Minister's Strategic Wildlife and Land Management Forum (SWLMF)

https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/land-and-sea-management/managing-wildlife/shared-approach-wildlife-management/ministers-strategic-wildlife-and-land-management

The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity of Scotland, Jim Fairlie, announced the establishment of a Strategic Wildlife and Land Management Forum in June 2024, at the Royal Highland Show.

The creation of the forum arose from discussions between Land Management Organisations recognising that while there is general support for our focus on biodiversity and climate change, the practical actions arising, pose some significant challenges for land managers.

The Forum is exploring the key concerns around the general move to a more regulated approach to species and land management, coupled with uncertainty over future public support for species management, particularly affecting agricultural interests. 

The Forum is currently meeting every 3 months chaired by either The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity of Scotland or The Minister for Climate Action. The objectives of the Forum are:

  • To facilitate and enable land management interests to engage with and ‘be heard’ by Ministers, and senior officials on key areas of wildlife, species, and associated land management policy.
  • To enable Ministers and officials to explore concerns and opportunities for more holistic joined up policy approaches, which support a just transition.
  • To enable discussions on relative priorities within a limited / fixed public funding resources for species management.

The membership of the Forum

  • British Association of Shooting and Conservation
  • Game and Wildlife conservation Trust
  • National Trust for Scotland
  • National Farmers Union Scotland
  • NatureScot
  • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
  • Scottish Countryside Alliance
  • Scottish Game keepers Association
  • Scottish Government
  • Scottish Land and Estates
  • Scottish Wildlife Trust

Meetings

Last updated: