We have transformed how we work.

These outcomes depend on one another.  The more we are able to demonstrate the ways that people benefit from nature, the more they are likely to call for investment in it across the public and private sectors; the more investment the healthier and more resilient nature will be, and healthier and more resilient nature provides more benefits for more people – and so on.  But to do that we need to transform the way we work.

Working in collaboration, and viewing nature as part of wider social and economic challenges and opportunities is central to our approach - for example, in tackling climate change and nature together.

Connecting People and Nature explains how our work helps to meet the current priorities of the Scottish Government. And it reveals the major positive effects that our work has on Scotland’s prosperity and on health and well-being.

Connecting People and Nature is NatureScot’s corporate plan for 2018-22

Read more on the supporting message from Ms Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.

Connecting People and Nature sets the strategic context for the more detailed proposals in our business plan.

Business Plan

Our Business Plan for 2020/21 was approved by NatureScot’s Board in early March 2020. However, following the unprecedented disruption and restrictions caused by Covid-19 we are now undertaking urgent and rapid reprioritisation of our business-critical activities to ensure they align with Scottish Government guidance on service delivery and staff welfare.  

Our prioritisation during this time will continue to be informed by our two strategic priorities - enriching biodiversity and leading on nature-based solutions to climate change. We have shortened our planning horizon initially to 90 days ensuring we continue to align with wider efforts to support recovery as and when it emerges.

Strategic Environmental Assessment

We produced a screening report for Connecting People and Nature.  As we operate within a policy framework set by the Scottish Government that has already been subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment where necessary, a full assessment of Connecting People and Nature is not required.

Equalities Impact Assessment

We produced an Equalities Impact Assessment, noting the importance of this EqIA in how we do the work to deliver Connecting People and Nature and our annual business plan.

Workforce Plan 2018-22

The Workforce Plan 2018-22 sets out our approach to and priority actions for workforce planning. It supports the delivery of Connecting People and Nature by ensuring that we:

• use our existing capacity to best effect, and
• develop our staff resources to respond rapidly and positively to new work areas and changing priorities

We also produced an Equalities Impact Assessment to inform our Plan development.

Find out more

NatureScot Framework Document
Sets out our relationship to the Scottish Government.

Our Risk Management Policy 
Provides details on the process we follow and the roles and responsibilities in risk management.

A plan for the zonation of our publicly accessible lands
How we will fulfil our Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (COPLAR) duty to keep them in a litter-free condition

How our work is funded