Latest Briefing in Ecosystems and biodiversity for 2009
Biodiversity Guidance For Public Bodies
The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 places a duty on Scottish public bodies, requiring them to further the conservation of biodiversity through the exercise of their functions.
Some generic information and guidance exists, but the extent of this guidance is unclear and its collation within a single location for ease of access and use has not occurred.
A need has been identified to assist public bodies in their task of protecting and enhancing biodiversity.
The objective of the project is to perform a scoping study to investigate the case for an interactive web based system providing an information source for public bodies on practical measures for promotion of biodiversity.
More specifically to:
- Identify a generic range of public body functions (e.g. grounds management activities, facilities management activities, procurement, planning and development control responsibilities etc);
- Identify with stakeholders the information and guidance needs of each function with respect to the biodiversity duty stemming from national legislation (e.g. the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act);
- Identify existing biodiversity guidance for and produced by public bodies (or other sectors, where appropriate or applicable) and assess, its applicability to public body functions, including best practice to support local and regional biodiversity;
- Identify gaps in existing guidance for public bodies with respect to delivery of the new biodiversity duty.
- Provide costed options for an internet-based tool that would allow public bodies to access this information and guidance.
Published on 23 November 2009 in Ecosystems and biodiversity
Briefings in Ecosystems and biodiversity for 2009
Reducing Sheep Stocking Rates Through Improved Fecundity
Research into how to manage sheep flocks to produce both increased economic outputs and biodiversity objectives. Read more
Published on 16 November 2009 in Ecosystems and biodiversity
Grassland Extensification: Impacts On Biodiversity And Animal Production
The impacts of changing the management of intensively managed pastures has been examined using two long-term (16 year) experiments at different sites where extensive grazing, abandonment and continued intensive grazing were compared by assessing impacts on productivity, soil chemistry, and species composition and plant diversity. Read more
Published on 12 October 2009 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity
Do We Have To Make Trade-Offs Between Biodiversity And Ecosystem Services?
Until recently, the impacts of agricultural change have been seen as a trade-off between productivity and biodiversity. Read more
Published on 5 August 2009 in Ecosystems and biodiversity
Why Diseases Of Animal Wildlife Matter
Scotland has a rich and diverse animal wildlife on land, the coastal regions and in the surrounding seas. Read more
Published on 22 June 2009 in Ecosystems and biodiversity
Biodiversity And Crop Plants
To maintain a productive agriculture we need to be drawing on a wealth of genetic resources, and using efficient mechanisms to incorporate the traits they bring into modern varieties to meet the challenges ahead. Read more
Published on 27 May 2009 in Ecosystems and biodiversity
Identifying And Supporting High Nature Value Farming Systems
Research to further develop the HNV farming systems concept but also to highlight the nature conservation importance of European HNV farming systems and the potential impacts of Common Agricultural Policy reforms on such systems. Read more
Published on 6 May 2009 in Ecosystems and biodiversity
The Emergence Of Squirrelpox As A Threat To Scotland's Red Squirrels
Published on 30 January 2009 in Ecosystems and biodiversity , Food, health and wellbeing
