Skip to main content

The National Library web archive is currently down due to IT issues. This means some of our older publications and reports will be unavailable during this temporary outage.

Scotland's Indicators

Indicators let us monitor changes in Scotland’s species, habitats and landscapes, and reflect wider changes in the natural environment.

Many of Scotland's indicators are available on our archived publications and documents page.

Scotland’s biodiversity strategy indicators

We use a set of indicators that chart changes in Scotland’s biodiversity to see how well we’re progressing the aims of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS). The original set was updated in 2013/14 to bring it into line with the SBS update, the 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity

There are two groups of indicators:

state indicators measure changes in biodiversity for species, habitats and ecosystems selected as typical of Scotland
engagement indicators monitor how Scotland’s people interact with biodiversity through awareness, engagement or activity

NatureScot developed the indicators with:

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
Marine Scotland
Forestry Commission Scotland

Find out more

Official Statistics

Related links

UK Biodiversity Indicators

European Biodiversity Indicators

Published: 2023 Soil sealing creates an impervious layer, which damages the natural soil structure and compromises its ability to function

Natural heritage and local landscape area indicators from 2010-2022.

Statistics & Data

This report monitors Scotland's butterfly populations - August 2023.

Statistics & Data | butterflies

This report monitors Scotland's wintering waterbirds - February 2022.

Statistics & Data | birds

Scotland’s breeding seabirds are of international importance. Seabirds are useful and important indicators for assessing the state of the marine environment.

Statistics & Data

This report updates the indicators and trends for moths in Scotland - March 2021.

Statistics & Data | moths

News & Blogs

A licence application from the Cairngorms National Park Authority approved today to release six beaver families in the upper River Spey catchment.

News - 05 December

Scotland’s creel fishermen are determined to reduce the entanglement of whales and basking sharks in their gear.

Nature Heroes - 30 November

A biodiversity report published on the soil sealing which exists in Scotland as a result of the built environment.

News - 05 December

A month of essential, though unglamourous tasks at Forvie NNR.

Blog - 26 November

The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project today expressed their sadness at the disappearance of a female golden eagle.

News - 28 November

Blue skies and thick frost make for a beautiful morning on Flanders Moss NNR.

Blog - 25 November