RSS Press releases

The Natural Capital theme, as identified in the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, underpins the development of the rural economy, and supports clean growth. The UK and Scottish Governments will jointly fund up to £5 million in Scotland, to develop trials and strategies to capture the benefits of the region’s natural capital.

There are six pilot projects proposed in the South of Scotland to be funded by these allocations. These projects will deliver a series of interventions designed to demonstrate the impact of investment in natural capital assets to support long-term economic benefit, through supporting jobs, businesses growth and by providing learning for embedding natural capital into future investment.

The six pilots are:

• Two Agri-Environment Pilot – led by Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders Councils
• Woodland Pilot: Integrated Land Use and Woodland Creation – led by Scottish Borders
• Marine Pilot: A Sustainable Solway Economy – led by Dumfries and Galloway Council
• Investment Pilot: Borderlands Natural Capital Investment Plan - Joint led by SOSE
• Data Pilot: Natural Capital Data Audit and Mapping - Joint led by SOSE

The Dumfries and Galloway focused pilots are the Agri-environment whole farm plans to be delivered in partnership by the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere and the Solway Marine pilot to be delivered in partnership by the Solway Firth Partnership.

Whole Farm Audits and Natural Capital Advisory - This will focus on engagement of farmers and land managers in the Biosphere, with new ways of working to protect and enhance natural capital, and identification of the potential benefits to them through new revenue models linked to public and private sector investment. This will deliver direct economic benefit through new jobs and GVA, as well as safeguarded livelihoods, more sustainable businesses, skills and innovation, and long-term investible projects for the private sector.

Marine Pilot - A Sustainable Solway Economy - Habitat restoration in support of biodiversity, climate mitigation and the fishing and shellfish industry and saltmarsh-based livestock products, as well as water quality and coastal flood defence. This will deliver direct economic benefit through new jobs and GVA, as well as a sustainable farming and fishing industry, additional benefits for the visitor economy, safeguarded livelihoods, and enhanced flood resilience, delivering a legacy of skills, research, and capacity in the region.

To facilitate the research and innovation in the region, it is proposed to build a new research centre on the Stranraer waterfront. The project will focus on key strategic interventions to boost the cost effectiveness of the restoration and expansion of key habitat (native oysters, seagrass and salt marsh) in support of economic, climate, biodiversity and recreation benefits.

It is proposed that the building would be owned by the Council for the duration of the project and then passed to an independent charitable organisation to continue the work initiated through the Borderlands project. This project will be delivered in partnership with the Solway Firth Partnership (as delivery partner). There is also great interest from The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere as it is hoped their 10-year periodic review will bring the Rhins and the marine environment into the Biosphere boundaries.

 Solway Coast and Marine Seascape Scale project - To fully realise the benefits from the Borderlands Natural Capital Innovation Zone project (Marine Pilot: A Sustainable Solway Economy) there is an opportunity to develop a large-scale holistic project to roll out new techniques, to address carbon sequestration, biodiversity loss and the health of the commercial fishery in the Solway estuary, along with addressing infrastructure and landscape enhancement of our coastal margins which are important to our coastal communities and visitors. This would include: Marine habitat restoration and expansion – initially Sea Grass beds and Oyster reef; Coastal habitats restoration and expansion – saltmarsh and wetlands; and Maritime/coast/temperate rain forest type woodland development along the coastal strip.

Chair of Economy and Resources Committee, Katie Hagmann said: “Dumfries and Galloway, and the south of Scotland as a whole, is primarily an agricultural region, and our coastline stretches for over 200 miles, so we are in an excellent position to enhance, preserve and utilise our outstanding natural capital.  Providing members of the Economy and Resources committee agree, we welcome the funding for these are exciting projects and all the benefits that they will bring.”

Vice Chair, Sean Marshall said: “Alongside the protection of habitats and utilising our natural assets is the added benefits of enhancing our landscape to attract the tourism economy. This leads to an increase in jobs. Associated community education and training and engagement programmes which could sit with these projects also brings added value to these extremely worthwhile projects. “

 ENDS