The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Framework for Developing the Contribution of Nature-based Volunteering and Citizen Science

Published: June 2026

7. Annex A: Actions required for each of the Key Areas of Focus
8. Annex B: Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Delivery Plan actions most relevant to volunteering and citizen science
    

Foreword

Action on the ground for nature across Scotland has long been powered by volunteers. They give their skills, time and energy to looking after the species, habitats and landscapes which inspire them. Given the scale of the challenges we face, involving more people in voluntary action is now essential if we are to address the interlinked nature and climate emergencies. 

Volunteering for nature brings many benefits to the communities and individuals who take part in it. For communities, it can build capacity, strengthen resilience and help places adapt to climate change. For individuals, it can help to reduce loneliness, improve health and well-being, support personal development, and provide opportunities to learn new skills. It is also a recognised route into a paid career in the conservation sector.

The important contribution of volunteering is recognised in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045. Many of its actions benefit from a wide range of collective voluntary effort across nature conservation, nature connection, improving local greenspaces, providing interpretation and education, and through participating in biological surveys and environmental monitoring. As Vincent van Gogh eloquently said, “great things are done by a series of small things brought together”.

Offering more opportunities to volunteer for nature is a high priority for NatureScot.  We are therefore pleased to have worked together with some of our key partners to develop this Framework. It celebrates the current breadth of nature-based volunteering activity across Scotland and seeks to grow its contribution to taking forward our shared ambition. We encourage other organisations to sign up to this framework and to make volunteering for nature part of more people’s lives.

Nick Halfhide
CEO, NatureScot
June 2026

About this Framework

This Framework fulfils action 28.2 in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) Delivery Plan 2024-2030 to ‘Increase public connection and action for nature through … a national nature volunteer and citizen science framework by 2025’. To develop the Framework, NatureScot convened a small working group of representatives from a range of organisations drawn from the public and third sectors with knowledge, experience and varied perspectives in working with and involving volunteers to protect and restore nature (The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), Cairngorms National Park Authority, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Volunteer Scotland, an officer from West Lothian Council (representing the Local Biodiversity Action Plan network) and the National Lottery Heritage Fund).

The action to develop this Framework recognises the importance of nature-based volunteering and citizen science in tackling the interlinked nature and climate emergencies and in helping to meet the ambitious goal to halt nature loss in Scotland by 2030 and to have restored and regenerated our biodiversity by 2045. In the context of the SBS, nature-based volunteering and citizen science is:

• a key pathway for achieving greater and broader public engagement with, and connection to, nature; and
• an essential mechanism to support and track the impact of delivery of many actions across the SBS Delivery Plan.

In addition to well-established contributions to species actions and data collection, the SBS Delivery Plan generates increased demand for nature-based volunteering and citizen science to help realise the ambition for Nature30 sites and Nature Networks, the better control of invasive non-native species (INNS), and improving nature-rich parks and local greenspaces at the heart of local communities (see Annex B SBS Delivery Plan actions most relevant to volunteering and citizen science for more detail).

Nature-based volunteering is a broad term, embracing the wide range of ways in which people help, get involved with, and participate in activities to protect, restore and monitor nature. We use the term throughout this Framework to include citizen science activities. The nature-based volunteering sector is itself complex and fragmented, with many different players involved at UK, Scottish and local levels. The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy’s ambition to scale up nature-based volunteering and involve more people in targeted actions to restore biodiversity will require change and further investment in and across the environment sector. We use the term biodiversity delivery plan partner to mean an organisation or group that contributes to actions, projects, and strategies aimed at conserving, enhancing, and restoring biological diversity.

This Framework is intended to have an enabling function, challenging all the organisations involved in nature recovery to take strategic actions to increase public connection with nature through nature-based volunteering in Scotland and achieve a step change in the contribution this activity makes to outcomes for nature, people and communities. As a catalyst for change, the Framework’s objectives are to:

• Set out a narrative for increasing public connection and action for nature through nature-based volunteering, as an essential tool for delivery of many SBS delivery plan actions and climate targets.
• Establish a shared vision and key outcomes for nature-based volunteering in Scotland up to 2030 and beyond.
• Identify key areas of focus that capture the strategic requirements and changes that will need to be in place. 

