Scotland's Land Use Strategy Annual Progress Report – 2024/2025

Legislation and Policy update

Agriculture and Rural Communities Act becomes law

In June 2024 MSPs backed legislation that will transform how the Scottish Government supports farming and food production.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act will ensure the Scottish Government can help farmers and crofters to produce more food more sustainably, supporting their essential role in climate mitigation and nature restoration. It will allow for a framework of payments that is responsive to the sector’s needs. It will also drive support for rural communities, the economy, and for land management and the environment.

Supports: All landscapes

Forestry

The independent study on the Economic Impact of Forestry in Scotland was published in July 2024. Commissioned by Scottish Forestry, it highlighted that Scotland’s forestry contributes £1.1 billion to the economy. The industry directly employs 10,380 people, a further 5,630 across wood processing and forest activities, and 18,130 in forestry-related tourism. This represents a 30% increase in forestry-related employment since 2015.

Supports: All landscapes

Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs)

The RLUPs pilot concluded in 2024. Following the experiences of this pilot, the Scottish Government has committed to transitioning four of the pilot RLUPs to a formal initiative.

Through this transitional period the partnerships can continue to develop organically whilst allowing for the further development of our understanding of how partnership working can help to optimise land use in a fair and inclusive way, meeting local and national objectives and supporting Scotland’s just transition to net-zero.

In April 2024, the Scottish Government announced plans to support a wider national roll-out of RLUPs. This will be informed by lessons from the four existing RLUPs and commence from 2026.

Supports: All landscapes

Trees on Farms

We continued to deliver the Integrating Trees Network supporting farmers and crofters across Scotland to develop their knowledge and understanding of planting and managing trees on their land. The peer-to-peer engagement project focuses on the practicalities, benefits and outcomes of integrating trees on farm and delivers free events and engagement materials tailored to farmers’ needs. The network won the 2024 Best Practice Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management award.

We are also considering opportunities to deliver new support for tree planting through future agricultural support schemes and are progressing a behavioural insights project to identify potential interventions to support tree planting on farms.

Peatland

In 2024 UNESCO recognised the global importance of one of Scotland’s most well-known natural habitats. The Flow Country in Caithness and Sutherland was granted World Heritage Site (WHS) Status by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.

The Flow Country joins Scotland’s six existing WHS - the Neolithic Heart of Orkney, New Lanark, The Antonine Wall, the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh and the Forth Bridge, which were all awarded the designation for their cultural heritage, and St Kilda, recognised for both its cultural and natural importance.

The bid for WHS designation was led by the Flow Country Partnership and was considered at the World Heritage Committee’s 46th annual meeting, held in New Delhi.

Supports: Semi-natural land

Natural Capital Investment

In November 2024, the Scottish government published its

Natural Capital Market Framework. It aims to foster responsible, values-led private investment that supports Scotland’s transition to a net zero and climate-resilient economy while delivering benefits to local communities. It embeds Scotland’s six principles for responsible investment, including integrated land use, engagement and collaboration, community benefit, and high environmental integrity.

These principles are designed to ensure that investments in natural capital markets meet the highest standards, delivering measurable environmental and social outcomes.

Supports: All landscapes