Scotland Director’s Blog

Today, Scottish Government launched their Seabird Action Plan consultation. This is our chance to speak up for Scotland’s seabirds and secure the protection they need. Read more about why Scotland is so important for seabirds and what we're calling for in this guest blog from Head of Marine Policy, Helen McLachlan.

Following the UK Budget, it’s all eyes on the Scottish Government to increase investment in nature.

Back in July, my colleague Andrew Midgley wrote about the scale of need for farm funding. It has been estimated that £5.9 billion needs to be spent each year supporting nature and climate friendly farming across the UK as a whole, with £1.8 billion of that spent in Scotland.  

Almost all decisions affecting farming and nature are devolved to Scotland and are the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament and…

Anne discusses the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 and why it presents a crucial opportunity to deliver meaningful change for nature.

In August we had the news the Scottish Government would be proposing £5 million cuts to the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF). This was crushing news. The fund goes towards incredible projects like restoring wetland in Orkney, saving Scotland’s rainforest, and improving habitats for threatened species. We called on you to contact Scottish Ministers and your MSPs to tell them how much nature matters to you. Thank you…

In this guest blog, Andrew Midgley, our Senior Land Use Policy Officer, highlights new analysis that suggests there is a desperate need to increase investment in nature-friendly farming and crofting and that forthcoming UK government decisions will be crucial.

There have been a lot of changes in Scottish politics recently, but it's vital that Nature Restoration remains a constant at the top of the political agenda.

In this guest blog, Senior Land Use Policy Officer, Andrew Midgley explains how the right kind of financial support for farmers is essential in tackling the climate and nature crisis.

In this guest blog, Paul Walton, Head of Species and Habitats, explains why 2023 has been such a big year for nature in Scotland and how 2024 could be even more important.

As the Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill starts its journey through the Scottish Parliament, Anne McCall offers some thoughts about where agricultural policy needs to go.

In this blog, Anne explains why the launch of a government consultation may not sound like major news, but is in fact an incredibly significant milestone. It is the start of a process that is a chance to deliver a step change from just protecting the nature we have left, to promoting the renewal of nature across Scotland. It’s also an important moment for each and every person in Scotland.

This autumn we expect the Scottish Government to present its long-awaited Agriculture Bill, which will set the framework for how hundreds of millions of pounds of public funds support farming. In this blog Anne looks more closely at the situation, considers the solutions, and assesses whether the Scottish Government is on the right track.

We have been campaigning for improvements to the next Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to ensure that Scotland’s amazing species are on the road to recovery. Thanks to everyone that has made their voices heard. This blog looks what your action has achieved so far, and what needs to happen next.

Throughout the recent SNP leadership campaign, the nature and climate crisis was barely mentioned. As Humza Yousaf settles into his new role as First Minister, Anne McCall outlines some of the actions that must be taken to ensure Scotland has a nature-positive future.

From bacteria to blue whales, species are the fundamental units of biodiversity. That's why it's essential they form a core part of any strategy to tackle the nature crisis.

A new RSPB scientific conservation paper published in Bird Study and written by Ron Summers and co-authors, has investigated the association between capercaillie distribution and road and track densities in the Cairngorms National Park. In this blog we take a look at the issue of human disturbance on these birds.

The Biodiversity Strategy should help deliver the transformative action that is so desperately needed to halt and reverse nature loss, but the current draft falls far short of being the Nature Emergency Strategy we need at this critical moment. Read on to find out what is missing and how you can help try to make it better.

Nature is being lost around the world faster than ever. This nature crisis in combination with…

The LIFE100% for Nature project is helping nature thrive alongside livestock on our Oronsay nature reserve. Threatened chough are benefiting from careful management of our sheep and their dung.

Anne McCall is calling for urgent action from the Scottish Government to introduce licensing for driven grouse moor shooting and a ban on burning deep, peatland soils.

NatureScot recently published the Review of Capercaillie Conservation and Management. In this blog, we’ll be taking a look in more detail at the report’s findings, our response to them, and the work that we at RSPB Scotland have been doing to help these majestic birds to try to ensure a long term future for the species here.

Anne talks about why the recently published 'next step in delivering our vision for Scotland as a leader in sustainable and regenerative farming' by the Scottish Government is making her optimistic for the future of nature and farming in Scotland.

A healthy and functioning natural world is key to our food system. As the Good Food Nation Bill makes its way through the Scottish Parliament, it’s vital that MSPs grab this opportunity to make our food system better not only for people, but our environment as well.

Anne calls for reassurance from Scottish Government that nature won't be forgotten in the new offshore wind developments.

Later this week, the Scottish Government will be publishing their 2022-23 Budget and has a chance to give nature some of the funding it needs. So, what will we be looking for in the budget?

Thoughts and lessons learned from COP26, from Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland