Landscape restoration category added to annual nature awards
LARGE-scale landscape restoration has been included as a new category in awards celebrating nature conservancy and improvement in Scotland.
The annual Nature of Scotland awards – run jointly by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Scottish Government agency, NatureScot – is this year handing out prizes in ten categories, of which landscape restoration is the latest.
The 30th of next month is the deadline for entries, in the following categories: Business of Nature, Coasts and Waters, Community Initiative, Conservation Science, Food and Farming (brought back after a brief absence), Health and Wellbeing, Innovation, Large-scale Landscape Restoration, Nature and Climate Action, and RSPB Species Champion.
Says RSPB, here, of its new award category: “Scotland’s landscapes face unprecedented challenges due to the biodiversity and climate emergencies. Such a significant threat requires a landscape-scale, sustained and collaborative approach from many partners and local communities, working together to restore nature.
“New for 2023, this category celebrates the success of larger-scale landscape restoration work that has been undertaken across Scotland, usually involving collaboration.
“Projects involving both land and seascapes will be considered – the main criteria here is that these projects must have environmental impact and deliver public benefits at a significant scale.
“The objectives and achievements of those projects should be transformational, and applicants should outline the long-term vision and conservation outcomes for wildlife and landscapes and any additional community benefit achieved.
“We’re looking for projects that are innovative, drive change, and have a positive impact in the battle against the biodiversity and climate emergencies and that enhance Scotland’s landscapes.
“We would like to hear from initiatives that deliver large scale restoration of our landscapes or seascapes, and which make a significant contribution towards achieving the Scottish Government’s commitment to protect at least 30 per cent of our land and sea for nature by 2030, as well as meeting ‘Net Zero’ targets.
“This award is open to partnerships, communities, non-government organisations (NGOs) and private landowners that can demonstrate significant environmental benefit to Scotland’s biodiversity and landscapes.”
Picture credit: Place Design Scotland
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