Scotland's Land Use Strategy: annual progress report – 2025-2026

Strategies, Consultations and Plans

Climate Change Plan

In March 2026 the Scottish Government published its Climate Change Plan which sets out the policies and proposals we will take forward to enable our carbon budgets to be met between 2026 and 2040, including through specific measures on land use, land use change and forestry.

The plan also sets out how we will protect, manage and restore Scotland’s peatlands. The package details our ambition to reach over 400,000 hectares by 2040. The Peatland ACTION five year partnership plan 2025 – 2030 was published in December. ^[1] The plan is the first in a series of rolling five-year plans designed to deliver Scotland’s long-term vision for peatland restoration. It aims to help the partnership focus on the right priorities at the right time as we progress towards our proposed 2040 restoration target.

Supports: All landscapes

Environment Strategy

The Environment Strategy, published in March 2026, creates an integrated framework for Scotland’s environment and climate policies. This will support us to take a joined up approach to tackling the global nature, climate and pollution crises. The strategy also aims to support a whole-of-government approach for fulfilling Scotland's role in tackling the global crises of nature loss, climate change and pollution.

Supports: All landscapes

Circular Economy Strategy

The Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland, published in March 2026, sets out the rationale and benefits of a more circular economy within the wider economic framework. It describes our vision to 2045 and the outcomes that we are working towards.

Supports: All landscapes

Forestry and Land Scotland Corporate Plan

Forestry and Land Scotland published its corporate plan in March 2026. It sets out how they will continue to manage the natural asset that is our national forests and land to achieve and deliver on those priorities in the years ahead, while at the same time embedding a culture of adaptation and continual improvement, striving for operational excellence, and working towards long-term financial sustainability.

Supports: Semi-natural Land

Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan

This plan was published in December 2025 and sets out actions to accelerate active restoration of habitats and species across Scotland and support communities interested in undertaking restoration.

Supports: Coastal and Marine

Regional Marine Plans

Scotland’s first statutory regional marine plan, the Shetland Islands Regional Marine Plan was published in December 2025. Following this, in February 2026, the Orkney Islands Regional Marine Plan was published. These plans provide a framework for the management of their marine regions, guiding decision-makers with regards to the development and use of the sea. These plans also support alignment between terrestrial and marine planning regimes, and consideration of impacts across the land-sea interface.

Supports: Islands,Coastal and Marine

Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research Strategy 2027 to 2032

The Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research: Strategy 2027 to 2032 is our major science research funding programme. The strategy, published in March, outlines the vision, priorities and mechanisms for the next cycle of multidisciplinary research covering the period from 2027 to 2032.

Supports: All landscapes

Wildfire Strategic Action Plan

Scotland is facing a serious and escalating threat from wildfires. To lead a coordinated approach to preventing, preparing for and responding to wildfires in Scotland, the Scottish Government published its Wildfires: strategic action plan in March 2026.

Supports: All landscapes

Second National Islands Plan

The Scottish Government published a new National Islands Plan in February 2026. Under an overarching population retention and attraction theme, the plan introduces a set of targeted actions collectively aimed at strengthening the long-term resilience and prosperity of Scotland’s island communities. Informed by extensive engagement with islanders, the plan takes a flexible, localised approach to delivery.

Supports: Islands

Good Food Nation Plan

The first National Good Food Nation Plan was published in December 2025. It sets out our vision for Scotland’s food system underpinned by six over-arching outcomes we are working towards. We have also set out indicators used to assess progress towards achieving them and details of food-related policies and initiatives from across the Scottish Government.

Supports: Enclosed farmland and Semi-natural

Land Use and Agriculture Just Transition

A consultation regarding a Just Transition within land use and agriculture was held between August and October 2025. It sought to introduce and expand the reach of the concept of a just transition for land use and agriculture to a wider audience, and to clarify where people think the priorities should lie during the early stages of the just transition journey. This was complemented by additional stakeholder engagement during the consultation window and the Consultation Analysis Report was published in February 2026.

Supports: All landscapes

Biodiversity

In December the Scottish Government published Biodiversity Planning Guidance which sets out expectations for implementing and delivering National Planning Framework (NPF) 4 policies that support the cross-cutting NPF4 outcome 'improving biodiversity'.

Supports: All landscapes

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Areas where the concentrations of nitrate in the water environment that exceed, or are likely to exceed, the levels set in the Nitrates Directive are designated as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs). Mandatory rules, set out in the Action Programme, must be followed by farmers to reduce nitrate loss from agricultural land to protect drinking water supplies and the water environment from pollution.

Between July and October 2025 the Scottish Government consulted on our review of the Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2008 (NVZ-AP). This review covers the measures in the Action Programme to evaluate whether they remain sufficient to achieve the aim of reducing the loss of nitrate from farming to the water environment. Overall, the majority of respondents supported the NVZ-AP review proposals to not make any changes at the present time. The NVZ-AP is reviewed every four years.

Supports: All landscapes