Scottish Government biodiversity duty report 2021-2023

13. Digital

13.1 Introductory information

The Scottish Government Digital Directorate works to make Scotland a leading digital nation and provide leadership on all digital matters affecting the public sector. This Directorate is responsible for:

• developing and implementing the Scottish Government's digital strategy;
• delivering broadband connectivity;
• providing a foundation for the digital delivery of public services;
• raising levels of digital participation amongst individuals and businesses.

Support for biodiversity action has been provided primarily through two separate workstreams:

• The Peatlands Internet of Things (IoT) Project; and,
• The CivTech programme, which supports the development of innovative solutions to challenges arising across the public sector.

The CivTech Programme is an innovation programme within the Digital Directorate which takes public sector problems (Challenges) and works with private sector innovators to solve these Challenges. A range of themes are covered including Challenges under the ‘Innovate for Nature’ theme which include Challenges linked to increasing biodiversity in Scotland. In addressing these Challenges CivTech is enabling public bodies to improve delivery for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity.

13.2 Actions to protect and enhance biodiversity

Peatlands Internet of Things (IoT) Project

SG Digital Connectivity provided funding of £60k towards the Western Isles Internet of Things (IoT) project with Farrpoint in the Western Isles. The project produced three cases studies, including peatlands water level monitoring in the Pairc Estates area. The successful Peatlands pilot was an IoT-enabled solution for real-time peatland monitoring, developed with the Scottish Government, Peatlands Action and The Scottish Futures Trust.

Monitoring peatland to measure its water content has traditionally been a manual task, with regular travel to monitoring stations in often remote locations. Farrpoint - an independent connectivity and smart technology consultancy firm - engaged with NatureScot and Scottish Water to install 10 sensors in strategically identified locations at Loch Orasaigh to enable real-time monitoring of the peatland condition using the Peatlands Monitoring Dashboard. This also gives the ability to provide real-time information about the impact of any potential future restoration work on the health of the peatland.

A comprehensive evaluation of the pilot found the technology could result in;

• reduced costs of monitoring the peatland site,
• reduced environmental impact of monitoring - removing the need to travel to the site, as well as reducing the disruptive impact of visits on the natural peatland,
• improved quality and timeliness of the monitoring data,
• enhanced ability to remotely monitor issues with sensors.

NatureScot took ownership of the Peatlands IoT database and kit in 2023. If restoration works are carried out by the Estate, NatureScot and the Peatland ACTION project will be able to monitor the impact of restoration works and make a comparison with a year’s worth of data, as well as roll out to other locations.

CivTech

CivTech work with a range public bodies to solve public sector Challenges. The following Challenges include a biodiversity element and further detail on impact and current position can be provided by the individual public bodies:

CivTech 5

• Challenge 5.2: How can we use technology to estimate herbivore populations and their impacts across Scotland in a greener and more cost effective way? Sponsor: NatureScot.
• Challenge 5.3: How can digital help farmers improve the environment under their stewardship, and track that improvement? Sponsor: NatureScot.

CivTech 6

• Challenge 6.3: How can technology help us identify peatland restoration sites that will optimise costs and benefits? Sponsor: SG Environment & Forestry Directorate.
• Challenge 6.4: How can we use technology to help land managers make informed land-use decisions and increase carbon capture and storage? Sponsors: Southern Uplands Partnership, The Langholm Initiative, John Muir Trust, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Government.

CivTech 7

• Challenge 7.1: How can technology help us detect beaver burrows in the wild and assess their associated risks to public and private interests? Sponsor: NatureScot.

CivTech 8

• Challenge 8.3: How can technology help to create a nature network by 2030 across all of the different areas of Scotland? Sponsors: NatureScot, Scottish Wildlife Trust.
• Challenge 8.4: How can technology help us better assess and identify projects and opportunities that will improve and increase investment in Scotland’s marine natural capital? Sponsor: SG Marine Directorate.
• Challenge 8.5: How can technology help NatureScot flexibly manage its understanding of the state of protected areas by making best use of available evidence? Sponsor: NatureScot.
• Challenge 8.6: How can biodiversity credits be designed in a way that provides simplicity for projects and buyers, and enables investment in Scotland’s nature? Sponsors: NatureScot, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Government.

13.3 Mainstreaming biodiversity

CivTech brings together private sector innovators to solve public sector challenges. The development of the ‘Innovate for Nature’ component brought together Scottish Government teams, including across Environment & Forestry, Marine and Digital, NatureScot, and multiple organisations across Scotland with environmental objectives to develop Challenges in the climate, biodiversity and green area (as noted above). Project teams work through these Challenges to overcome barriers and find opportunities for the delivery of actions for biodiversity.

13.4 Public engagement and workforce development

CivTech work with a number of public bodies who have biodiversity and conservation aims, targets and policies (see above) and collaborate with these organisations on related events, to raise awareness and share knowledge resulting from our Challenge projects. In addition, sponsoring SG teams share information and knowledge exchange across policy areas to inform policy development.

13.5 Research and monitoring

The Farrpoint website contains information about the Peatlands IoT project, and an evaluation report. Any further learning will be made by NatureScot should subsequent peatland restoration work be taken forward, as to where this approach can gather data to assess the impact of restoration activities.

13.6 Biodiversity highlights

Peatland IoT

The Peatland IoT project aligns with the Scottish Government’s £250 million, 10-year peatland restoration initiative to significantly reduce carbon emissions and support biodiversity as part of its climate change plan. It also showcases our view that IoT will transform every sector of our economy, from manufacturing to agriculture and presents an exciting opportunity to revolutionize the way businesses and the public sector across Scotland work.

The Peatlands project won the Product/Service Innovation award at the ScotlandIS Digital Technology Awards in May 2023. ScotlandIS’ Innovation award recognises a service or product that can be viewed as innovative or disruptive, harnessing the power of digital to secure a clear market success.

CivTech

The CivTech ‘Innovate for Nature’ component to the Programme brought together Scottish Government, NatureScot and multiple organisations across Scotland with environmental objectives to identify – and press forward with solving - Challenges in delivering action to address the climate and biodiversity crises. The ‘Innovate for Nature’ theme is set to continue as a key component of future CivTech cohorts.