How did nature do in the elections?

The election results are in and the new MSPs are gathering in Holyrood. How did nature and the environment do? They didn’t grab the headlines, but in numerous hustings across Scotland organised by RSPB Scotland, Environment Link and our partners, candidates were put through their paces. The Hustings were well attended, and unfailingly polite and respectful. But passions did shine through on occasion.

One of nature’s strongest advocates was ‘Bob’, a red squirrel character, who spearheaded our awareness raising campaign. It was remarkably successful with over 122,000 messages generated to the candidates, and no less than 181 of those standing for election ‘backed Bob’. Thank you to each and every one of you!

But of course that was the fun part. Now it gets serious. With biodiversity in decline across much of Scotland, many of our protected sites (SSSIs and EU Natura sites) in ‘unfavourable condition’, birds of prey still being illegally killed, new developments, including poorly located windfarms putting wildlife at risk, we cannot afford to be complacent. There is much to be done. On top of this, the funds made available to SNH and through the CAP to support nature and high nature value farming are being squeezed. Scotland’s wildlife, countryside and green spaces need all the friends they can muster in Holyrood.

So here are my top seven ideas for the Scottish Government and the new Parliament:-

• Every school child should have the opportunity to visit a wildlife rich greenspace or local nature reserve, to be given a quality day with a field teacher – every year.

• The Government should commit to fund its Biodiversity 2020 routemap, to ensure the high priorities identified within it are delivered.

• The SNP’s proposal for a ‘Good Food Nation Bill’ must ensure that the links between good food, healthy eating, sustainable production and space for nature in Scotland’s farmland are recognised.

• The Government should introduce a system of licensing for Sporting estates that requires sustainable land management, care for peatlands, native woodlands and other habitats, and which regulates species management effectively, including observance of the law. Sanctions for the breach of conditions must be serious and commensurate with the impact of any breaches.

• The Scottish Government should introduce a spatial strategy for renewable development, guiding developers to areas where there is least concern, and alerting them to those areas where development is inappropriate or problematic. We need more renewable energy both on land and at sea, but it all must be of the right type and in the right location.

• The marine environment is one of Scotland’s real treasures – with our long and diverse coastline, islands and large continental shelf.  With the Crown Estate transferring to the Scottish Government, now is the chance to create meaningful Marine Protected Areas, and deliver the long overdue EU Special Protection Areas to protect seabirds. An era of sustainable fisheries, action to combat the bycatch of birds and other marine creatures and an end to damaging fishing methods is now possible.

• The Last Scottish Government has led the way in recognising the value of peatlands for wildlife, clean water and as carbon sinks sequestering atmospheric CO2 and locking it up. But plans are faltering and funding is hard to come by. Scotland must be a champion for Peatland science and conservation.