Building a Plant Biodiversity Strategy for Scotland - your views form
Scotland is home to unique plants, internationally important populations of rare species, and globally significant habitats such as temperate rainforest, machair and peatlands. Evidence shows that Scotland is far from immune from the impacts of the twin biodiversity and climate change crises. Our plants are at risk. Only by conserving plants and sustainably managing their habitats can we protect all of biodiversity for the future.
In December 2020, the Scottish Government committed to including a Plant Biodiversity Strategy within the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. To deliver on this, strategy development is being led by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and NatureScot, working with partners from the James Hutton Institute and Plant Link Scotland. The attached document outlines the key elements to be included in a Plant Biodiversity Strategy for Scotland, to conserve and sustainably manage the nation’s plant biodiversity. It covers six areas: the plants themselves, people’s relationship with plants, our data needs, how we address threats, opportunities from green economics and how plant conservation can integrate with wider policy.
It is being circulated for consultation and is aligned with the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and the forthcoming Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. We are publishing this document now to ensure the key role of plants is fully recognised and incorporated in the Scottish Government’s plans to achieve transformational change towards the nation’s vision of a nature-rich future.
Please take the time to read “Building a Plant Biodiversity Strategy for Scotland” and add your views to the consultation form next. The consultation will be open until 27th November 2022. We will then work with partners to develop a Delivery Plan with actions and metrics for implementation of the Strategy.
