SNH’s Policies and Strategies

Our policies are the basis for our advice to government and to other public bodies. Policies develop a forward view of how new developments might affect the natural heritage and set out our approach and the principles that we will adopt in our work on relevant issues.

From this page you can access information on:

Consultation on SNH’s Policy Development Programme 2009-2012

We would welcome your views on natural heritage policy development work that we plan to do over the next 3 years. Our proposals are set out in a table that can be accessed here which shows the topic, purpose, outputs, key partners, likely timing and links to other policy areas.

There is a variety of reasons for the proposed work, for example to assist in the development and implementation of government policy, to work with partners on areas of mutual interest, or to clarify our approach to some existing or new areas of work.

At present we are mainly seeking views from partners who are likely to have an interest in the overall scope of our proposed policy development work (e.g. government, sister bodies, public sector) – but we will welcome comment from anyone or any organisation with an interest. We aim to engage more widely with stakeholders when taking forward specific items of policy development work.

The proposals are only for new work that is likely to require significant SNH staff time. They do not cover reviews of existing policies and guidance.

We will welcome comments on any aspect of our proposals, but we are particularly interested in your views on:

• The content. Do the proposals cover the main priorities for Scotland’s natural heritage? Please identify any significant gaps or changes in scope required.
• Timing. Does the indicative timing (year 1, 2 or 3) correspond with your understanding of the need and/or drivers for this work?
• Partnership working. Are there any items on which we could collaborate or work in partnership?

Please respond by 20 March 2009. If you have any questions about this consultation please contact Clive Mitchell or Rob Threadgould.

Corporate Strategy 2008-13

Our new Corporate Strategy 2008-13 sets out our strategic priorities for the next five years and our thinking as to why we have arrived at these.  There are five strategic priorities:

• Caring for nature
• Responding to climate change
• Delivering health and well-being
• Supporting the Scottish economy
• Delivering a high quality public service

We have renewed our Corporate Strategy to reflect changes in the strategic direction for SNH including the wider public policy agenda and the objectives of Scottish Government. The Strategy sets out the outcomes we want to achieve and the broad actions proposed for delivering them. 

Early in 2008 SNH consulted in public on a draft of this Strategy.  You can download an analysis of the responses (size 39KB) from this site.  SNH is indebted to those who responded and has taken note of that comment in the process of finalising the Corporate Strategy.

For further information please contact Mary Christie, Strategy & Communications Manager, Scottish Natural Heritage, Battleby, Redgorton, Perth PH1 3EW , tel 01738 458657.

A new Corporate Plan 2008-11 has also been developed for the immediate three year period which describes in more detail the various programmes of work to deliver these priorities and how we plan to resource these.

The Business Plan for 2009/10 specifies in more detail the targets we aim to achieve in the financial year and how we will go about measuring whether or not we've achieved them.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Corporate Strategy and Plan

In accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, SNH has undertaken a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the likely impacts of the proposed new Corporate Strategy and Plan.   Following screening and scoping stages, an Environmental Report was prepared.  SNH consulted the public on this at the same time as on the draft Corporate Strategy.  In finalising the Corporate Strategy, SNH has considered comments made on the Environmental Report alongside those on the draft Corporate Strategy.  Our SEA Adoption Statement (size 163 Kb, ) details how we have taken comments on both into account in finalising the Corporate Strategy.

We have also updated the Environmental Report (size  617 KB, ) to take account of amendments made in finalising the Corporate Strategy.

For further information, please contact: Mary Christie

SNH Climate Change Action Plan

One of the priorities in SNH’s new Corporate Strategy is Responding to Climate Change, specifically to understand the effects of climate change and help to deliver the contribution that the natural heritage can make to limiting it and adapting to it. SNH has prepared a statement on SNH's Approach and Action Plan which was launched by Stewart Stevenson, the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, in July 2009.  The Action Plan sets out what we will do for the next 5 years to deliver this Priority.

In preparing this statement, SNH undertook a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Plan's likely environmental impacts.  A report on comments received on the Plan and the environmental impact assessment, and an Adoption Statement saying how these were taken into account, is also available. 

For further information, please see our Climate Change and the Natural Heritage page or contact Martin Gaywood, John Baxter or Mary Christie.

Policy Summaries

Set out brief statements on our vision for the natural heritage, our priorities and objectives and the basis for our own actions and for the advice that we offer others.

Policy Statements

Provide longer statements of some SNH policies, some of which are available in printed form.

Natural Heritage Futures Programme

Our Natural Heritage Futures suite of documents aim to guide the sustainable management and use of the natural heritage.  They describe the features distinctive to each region in Scotland, and set out a vision for the natural heritage for 2025 and the objectives and actions required to pursue that vision. 

The original Natural Heritage Futures prospectuses were published in 2002, but SNH has now (August 2009) published an Update. For each of the prospectuses a statement has been produced that identifies significant changes since 2002 in policy drivers or legislative context, new mechanisms or changed priorities and the implications these have for the objectives and actions for the natural heritage.  Each should be read in conjunction with the original documents, and both may be downloaded from the following Webpage:

• Natural Heritage Futures

European and International Influencing Strategy (size 261KB)

This sets out how we intend to achieve Corporate Strategy priorities and programmes through influencing policies at the European and International level that affect the natural heritage of Scotland.

Health and the Natural Heritage policy

Flowing from the Delivering Health and Well-being priority within our corporate strategy, we have now published our policy on Developing the contribution of the natural heritage to a healthier Scotland.  We have also collated and summarised the evidence which shows links between public health and the natural heritage.

Review of SNH Recreational Policies

SNH has now updated its 1994 policy statement on 'Enjoying the Outdoors'. Further information on this statement and other reviews of related policies on Rangers, Country and Regional Parks and Paths (including Long Distance Routes) can be found here.