Written evidence submitted by The Scottish
Wildlife Trust
1. The Scottish Wildlife Trust wishes to restrict
its comments to the bill's provisions on Landfill Tax.
2. The Landfill Tax currently supports the Landfill
Communities Fund (LCF), which is an extremely important source
of funding for projects to support and enhance biodiversity for
the public benefit. Since LCF began in 1996, £ 74,342,711
has been awarded to good causes including biodiversity enhancement
in Scotland.
3. Conservation-relevant funding under two main
grant headings:
— Object
D—The provision, maintenance or improvement of a general
public amenity.
— Object
DA—The conservation of a specific species or a specific
habitat where it naturally occurs (ie biodiversity projects) which
was introduced in 2003.
4. The Scottish Wildlife Trust has been awarded
c. £3.6 million of LCF grant aid to date, with £1.2
million of specifically DA funding (although historically many
D projects encompass an element of biodiversity work).
5. Conservation projects supported by LCF over
the past two years have included:
| DA | Cathkin Marsh Community Wetland Project
|
| D | Montrose Basin—Wildlife in Focus
|
| DA | Commonhead Moss Local Nature Reserve Bog Restoration
|
| D | Improving Visitor Access at Sourlie Wood
|
| D | Enhancing Visitor Experience at Shewalton Woods
|
| D | Enhancing Access at Perceton Wood
|
| D | Improving Access at Oldhall Ponds Wildlife Reserve
|
| D | Lawthorn Wood Enhancements
|
| D | Corsehillmuir Wood Improvements
|
| D | Ayr Gorge Woodlands Improvements
|
| DA | Fife Conservation Grazing Project
|
| D | Enhancements to Southwick Coast Wildlife Reserve
|
| D | Cathkin Marsh Improvements
|
| DA | Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels (North East Scotland)
|
| D | Cullaloe Access Improvement Project
|
| D | Bankhead Moss Restoration Project
|
6. Other Landfill Tax-derived funding has provided essential
support to major biodiversity initiatives such as the Scottish
Beaver Trial. The current system allows for the funding of projects
which maximise biodiversity and conservation benefit disregarding
country boundaries within the UK and this has benefited Scottish
conservation.
7. Without LCF it is unlikely that projects which support
public policy objectives would have gone ahead. Examples include:
— Urban
mountain bike trail integrated into Physical Education curriculum
of local schools.
— Enhanced
access to the countryside via boardwalks, paths, interpretation.
— Coordinated
efforts to conserve red squirrel.
— First
(trial) reintroduction of a mammal species.
— Habitat
management and creation work to protect wide range of LBAP habitat
and species.
8. Biodiversity funding—already inadequate—should
not suffer from any change in taxation arrangements. The Aggregates
Levy, administered within the Sustainable Action Fund, was a significant
source of funding for the restoration of the natural environment,
biodiversity projects and a range of major projects with a general
relevance to aggregates and environmental impact.
9. Since 2008, Scotland's share of the money
raised by the UK Government from the Aggregates Levy is indirectly
reflected in the Scottish Government's overall spending review
settlement. Environmental spending is a devolved matter and the
Scottish Government's plans for environmental spending are set
out in its budget. The Budget published in November 2007 outlined
that planned spending on Sustainable Development and Climate Change
includes the new Climate Challenge Fund. This funding is far more
difficult for NGOs to access and as a result funding for biodiversity
projects has been reduced.
10. A change to the Landfill Tax which removes
Scottish access to the LCF would therefore mean that safeguarded
funding for biodiversity projects would be lost to Scotland.
11. The Scottish Wildlife Trust believes that
that a Scottish LCF or equivalent mechanism should be established
to ensure the continuation of this important source of funding
for supporting and enhancing Scotland's biodiversity.
12. ABOUT THE
SCOTTISH WILDLIFE
TRUST
The Scottish Wildlife Trust's central aim is to advance
the conservation of Scotland's biodiversity for the benefit of
present and future generations. With over 36,000 members, several
hundred of whom are actively involved in conservation activities
locally, we are proud to say we are now the largest voluntary
body working for all the wildlife of Scotland. The Trust owns
or manages 122 wildlife reserves and campaigns at local and national
levels to ensure wildlife is protected and enhanced for future
generations to enjoy.
SWT's vision for Scotland's wildlife requires a network
of healthy, resilient ecosystems supporting expanding communities
of native species across large areas of Scotland's land, water
and seas. This can be achieved through:
— Protecting
vulnerable areas from further loss.
— Restoring
and enhancing degraded habitats.
— Expanding
these areas to form an integral part of large-scale, wildlife-rich
landscapes.
— Having
a diverse range of people who are increasingly knowledgeable of,
and actively engaged in, wildlife and conservation.
January 2011
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