Professional advice

Use our standing advice and guidance to plan and design your development to have positive outcomes for nature and people.

Find out about our planning role, when planners and developers should consult us, how best to engage, and the level of service we aim to give.

Learn about environmental assessment and the support we provide to developers and decision-makers.

Find useful information whether you’re involved in access and recreation policymaking or managing access or recreation on land or in freshwater.

We're working with others to reduce climate change impacts by altering how we work, how land is managed and how Scotlands peatlands are used.

Our coasts and seas support a wealth of habitats and species and Scotland's economy. We help to manage the marine environments many, often competing, uses.

Explore how freshwater should be managed in Scotland, from restoring natural flood management to preventing the introduction of freshwater non-native species.

Learn how farming and crofting, forests and woodland, and upland and moorland are managed in Scotland, and find out about soil management and habitat networks.

We are the Scottish Government’s lead adviser on wildlife management. Learn about the framework that guides us and about some of our work with wildlife.

The Scottish Government 2020 Statement of Intent on Biodiversity outlined commitment to protect at least 30% of our land and sea for nature by 2030.

Scotland’s most special places carry international, national and local designations that safeguard their natural heritage interests for the future.

Some animals and plants are so threatened or vulnerable that they need legal protection wherever they occur.

NatureScot deal with almost all species licensing in Scotland, including non-native species licensing. We can also license out-of-season muirburn for certain purposes.

Scotland’s list of priority marine features contains 81 habitats and species considered to be of conservation importance in Scotland’s seas.

Legislation implementing various European Directives helps to safeguard Scotland’s biodiversity and ecosystem services beyond the boundaries of our protected areas.

Green infrastructure is a tool for providing ecological, economic and social benefits through nature-based solutions.

Scotland’s natural environment is a resource that can be used to help tackle some of our key health issues. Our Natural Health Service aims to show how.

Natural capital is a term for the habitats and ecosystems that provide social, environmental and economic benefits to humans.

Scotland has a rich and diverse natural larder, which not only provides raw ingredients for a thriving industry but allows us to engage directly with nature, through the seasonal food that we grow, pick or harvest and eat.

Free resources can help you to bring our nature and landscapes to life outdoors and in the classroom for early years, primary and secondary students.

Landscape Character Assessment identifies, describes and maps Scotland's diverse landscapes.

The European Landscape Convention shapes our approach to landscape matters.

Explore landscape policy and guidance if you’re a planner, developer, policymaker, land manager, landscape architect or want to look after local landscapes.

Planning and development decisions may lead to landscape change. These tools and techniques can help, if used to assess whether such change is appropriate.