Planning decisions can directly affect the long-term health of Scotland’s wildlife. With the demand for development increasing all the time – from commercial and domestic buildings to transport infrastructure and agriculture – the need to protect our native habitats has never been greater.
Thanks to the sterling work of our network of over 20 local volunteer groups, together with our Policy staff, the Scottish Wildlife Trust aims to directly influence planning decisions at a local and national level.
Planning for the future
Only a holistic approach – recognising that biodiversity loss affects people as much as it does wildlife – will help us achieve a sustainable future for our built environment. We have produced a number of documents that explain how biodiversity and nature conservation should be supported by the policy, practice and legislation associated with the Scottish planning system. These are as follows:
- Our vision for rebuilding Scotland’s wildlife
- How the planning system should promote biodiversity
- Guidance for planning authorities on the Biodiversity Duty
How you can get involved
Whether you’re a planning expert or a complete beginner, you too can help make a difference to Scotland’s wildlife.
Here are a number of things that you can do to help in this area of the Trust’s work:
- Become familiar with the planning system – download our short information sheet to get started.
- Learn how to respond to an application – guidance can be found in this information sheet.
- Contact your nearest volunteer group to find out more about planning in your local area.
Marine Planning
To find out about marine planning, click here.