Agenda item
Biodiversity
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Report and its local implications.
Presentation by Charles Dundas, Chair of Scottish Environment LINK and Chief Executive Officer of Borders Forest Trust https://bordersforesttrust.org/
Supporting Documents:
1. IPBES report https://ipbes.net/global-assessment
2. State of Nature Scotland https://www.nature.scot/state-nature-scotland-report-2019
3. ScotLink: Nature on Red Alert https://www.scotlink.org/publication/scotlands-nature-on-red-alert-climate-change-impacts-on-biodiversity/
Minutes:
3.1 The Chairman introduced Charles Dundas, Chief Executive of Borders Forest Trust (BFT) and Chair of Scottish Environment LINK. Mr Dundas was in attendance to give a presentation, accompanied by slides, entitled “The Climate and Biodiversity Crises – globally and at home”. He explained that, in 2019, the UN established Intergovernmental Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released a global assessment of humanity’s relationship with nature. This was written by more than 500 experts from over 100 countries. It concluded that such was the rate of decline that the risks posed by biodiversity loss should be considered on the same scale as those of climate change. This alarming trend endangered economies, livelihoods, food security and the quality of life of people everywhere. It was estimated that we were losing around 135 plant, animal and insect species every day. The seven principle drivers of loss were identified as: the changing use of the land and sea; over-exploitation of species; climate change; pollution; invasive non-native species; and indirect effects arising from people’s disconnect with nature; and a lack of value and importance placed on nature. Mr Dundas explained that, on a more local level, Scottish Environment LINK was the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, with over 35 member bodies representing a broad spectrum of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society. LINK and SNH’s the State of Nature Scotland report 2019 revealed that, since recording began, 49% of Scottish species had decreased whilst 28% had increased. The presentation went on to look at historical losses incurred within Scotland, relating to changes in land use within the 20th century. Between the 1940s and 1980s the area of broadleaved and mixed woodland fell by 23% and 37% respectively and native Caledonian pine forests now covered less than 90,000 hectares – just over 6% of the original area. The current situation, in terms of woodland, was that just 22% of the total woodland area in Scotland was native, the rest was non-native. In the Scottish Borders just 7% of the total woodland area was native, which represented 1.4% of the total land area of the Scottish Borders. Mr Dundas concluded his presentation by showing slides of areas of the borders where work was being carried out to plant native woodland. BFT owned over 3000ha of land in the border area and to date 738ha of that land had been planted with native woodland and over 1000ha planted on privately owned land. With most of the work being carried out by volunteers, BFT worked alongside landowners and other organisations in the borders to restore and protect natural habitats.
3.2 Members welcomed the presentation and discussed the challenges raised, with Mr Dundas answering questions on particular points. Members expressed concern about the south of Scotland’s wooded area being dominated by non-native species and an apparent national policy for the planting of large areas of commercial woodland in this area. Mr Dundas referred to the need for an alternative vision to present to landowners and to Scottish Government to look at longer term rewards by supporting the planting of commercial broad-leaved trees. He emphasised the importance of strategic land use planning and that an agreed Land Use Strategy should be at the top of the land use planning structure overriding the Local Development Plan, Forestry and Agriculture. Mr Aikman confirmed that regional land use planning was on the agenda for discussion with partners, including with the new South of Scotland Enterprise agency, Dumfries and Galloway Council and as part of the Borderlands initiative. It was anticipated that a regional land use strategy would follow. Discussions included looking at a pilot programme with Scottish Forestry to develop more effective ways of producing woodland which could be formulated into a Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) which could perhaps be used as a grant funding base. The Chairman thanked Mr Dundas for his presentation.
Supporting Documents:
1. IPBES report https://ipbes.net/global-assessment
2. State of Nature Scotland https://www.nature.scot/state-nature-scotland-report-2019
3. ScotLink: Nature on Red Alert https://www.scotlink.org/publication/scotlands-nature-on-red-alert-climate-change-impacts-on-biodiversity/
DECISION
NOTED the presentation