Scottish Bracken Working Group minutes: June 2026

Attendees and apologies

Chair: Jackie Hughes, Scottish Government

Elizabeth Hadley, Scottish Government (BWG secretariat)  
Kirsten Banks, Scottish Government  
Richard Scales, Scottish Government  
Alanis Maciver, Scottish Government  
Robin Pakeman, James Hutton Institute  
Jacqueline Tait, Scottish Water
Lorna Scott, NFUS
Eleanor Kay, Scottish Land & Estates  
Andrew Gouldstone, RSPB  
Darrell Crothers, SEPA
Louise Roger, Historic Environment Scotland  
Nicky Downing, National Trust for Scotland  
Katrina Candy, Heather Trust  
Elaine Archer, Soil Association  
 

Items and actions

1.    Review of Previous Minutes and Actions

Introduction:

• Last meeting held in January 2026; April meeting postponed due to low member availability and limited updates
• New attendees welcomed
• Previous minutes published on Scottish Government website; no amendments raised

Actions review/Next steps:
Terms of reference & group future

• Not yet progressed - to be revisited after publication of current key outputs (bracken map, survey, stakeholder event)
• Group remains a short-life working group pending member and Ministerial input

Bracken map & survey updates

• Ongoing; both covered under current agenda
• Actions remain open until publication

NatureScot guidance feedback

• No update 
• Secretariat to follow up and determine if action should remain open

Glyphosate monitoring

• Scottish Water data shared but insufficient to allow for pre/post-Asulox comparison of glyphosate residues in water
• SW will continue monitoring and raise any emerging trends with the group
• SEPA will check if they have any pre- and post-Asulox glyphosate in water residue data.

Completed actions

• Sharing of Innovative Farmers Network session
• Ministerial update
• Initial stakeholder event planning begun

Ministerial update

• Confirmation that Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands, has continuing responsibility for bracken policy
• The Minister supports on-farm stakeholder event, timing dependent on ministerial availability

2. Scottish Government & NatureScot updates

2.1 Scottish Bracken map
Richard Scales updated the group on the bracken mapping project, demonstrated the mapping layer, which is now complete, and invited comments and discussion from members. Publication is expected in August 2026. 

Future development: Planned biennial updates (subject to resource availability). Potential improvements could include:

• LiDAR integration
• Enhanced ground-truth data
• Higher-resolution imagery

Discussion points

• Is there potential to analyse bracken extent at individual landholding level using GIS tools? It was confirmed that this would be feasible where boundaries were known, but the published map wouldn’t contain agricultural holding boundary data. 
• How does the model perform in distinguishing between bracken and purple moor grass? The technical report will be shared with group members for information which outlines the certainty of model output. The mapping layer can also be interrogated in areas where purple moor grass is known to be present and any misclassification noted for future iterations 
• There was interest in possible retroactive modelling (pre-2015), this may be feasible though limited by availability of adequate training data

2.2 Survey of Bracken extent and treatment
Summary statistics, not yet quality checked, were presented. The survey will be published in August, and the draft report circulated to the group for review prior to publication. 

Key summary findings:

• 373 responses: 30% of respondents reported bracken presence, primarily on rough grazing/unimproved land. Of a sampled 100,000 ha grassland, 3,500 ha affected by bracken (3% of sampled area) Bracken change over last 5 years: 33% increased, 10% decreased, 55% unchanged
• 35% had treated bracken in last 5 years, 25% treated in 2025

Primary treatment methods were mechanical control. Data were collected about treatment efficacy, cost and future bracken treatment intentions

2.3 NatureScot updates: 

• New case studies published on NatureScot website: Naturescot website Bracken page”
• Infographic (decision-tool for land managers) in development. Welsh Government Cost Tool: Beta version published, designed to compare bracken control costs, members invited to review and feedback. Estimate the cost of options for bracken control (beta) | GOV.WALES.  . 

3. Scottish Water update
Proposal to trial a mechanical bracken control tool described as an arm-mounted flail-type machine. Scottish Water lacks suitable test sites so request to group for potential trial sites (particularly near river catchments) and stakeholder expressions of interest.

Further details to be provided by Scottish Water (Jack Fullerton). Possibility of dedicated discussion session and integration with stakeholder event raised.

4. Stakeholder meeting
Agreed format: In-person, on-farm event, August 2026. Proposed location of Soil Association Innovative Farmers site (near Dundee). Objectives:

• Demonstrations of control methods
• Knowledge sharing
• Stakeholder engagement

Challenges:

• Low interest in attendance at previous event (October 2025).
• Need for improved outreach using member networks.

5. Roundtable updates

• Heather Trust Research and Demonstration Hub Proposal (Highland Perthshire) - Funding bid submitted. Includes research on innovative control methods and health impacts
• JHI studentship (plant level bracken responses to control methods) - Initial funding bid unsuccessful; alternative funding routes being explored
• Soil Association - Ongoing work on non-chemical bracken learning network. Upcoming session at Oxford Farming Conference (Jan 2027)
• National Trust for Scotland - Small-scale trials ongoing (findings to be collated and shared - expected 2027)
• RSPB raised the importance of continuing to talk about mechanical control risks when running outreach activities and how timing/planning can mitigate: 
  • Wildlife disturbance (birds, reptiles)
  • Archaeological damage (Historic Scotland also emphasised need for clear guidance regarding mechanical use near remains)
• Need for context-specific decision-making tools (supported by infographic work)

Next meeting:

• Likely to be aligned with stakeholder event (August 2026)
• Further meeting to follow post-publication of map and survey to determine future direction of the group.

Key actions:

BWG6-01: Secretariat to share draft survey report for review (pre-publication).

BWG6-02: Secretariat to circulate: Bracken map (pre-release), NatureScot case studies, Welsh cost tool link

BWG6-03: Secretariat to follow up with NatureScot on outstanding feedback action.

BWG6-04: Secretariat to liaise with minister’s office to confirm stakeholder event date and begin detailed event planning

BWG6-05: Secretariat to coordinate stakeholder outreach to ensure attendance.

BWG6-06: Scottish Water to provide detailed information on mechanical tool.

BWG6-07: Scottish Water to identify requirements for trial sites.

BWG6-08: Scottish Water to engage with group (possibly via dedicated session).

BWG6-09: SEPA to check for additional glyphosate monitoring data.

BWG6-10: All members to provide feedback on: Draft survey report, Welsh cost tool, Bracken map (if shared pre-publication)

BWG6-11: All members to suggest: Case studies, Trial sites, Event participants and to support outreach for stakeholder event.

BWG6-12: Soil Association/Event Partners to confirm feasibility of farm-based event site and coordinate with SG on event planning.

 

Related links: 

Report of survey of Bracken presence and management practices on Scottish grassland farms - 2025

Scottish Bracken Map Interactive map viewer: Scottish Bracken Map 2024 and metadata records Classification and Probability