Scotland is well positioned to initiate the large-scale creation and restoration of habitats, for the benefit of people and wildlife. Work to increase connectivity has already begun in many areas, and there are exciting opportunities to expand this in future. Susan Davies, Jonathan Hughes and Bruce Wilson summarise some of the key projects and explain how they can be scaled up to deliver a National Ecological Network for Scotland.
We are accustomed to the landscapes and wildlife around us but often without fully appreciating past environmental degradation or the continued pressures from threats such as climate change, agricultural intensification, habitat fragmentation, wetland drainage and the increasing prevalence of pests, diseases and invasive non-native species. These threats are eroding the capacity of ecosystems to provide habitats within which species can thrive, thereby diminishing their function and the vital goods and services that these ecosystems provide for people.