New landscape charter gets Scottish Government backing
It set out steps to implement the ELC in Scotland, encouraging democratic involvement, valuing all landscapes as national assets, and encouraging stewardship and shared responsibility.
A fresh charter by Scotland's Landscape Alliance, a coalition of 60 organisations, has been officially endorsed by the Scottish Government, and specifically addresses the climate and nature emergencies, with a new emphasis on sustainable land-use, biodiversity enhancement, and climate resilience.
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The new charter is designed to be regularly updated through an associated workshop series, and has also been formally endorsed by Nature Scot, Historic Environment Scotland, and the Scottish Land Commission.
As a result it will be integrated into public planning decisions, aligning with policy goals such as net zero, land reform and public health.
A case study included with the new charter focuses the Isle of Canna, where the community and the National Trust for Scotland worked together to make the island more sustainable and liveable.
They built new homes, improved paths, restored old buildings, and made the land better for wildlife, showing how people can shape their own landscapes in a way that protects nature, supports the local economy, and respects history with the community at the heart of the decisions.
The Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon said in a letter of support: "The Charter helpfully highlights the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change and points to landscape considerations being a key element in decision making if we are to achieve our ambition of a net zero and nature positive Scotland.'
Rachel Tennant, co-chair of Scotland's Landscape Alliance said: 'Scotland's landscapes define who we are as a nation and sustain and support us as people.
'Landscapes have always been shaped by social, economic and technological developments. However, the pressing global crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are now recognised as key factors accelerating the pace of this change.
'Our landscapes are evolving as a consequence of competing demands and these significant threats, but they also need to be subject to positive and constructive change as a result of our response to them.
'This charter is about promoting awareness of the critical contribution of the landscape to all our lives and to promote the action required to maximise the many benefits they bring now and for the future.'
Diarmid Hearns, interim director of conservation & policy at the National Trust for Scotland said: 'Everywhere we live in Scotland, be it urban, suburban, rural or beside our seas and rivers, faces the existential threats posed by climate change and biodiversity loss, as well as the economic impacts resulting from this and political and geopolitical events of recent times.
'If we are to thrive, then we need our landscapes to thrive too – they define us, our heritage and our diversity they affect our wellbeing, both mentally and physically, we rely on them for food, jobs and trade, and they are critical to positively protect and enhance biodiversity and the historic environment as well playing a key role in meeting the challenges of climate change
'The unavoidable truth is that we must take care of our landscapes and this means a collaborative, cross sectoral and a forward looking, thoughtful approach to how we design, plan and positively manage change in our landscapes. We need to work with communities of place and interest to deliver functional, resilient and dynamic landscapes and to make better choices for people and nature.'
To ensure the charter is promoted and actively used, an initial action plan for implementation will be created in the coming months and updated on annual basis. This will include an event to be held on 30 October 2025 to advance its development and subsequent updating.
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