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NatureScot

NatureScot
NàdarAlba (Scottish Gaelic)

Great Glen House in Inverness, headquarters of NatureScot
Organisation overview
Formed1992 (1992) (as Scottish Natural Heritage)
Preceding agencies
TypeExecutive non-departmental public body
JurisdictionScotland
HeadquartersGreat Glen House, Inverness
Employees814 (Q4 2024)[1]
Annual budget£68.8m (2022–23)[2]
Organisation executives
Parent departmentScottish Government (Environment and Forestry Directorate)
Websitewww.nature.scot Edit this at Wikidata

NatureScot (Scottish Gaelic: NàdarAlba) is the operating name for the body formally called Scottish Natural Heritage.[3] It is an executive non-departmental public body[1] of the Scottish Government responsible for the country's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government on nature conservation, and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e. national nature reserves, local nature reserves, national parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and the national scenic areas. It receives annual funding from the Government in the form of Grant in Aid to deliver Government priorities for the natural heritage.

NatureScot is the Scottish Government's adviser on all aspects of nature, wildlife management and landscape across Scotland, and also helps the Scottish Government meet its responsibilities under European environmental laws, particularly in relation to the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive.[4] The agency currently employs in the region of 700 people, but much of NatureScot's work is carried out in partnership with others including local authorities, Government bodies, voluntary environmental bodies, community groups, farmers and land managers. The body has offices in most parts of Scotland including the main islands. NatureScot works closely with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the equivalent bodies for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to ensure a consistent approach to nature conservation throughout the United Kingdom and towards fulfilling its international obligations.

The agency was formed in 1992 as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).[5] In November 2019 it was announced that SNH would be re-branded as NatureScot, however its legal persona and statutory functions would remain unchanged.[6] The change took effect on 24 August 2020.[7]

  1. ^ a b "National public bodies directory - Executive non-departmental public bodies". Scottish Government. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  2. ^ "SNH Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23" (PDF). NatureScot. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  3. ^ "NatureScot Framework Directive". NatureScot.
  4. ^ "European Reporting". JNCC. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "National nature agency to become 'NatureScot'". Scottish Natural Heritage. 19 November 2019. Archived from the original on 19 January 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference rebrand was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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