The Framework is aimed primarily at:

• Scottish Government and local government.
• Biodiversity Delivery Plan Partners, including any organisations and groups across the community, third and public sectors that directly recruit, involve and manage volunteers to act for nature. 
• Funders of nature-based volunteering programmes and projects.

While focused on nature-based volunteering, the Framework has been guided by and designed to complement rather than duplicate broader strategic volunteering policy and guidance, such as the Volunteering for All National Framework and Volunteering Action Plan, Volunteer Charter and Volunteer Scotland’s National Recruitment Campaign and approach to Employer Supported Volunteering. 

Overview of nature-based volunteering in Scotland

At the outset, it is important for the Framework to fully acknowledge and celebrate the current breadth and profile of nature-based volunteering activity across Scotland; the wide-ranging benefits this provides and the national and local outcomes for nature and climate, health, community development, education and employment it delivers.

There are many different routes into nature-based volunteering reflecting the diverse backgrounds, demographics and motivations of participants and the amount of time they can offer. Volunteers get involved in a broad and diverse spectrum of activities ranging from biological recording to hands-on practical physical outdoor work to create, improve or care for local greenspaces and biodiversity. Some volunteer through participation in formal organised volunteering opportunities, while others prefer to get involved more informally within their communities. Levels of engagement vary from those who commit their time regularly, to those who do so more occasionally, or as part of one-off short term time-limited tasks (micro-volunteering) with no ongoing commitment. Opportunities range from mass volunteering events engaging large numbers of people for a short time to more long-term detailed, skilled roles. Activities take place outdoors in urban or rural areas, or are undertaken at home, or remotely through online digital media. 

Nature-based volunteering achieves multiple outcomes for nature and people. For nature it can deliver both practical action on the ground as well as the data needed to track progress and help inform the actions required. For individuals, involvement can benefit their physical and mental health and wellbeing; provide opportunities and new experiences to build knowledge and develop new skills; and help build a lasting connection with nature and greater commitment towards its care. Nature-based volunteering can also help create a better local environment for everyone and a more connected and resilient community by developing a shared sense of ownership and responsibility. 

Trends in participation in volunteering can be tracked through the Scottish Household Survey. This shows that the number of adults taking part in all types of formal volunteering in Scotland has been declining slightly since 2009, with approximately only 1 in 50 participating in environmental volunteering over this period compared to 1 in 4 who participate in all types of formal volunteering. Since 2019 participation rates in all types of informal volunteering have remained constant at 1 in 3 of the population, with a noted increase in the number of people volunteering to ‘improve their local environment” to approximately 1 in 20 of the population in 2024.

• the above figures are estimates due to rounding
• ‘adult’ is age 16+
• formal volunteering is giving unpaid help to clubs, organisations or groups.  Informal volunteering is giving unpaid help directly to people (excluding relatives) or places outside of a group, club or organisation
• some people will do both informal and formal volunteering.

The ambition to grow and diversify the number of people volunteering for nature is challenging and will need to address a range of barriers for people and organisations. 

• Barriers to people getting involved in volunteering include: the cost-of-living crisis; lack of time; accessibility and disability; concerns over benefits; and bureaucracy and unclear roles; and 
• Barriers to organisations offering volunteering include: a lack of a volunteer co-ordinator; lack of time to support volunteers; and lack of funds to pay travel or other costs.

Overcoming these barriers needs a strong organisational commitment, long-term planning and resourcing for volunteering.

