Executive Summary

‘Only by coming together to deliver substantial changes in the way we use and manage the asset which is our natural environment can we avoid irreversible damage to biodiversity.

- Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045

Global biodiversity is experiencing an alarming decline driven by land use change, exploitation of natural resources, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. On average, global animal populations have declined by over 70% in only 50 years. In Scotland, wildlife has decreased in abundance by 15% since 1994 and one in nine species is at risk of extinction. The distribution of native flowering plants has decreased by half since 1970, affecting our pollinators, which play a crucial role in food production.

Scotland’s transport infrastructure is fundamental to our nation’s communities, businesses and visitors and is vital in providing access to essential services, such as healthcare and education. However, by its nature, the transport sector has historically contributed to biodiversity decline, through habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, and traffic-wildlife collisions. As a national agency, Transport Scotland has already been working towards mitigating impacts of new transport infrastructure on biodiversity and implementing sustainable practices to enhance it on the existing transport network. However, the locked-in impacts of climate change are already intensifying, resulting in more frequent extreme weather events and increasing threats to our native wildlife. These escalating pressures further complicate efforts to safeguard Scotland’s unique biodiversity.

Panoramic landscape photograph showing a broad Highland valley surrounded by rolling mountains under a cloudy sky. Purple heather covers foreground slopes, while a curving road, a railway, a meandering river, green fields, and scattered trees lead toward distant blue peaks.
The A9 and Highland Mainline Railway, passing through ecologically sensitive upland landscape. Photo: Jacobs/Gareth Talbot

The Scottish Government’s recently published Strategic framework for biodiversity sets out the actions needed to reverse biodiversity loss in Scotland. This Strategy articulates Transport Scotland’s plans to use the opportunities presented by the strategic transport networks to align with and support delivery of the Scottish Government’s goals of halting biodiversity loss by 2030 and reversing it by 2045. Transport Scotland recognises that the largely linear aspect of the land it manages lends itself well to landscape-scale habitat connectivity and restoration, while also presenting challenges including the spread of plant diseases and invasivenon-native species (INNS).

The strategy is supported by a rolling Delivery Plan to deliver targeted actions to safeguard and restore biodiversity within the Transport Estate and help facilitate partnership working with other stakeholders to achieve maximum impact. Delivery Plan execution will be monitored and reported, with findings and new information incorporated into subsequent versions to ensure the strategic biodiversity outcomes remain evidence-based and adaptable.

Why the Strategy is needed

  • Scotland’s biodiversity, which we depend on, faces a crisis
  • Transport infrastructure contributes to this decline through habitat fragmentation, soil disturbance, pollution, invasive non‑native species (INNS) spread, wildlife collisions and sub-optimal legacy design and management approaches
  • National commitments, for example the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS), Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3), National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), Natural Environment Bill, require action to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and reverse it by 2045

What the Strategy aims to achieve

  • Reduce ecosystem loss and degradation (especially from infrastructure projects)
  • Protect, restore, and enhance natural ecosystems
  • Increase landscape connectivity across linear transport corridors
  • Avoid approaches that harm ecosystems

How the Strategy will deliver change

  • Embed biodiversity in all activities, decision‑making and supply chains
  • Promote good soil health, storage, and management
  • Manage the risk from INNS
  • Preserve and increase landscape connectivity
  • Improve existing habitats and their biodiversity benefits
  • Restore and create high‑quality habitats
  • Promote public/stakeholder engagement and partnership working

Key themes running through the Strategy

  • Embedding biodiversity in practice
  • Landscape‑scale thinking
  • Soil as a critical asset
  • Tackling INNS
  • Partnership working
  • Monitoring progress

What the Delivery Plan adds

  • Specific actions
  • Targets
  • Timelines (evolving as legislation updates)
  • Monitoring indicators
  • Required collaborations
  • Promotion of positive changes to resourcing, procurement, and contracts
Photograph showing a mountainous Scottish valley viewed from an elevated hillside. A winding road, narrow stream, small loch, scattered buildings, forested slopes, and golden-green moorland define rugged landscape.
The A83, Rest and be Thankful – As part of a nature-based approach to slope management, Transport Scotland has planted native woodland on the steep slopes above the road to help stabilise the ground and support engineering works aimed at mitigating landslip impacts. In addition, the woodland creation expands existing habitat networks, strengthening ecological connectivity and supporting biodiversity. Photo: Jacobs/Maria Klimek