‘Rewilding nation’ plan for Scotland
An alliance is calling on politicians to make Scotland the first ‘rewilding nation’, bringing social and economic benefits.
The Scottish Rewilding Alliance is calling on political parties to commit to key policies that it says will help achieve this.
It insists that bold measures are needed to help tackle the nature and climate crises.
The organisation believes the policies it is proposing, which include "robust" management of the country's deer population, could protect biodiversity and also provide a boost in rural economy.
Politicians are being urged to seize the social and economic benefits that would come with making Scotland the world's first "rewilding nation".
The Scottish Rewilding Alliance is calling on political parties to commit to key policies thatitsayswillhelpachievethis.
More than three quarters (76 per cent) of Scots backed the principle of rewilding, a poll last year for the alliance found.
Now it wants parties to sign uptopoliciessuchasacommitmenttorewilding30percentof publiclandandsettingupaspecialfundtosupportrewildingin towns and cities, thereby making the benefits of wide spaces available to more Scots.
Politicalleadersarealsobeing urged to support the reintroduction of key species to Scotland,includingre-homingbeavers,
as well as consider a pilot project to reintroduce the Eurasion lynx to Scotland, where there is both a suitable habitat for the creatures and local support.
The alliance, which is campaigningforscotlandtodeclare itself the first rewilding nation, insists that bold measures are neededtohelptacklethenature and climate crises.
The organisation believes policies it is proposing, which also include establishing an inshore recovery zone in Scotland's waters where dredging and trawling are prohibited, and "robust" management of the country's deer population, could protect biodiversity and also provide a boost in terms of rural employment.
Stevemicklewright,convener of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, said: "The parties and the public face many choices at this election, including major decisions which will shape the future of Scotland's lands and seas.
"We can do so much better than the status quo, which has left us with damaged and unproductive lands and seas, degraded carbon sinks, and a biodiversity crisis in parallel with the climate crisis.
"The Scottish Rewilding Allianceistodayurgingallthepoliticalpartiestocommittofivekey policy decisions over the next session, measures which can unlock rural and coastal economic potential, help us protectagainstclimatechangeand reduce our emissions, while allowing our plants and wildlife to come back in strength.
"The opportunities here are substantial,forourclimate,biodiversity,andforawiderangeof potential social and economic benefits."