Nature Restoration at Landscape Scale
Landscape scale nature restoration is an essential part of the solution to the nature and climate crises and is key to restoring and regenerating Scotland’s nature by 2045.
Following extensive engagement with stakeholders, review and scoring by the agencies and consideration by Scottish Ministers, we have identified 9 landscape scale exemplar projects, where agencies will focus our efforts on demonstrating landscape scale approaches. We have also identified 19 Areas of Focus where we will work with local partners to scale up and accelerate restoration.
Find out more in Landscape Scale Nature Restoration in Scotland – Next Steps, March 2026.
What is landscape scale nature restoration?
It involves land managers working together to restore nature on a large scale, across multiple land holdings and resulting in multiple benefits for nature and people such as increased biodiversity, reduced flood risk and employment opportunities. This approach is more effective at achieving environmental, economic and social benefits than working in isolation, on smaller, single sites.
Why do we need it?
We are in a nature and climate emergency. Only healthy, functioning ecosystems can support our societies now and in the future. This does not mean abandoning the way we currently manage land and water, but it means taking a different approach.
We need to accelerate and scale up nature restoration, targeting our efforts at the most important landscapes to help us restore nature, reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate change.
What are we doing?
As part of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Delivery Plan NatureScot is leading on action 2.1 to:
“Collate, review and prioritise all the landscape scale nature restoration projects across Scotland. Using this spatial evidence, NatureScot will identify and help facilitate partnership projects for six exemplar large scale landscape restoration areas with significant woodland components by 2025. By the end of 2026 those projects will have engaged with communities; developed deliverable action plans; identified funding (and where appropriate private finance) to deliver the outcomes required by 2030 and beyond.”
On this page we set out how we are delivering action 2.1 in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Delivery Plan. If you have further questions please contact: [email protected]
Where are the exemplars and other projects?
The landscape scale Exemplars, Areas of Focus and other projects are shown on the following maps:
Case Studies
Case studies
The case studies highlighted below demonstrate the ways in which we can restore nature alongside existing land use. These build on previous learning summarised on Scotland's Environment website.
NatureScot Research Report 1271 - Case studies in Large Scale Nature Restoration and Rewilding
Find out more
To find out more about the project please contact [email protected]
For further information see these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
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