Environment

Scotland's Pinewood Conference

This October, Scotland’s Pinewood Conference 2024, aims to bring together a wide range of people interested in pinewood management to examine how landscape scale management can lead to ecosystem recovery, focusing on western pinewoods.

Lunchtime 101: Sewage sludge on farmland

What are the environmental and health risks of spreading sewage sludge on farmland? Hear from campaigners and experts on the issues with regulation of sewage sludge in Scotland.

Why you should know about sewage sludge spreading

 

The Chief Statistician has released more detailed figures on agricultural emissions. Results show that in 2022 total agriculture emissions fell by 3% to 7.7 MtCO­2e. Increased fertiliser prices may have contributed to the decrease in emissions from agriculture in 2022, as usage rates fell from the previous year.

Legislation giving Ministers and local authorities the tools needed to increase reuse and recycling rates, as well as modernise and improve waste and recycling services, has been passed.

The Circular Economy Bill will give Ministers the powers to:

Yesterday (24 June) an updated version of the Agricultural Reform route map was published to include the expectation that existing systems will be used to deliver support in 2025-2027. 

This means that the way famers and crofters apply for and claim support and the current timetable for submission and payments is expected to continue over the next three years.

Saving Wildcats talk at Laggan Village Hall

European wildcats crossed from the Continent into Britain after the end of the last Ice Age, around 9,000 years ago. Once widespread, the species is now on the brink of extinction in Scotland. A sad history of habitat loss, persecution and, more recently, breeding with domestic cats, has forced the Highland Tiger to a point where the population is no longer viable.  Without urgent action, wildcats will be lost forever from our shores.

Scottish Forestry are funding a limited number of free Farm Woodland Assessments within the Central Scotland Green Network, which covers an area stretching from Ayrshire and Inverclyde in the west to Fife and the Lothians in the east.

The assessments will allow farmers the opportunity to assess their landholding for potential planting with no future obligations.

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

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill 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.

MyParkScotland have announced the launch of the first round of the Parks4Life Community Fund. 

The primary goal of the Parks4Life Community Fund is to support community groups to deliver on their aim in bringing their parks to life and make the best of our parks for everyone to enjoy now and in the future.

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