At the same time there are opportunities to attract additional volunteers through the provision of a more flexible volunteering offer designed to fit around people’s lives; tapping into areas such as the growth in active retirees; or through the provision of opportunities designed for family volunteering, employer-supported volunteering, or through education, employability and skills development programmes, including engaging with more diverse audiences. There is also huge potential to support citizen science volunteering and involve more people of all abilities through technological advances and innovations (including gamification, remote sensing, recording and monitoring smartphone apps, environmental DNA, bioacoustics monitoring, camera-trapping etc) and volunteer involvement in analysing data.  

A 2030 vision and guiding principles for nature-based volunteering 

Vision

Our 2030 vision for nature-based volunteering in Scotland is:
More people volunteer for nature, more often, and throughout their lives, helping to realise nature recovery on the ground and improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities throughout Scotland. 

Principles

Volunteer Scotland’s Volunteer Charter sets out broad principles that should inform volunteering policy and practice. To deliver our vision for nature-based volunteering, we will also need to be guided by the following considerations. 

• The contribution of volunteering activity to protecting and restoring nature needs to be recognised, valued and supported in the long term both nationally and locally.  
• Involving volunteers requires resources, and to realise its full potential; longer-term investment in nature-based volunteering is needed, including funding for volunteer managers to build organisational capacity. 
• Planning for nature-based volunteering as a key component of project delivery at the inception of a project, rather than an optional add-on, leads to more and better opportunities and outcomes.
• Meaningful, high quality, inclusive and flexible opportunities are essential to attract volunteers, sustain interest and maintain a high retention rate in nature-based volunteering and to deepen volunteers’ connection with nature and develop a sense of purpose and ownership.
• The language used to promote nature-based volunteering opportunities requires careful consideration and creativity to ensure it resonates with people’s different perspectives on volunteering and motivations for getting involved. 
• Active, participative and supportive management of volunteers involved in actions for nature will have a positive impact on volunteers’ quality of experience, skills development and achieving their personal outcomes and improved wellbeing.

Achieving our Vision – Outcomes and Key Areas of Focus

Outcomes

Achieving our Vision to grow nature-based volunteering will result in a range of positive outcomes for nature and people, and for the Biodiversity Delivery Plan Partners working with volunteers, including:

• Nature-based volunteering is valued and prioritised by decision-makers and resourced sustainably, leading to strengthened organisational capacity in nature-based volunteering organisations to support current and future demand.
• More, diverse, flexible, inclusive and meaningful volunteering opportunities are available to attract and retain new volunteers.
• Increased involvement of volunteers in focused action for nature that helps achieve the outcomes for the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. 
• More and a broader range of people, including young people and disadvantaged groups and communities, will feel connected to nature through participation in nature-based volunteering.
• A stronger culture of people and communities empowered to take action for nature, sustained throughout their lives, leading to 
• Improved health, life chances and connected and resilient communities through regular involvement in nature-based volunteering throughout all life-stages. 

Key Areas of Focus

Making substantive progress towards these outcomes will require a step change in our approach and greater collective effort across the nature-based volunteering sector. Four areas of focus are key. 

• Increased profile and recognition and commitment to the contribution volunteers make.
• Additional organisational capacity and capability for involving volunteers. 
• A more flexible nature-based volunteering offer to attract and facilitate more people to participate; and 
• Strengthened co-ordination and collaboration by the Biodiversity Delivery Plan Partners. 

Annex A identifies further actions needed in each of these Key Areas of Focus to make progress towards the Framework’s Vision and Outcomes.

Framework Pledge

NatureScot will champion this Framework, support its implementation and monitor its impact. 

All organisations with an interest in growing nature-based volunteering and its contribution to tackling the climate and nature emergencies are invited to become signatories to the Framework. By becoming a signatory, organisations pledge to support the Framework’s Vision and commit to taking forward activity that contributes to its Key Areas of Focus. To demonstrate this commitment, we expect each organisation to:  

• prepare a short statement that describes how it involves and values volunteers who take action for nature and sets out the key actions it will undertake to develop this further; and
• provide a short annual update on progress against these actions and the impact this has had. 

Further information on how to become a signatory of this Framework and the work being undertaken to deliver it is on the NatureScot website.