Our land and seas support less people and nature than they once did – and could again.
2021 – 2030 is the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This is Scotland’s opportunity to declare itself the world’s first Rewilding Nation, committing to nature recovery across 30% of land and seas – for nature, climate and people.
Thousands of people and organisations have already signed the Rewilding Nation Charter because they want to see Scotland declared a Rewilding Nation.
But this declaration would be just the beginning. To make this happen, we need a Scottish Government committed to restoring our natural environment through groundbreaking legislation, sustainable funding and a clear vision for the nation.
1. REWILDING THE GOVERNMENT
Create a strong framework for rewilding throughout all levels of government, by introducing legislation and funding that support rewilding.
Introduce a Rewilding Nation Bill to create a plan that sets out how Scotland can achieve 30% of land and sea rewilding – delivering major benefits for people, nature and climate.
Support local authorities to produce Ecology Strategies and create Nature Networks that are
ecological corridors.
2. REWILDING AT SCALE
Upscale rewilding across Scotland’s landscapes and seascapes, restoring ecosystems and creating opportunities for local communities.
Make nature recovery the primary purpose of our protected landscapes and seascapes to
restore ecosystems, tackle climate breakdown and support local economies.
Establish Wild Zones around our coastline and rivers.
Ensure new ‘30 by 30’ sites are restoring natural processes.
3. COEXISTING WITH WILDLIFE
Ensure policy, legislation and public bodies support coexistence with wildlife and create robust procedures and funding for reintroducing missing native species.
Set national targets for habitat restoration as well as species abundance and diversity.
Champion the expansion of beaver populations in line with Scotland’s Beaver Strategy.
Streamline legislation for vital reintroductions of missing native species to help rebuild
healthy ecosystems.
Start work to reintroduce lynx to Scotland, listening and responding to feedback from
stakeholders and communities.
Ensure coexistence with wildlife is mainstreamed across government policies and public bodies.
4. RESTORING OUR LAND
Reduce pressure on and damage to ecosystems on land, create funding routes for restoration and support land managers to transition to rewilding approaches.
Ensure the sustainable management of deer numbers so habitats can regenerate.
Support land managers to expand riparian restoration and Natural Flood Management.
Ensure large businesses who make use of our land and sea are required to fund ecosystem restoration.
Require and incentivise cities and towns to integrate urban rewilding into their plans.
Double native woodland cover, with natural regeneration as the default approach.
Phase out commercial peat extraction nationwide and restore peatlands at pace.
Remove planning barriers that are holding back rewilding.
5. RESTORING OUR SEAS
Ensure the recovery of natural processes by protecting and restoring 30% of Scotland’s waters, ensuring that communities are actively involved.
Immediately restrict bottom trawling and dredging across Marine Protected Areas.
Establish an inshore recovery zone, to support sustainable fishing methods.
Support ambitious projects to restore carbon-rich habitats such as saltmarshes, seagrass, sea kelp and oyster beds.
Reform licensing processes for active marine restoration, incentivising seascape-scale restoration.
Create a network of community-based, trusted advisors to support sea users to transition to rewilding approaches.
Review options for and implement community governance of Marine Protected Areas.
Ensure the National Marine Plan supports the scaling up of rewilding and the prioritisation of nature recovery.
6. ECONOMY AND SKILLS
Embed the restoration of nature into Scotland’s economic strategy and workforce development.
Incentivise nature-based economies and jobs linked to rewilding as part of a just, green transition.
Establish ‘nature-based enterprise zones’ with business development support.
Deliver a skilled green workforce by fast tracking the development and accreditation of training
and apprenticeships to fill nature-based enterprise skills gaps.
Ensure that the restoration of nature is a key pillar of Scotland’s economic strategy.
7. COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION
Strengthen the connection between people and nature by ensuring that everyone can connect with, and benefit from, wilder nature throughout their lives.
Support a Right to Access Wild Nature and put in place solutions, including public transport to deliver this.
Enhance community participation in decision making processes and improve community benefit-sharing and ownership mechanisms.
Clarify crofter and tenant rights for carbon and biodiversity so they share benefits from nature restoration.
Support a Right to a Healthy Environment, establishing a human right to healthy ecosystems and a stable climate.
Develop green prescriptions and connection with nature in recovery pathways.
Reform the curriculum to ensure children can learn outdoors and connect with nature.
FIND OUT MORE
The Scottish Rewilding Alliance is a coalition of organisations that share a mission of enabling rewilding at a scale new to Scotland. Our members include environmental charities, community groups, farmers, small landowners and larger estates.
Since our launch in 2019, we have reached out beyond the rewilding movement to make links with others who care about how land and sea is managed for nature, climate and people in Scotland. We have urged the government to support rewilding. Our vision of rewilding has people and communities at its heart.
Find out more at rewild.scot