Scottish Borders Land Use Strategy pilot regional land use framework 28 th May 2014 RSA meeting Scottish Borders Council HQ Andy Tharme Scottish Borders Council Derek Robeson Tweed Forum
1.Background and update 2.Stakeholder engagement and mapping 3.Interim consultation
Scottish Borders Council s role Overall coordination and management of the pilot project including external GIS support Report to Scottish Government Tweed Forum s Role Coordinating Stakeholder Engagement University of Dundee (Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science)- providing scientific advice and draft of framework
LUS represents a shift in approach Delivering multiple benefits Partnership with nature Linking people with the land
Pilot Project objectives Reflects SG policies and regional/local policy Has regard to 10 LUS principles for sustainable land use Considers all major land uses in area Regional or catchment-scale Provides clarity for decision makers (opportunities & constraints, grant funding) Prepared in partnership (land use sectors) Takes an ecosystem approach Accounts for changing circumstances and cumulative impacts of land use change Land Reform Review not part of the brief
10 LUS principles deliver multiple benefits proportionate regulation and incentives prioritise land use understanding of ecosystem function and services they provide manage landscapes positively and sympathetically incorporate climate change adaptation and mitigation opportunities for outdoor recreation involve people increase awareness of land use influence of daily living
What will the framework look like? Primarily, a set of recommendations and lessons learned to Scottish Government to inform the next LUS 2016 A mapping tool to identify opportunities for ecosystem service delivery Locally, we may hope to apply the tool in combination with a strategy/policy framework that makes best use of existing policies and funding streams and help bid for resources
3 key stages Baseline mapping- asset mapping & policy mapping (complete Autumn 2013) Opportunities & Constraints (Stakeholder engagement & opportunity mapping Interim consultation on Key points Draft Framework & public consultation (Autumn 2014) Framework (complete by March 2015)
Progress to date Stage 1 Baseline Mapping complete (Asset, Policy) Introductory stakeholder engagement Stage 2 Opportunity maps developed Stakeholder engagement catchment workshops complete Key Stakeholder Group (Tweed Forum) Council internal stakeholder engagement ongoing SEA- scoping report End of Stage 2 (May) Interim consultation on key points Public consultation on draft framework autumn 2014
Key Outcomes of the LUS pilot? Helps Borders constructively inform the next national Land Use Strategy 2016 Evaluation tool could be adopted by the Council to inform Local Development Plan and Community Planning. Help inform land use decision making, drawing down and targeting EU, Rural Development Programme funding and other funding. Help protect our quality environment
Applying the evaluation toolidentifying trade-offs and potential for multiple benefits Increased flood protection Farming and rural businesses opportunities Landscape/Tourism/A ccess opportunities Fewer animals lost in bog Less liver fluke Enhanced livestock management More biodiversity
Tweed Forum s Role Derek Robeson, Tweed Forum Assist Scottish Borders Council work towards developing a framework. Raise awareness of the LUS pilot. To co-ordinate Stakeholder Engagement. To highlight the benefits of the approach being taken- The Ecosystem Approach.
