Home to over 90,000 species, Scotland is well known as a country of outstanding scenery with hills, lochs, an extensive and varied coastline and numerous islands.
Though this may appear natural, the land has been modified by humans for thousands of years. This has led to a very different landscape but a fragmented one within which wildlife has become increasingly vulnerable and costly to protect. Though people are now far more aware than they were in the past, threats from habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation and climate change still abound. To address this and provide a secure future for the wildlife of Scotland, landscape and ecosystem scale initiatives are essential to heal this fragmented and vulnerable land.
A daunting challenge or an exciting opportunity?