Land

The Co-op Foundation is offering funding of between £75,000 - £100,000 to support work in the food and farming sector which reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

They’re looking for innovative projects, movements, or inventions which not only deliver an environmental good, but contribute to real systems change, and can demonstrate a positive impact for people and communities too.

Scottish Futures Trust has published their new ‘Place Guide’

Living well locally is a key ambition of the Programme for Government.  Building the conditions to live well locally is about taking a place-based approach to needs, services and investment opportunities.

The Perth and Kinross Visitor Management Group is currently working on a Tourism Infrastructure Development Plan for 2022 – 2025 and are seeking the views of residents in the Perth and Kinross area.

The Coronavirus pandemic led to a vast increase in the number of visitors to Perth and Kinross throughout 2020-21 and the Group want to understand how the rise in staycations has affected residents and their communities so that they can continue to support them effectively.

New measures to expand numbers and restore biodiversity.

This will reduce or avoid negative impacts and help establish beaver presence in areas of Scotland outside their current range, beyond where natural expansion would be expected to reach in the short term.

Improved controls on the storage and application of slurry and digestate.

Amendments have been made to the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. These include improving controls on the storage of slurry and digestate to reduce leakage, and more targeted spreading to maximise the nutrient benefit and reduce emissions.

Legislation has been laid that will see Scotland ban some of the most environmentally damaging single-use plastic items, with the ban coming into effect on 1 June 2022. 

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said:

Scotland has become the latest nation to sign up to the 4 per 1000 initiative, which aims to boost carbon storage in agricultural soils and reduce the global carbon footprint.

Measures to limit spread of the disease.

Following confirmation of avian influenza (H5N1) among a flock of kept birds in the Angus constituency, laboratory results have identified the strain as highly pathogenic in poultry.

The next steps in reforming the agriculture sector in Scotland

Supporting farmers and crofters to cut emissions and produce sustainable, high quality food have been set out by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon. 

Farmers and crofters are to be supported to play their part in Scotland becoming a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

A National Test Programme will begin next spring, with up to £51 million of investment over the following three years.