Ecosystem Approach Cultural service -recreation Provisioning service - food Regulating service- filtration Supporting service- pollination
Provisioning Regulating Cultural Sustainability Meter
Stakeholder Engagement Groups Stakeholder Interest/Influence Matrix higher Local Authority Environmental NGOs Politicians National (MPs, MSP) Landowners Farmers Foresters Environmental Statutory Bodies SEPA, SNH, FC, HS Rural Business Land - Advisers RPID INTEREST Scottish Water Relevant Community Initiatives Further Education College (Schools) Rural Business - Tourism lower Rural Business - Retail General Public lower Renewables Industry/Business Community Councils Rural Business Farm Support (Supplies, Hauliers) Rural Business Processing INFLUENCE higher
Types of Stakeholder Facilitation Tweed Forum website Tweed Forum telephone service Written press releases for local newspapers Dedicated Organisational LUS meetings Key Stakeholder Group Meetings 14 Case study areas Use of existing organisational meetings to engage with the LUS Scottish Land & Estates Borders Estate Factors Group National Farmers Union of Scotland A Working Countryside Group Tweed Forum Area Advisory Group Royal Society of Arts Working the Tweed Government Organisations and Environmental NGO s
Stakeholder Facilitation Workshops Attendees at meetings on a regular basis 6 Government agencies 16 Non Government land based organisations Attendees at Meetings on a Quarterly basis 17 Key Stakeholder group Community/case study event workshops 14 case study workshops Number of people participating at meetings, workshops, talks and events Via e-mail- 44 Organisational representatives 36 Community Councils dedicated LUS Over 470 people directly engaged/240 made written responses Business, Tourism & Renewables in stage 3
19 Natural Capital / Stock Maps Energy Areas of archaeological Significance Local places of interest Recreational areas Areas prone to flooding Biodiversity & Nature Habitat extent Cropped land Flood Risk Forestry Land erosion risk Landscape value Livestock production Pollination areas Soil Carbon Vegetation Carbon Water Quality risk Areas of high water run off and slopes Field Sports
Provisioning service - cropping
Regulating service soil carbon
Supporting service Biodiversity resilience
Case Study Areas
Case Study Area Workshops
What are the future land use opportunities? What do you see as the priorities for land use in the area? What are the main benefits provided by the current types of land What future types of land use could be adopted and supported to deliver multiple benefits from their management? What do you see as the main causes of potential conflict between different land uses? How could future land use opportunities be realised? What would help with making these difficult land management choices? And what mechanisms might be developed to enable this?
Protection of silage field Woodland planting Carbon storage Reduction in peak flows through Hawick
Eddleston- Biodiversity Opportunities
Eddleston- Opportunities for Slowing the flow
Protection of silage field Woodland planting Carbon storage Reduction in peak flows through Hawick
9 Land Use Opportunity Maps 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Food production - livestock Food production - crops Woodland expansion Natural flood management (NFM) Diffuse pollution control Carbon storage (soil & vegetation) Recreational enhancement Biodiversity enhancement Species conservation and habitat linkages 9. (Renewable Energy- wind)
Interim Consultation on Key Points Mapping within the framework Land Uses Key opportunities to achieve multiple benefits Stakeholder engagement: Land owners and land managers, Communities Possible uses of the Framework: SRDP Tweed Catchment Management Plan Council: LEADER, EMF, Planning, Access & cultural heritage Government & statutory agencies Consultation document: http://www.tweedforum.org/lus
Mapping within the framework Q: Is an appropriate scale of mapping 1) Regional scale and 2) River catchment
Land Uses Q: Priority land uses- farming, forestry, tourism, recreation, biodiversity/conservation Key opportunities Q: Land use issues: food production, woodland expansion, flood protection, water resources/drainage, biodiversity, diffuse pollution control, carbon in soils and veg., provision for tourism and access, field sports, onshore wind, transport, countryside education
Stakeholder engagement Q: Has consultation process been effective to date?
Other possible uses of the Framework Q: Use of framework to assist targeting locally important measures under SRDP? Q: Use of framework to inform Catchment Management Plans and co-ordinated action of NGOs?
Other possible uses of the Framework: Council focused action Q: Use of framework to guide LEADER and EU Maritime Fisheries Fund? Q: Use of framework as an advisory tool to help guide Planning? Q: Use of framework to inform Local Transport and Access Strategy, Historic environment Strategy and Cultural Strategy?
Other possible uses of the Framework Q: Use of framework to guide the programmes of Scottish Government and statutory agencies?
Consultation period: 28 May-27 June 2014 Please download the consultation report from Tweed Forum s website and email back your response to Tweed Forum http://www.tweedforum.org/lus
http://www.tweedforum.org/lus