Millions must be spent to protect Scotland’s wildlife from decline, say experts

SCOTLAND’S wildlife needs millions more spent on it each year to stem a worrying decline, according to a report by a coalition of wildlife groups.

Scottish Environment LINK – whose members include RSPB, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, Buglife, Marine Conservation Society, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Woodland Trust and Royal Zoological Society of Scotland –also warns that delivering green projects north of the border relies on the goodwill and enthusiasm of army of hundreds of thousands of volunteers.

“Scotland’s biodiversity, or wildlife, is rich and diverse,” says the report, Still Delivering The Goods, which looks at the role of environmental charities in protecting and enhancing nature in Scotland.

“This richness is often lauded, but not all is well; our wildlife has suffered and declined considerably over the years.

“At the most basic level, biodiversity is important because we all depend on it for our existence and it is an essential ‘public good’.

“Scotland has one of the most vibrant and active voluntary environment sectors in the world.

“Our environmental charities represent over 500,000 individuals who subscribe as members, donors, supporters and/or volunteers.

“They underscore the deep connections between nature and people in Scotland, and the huge enthusiasm for wildlife conservation among the Scottish public.”

But the report says government and other funding “will be inadequate to meet the challenges ahead”. Environmental bodies have called on the Scottish Government to review and reform existing public expenditure and procurement.

They also want to transform the Biodiversity Challenge Fund into a large-scale nature fund for Scotland and “properly fund” the statutory environment agencies so they can carry out their duties, “at a minimum by reinstating budgets to 2010 levels”. It has been estimated that a “Scottish Nature Fund” would need to be in the order of at least £10m per year to 2030.

“There is a clear need for a step change in funding for biodiversity conservation,” says the report. “If this happens, Scotland’s environmental charities stand ready to increase delivery for and on behalf of Scotland’s people.”