Rural management

We have no doubt that farmers, landowners and crofters play a very important role in looking after our natural heritage, whatever the size of their holding.

We work closely with people who live and work in the rural parts of Scotland, to raise awareness of the natural heritage impacts of land management practices. 

Our work on access continues, with a recently published report outlining our advice to government.

SNH has drawn up a list of Trees and Shrubs Native to Scotland to help Land Managers choose suitable species for planting and repairing hedgerows.

SNH provides grant support for the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) in its role to encourage farmers to improve the natural heritage of their land.

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FWAG in Scotland is a small organisation, having an annual turnover (in 1997-98) of about three quarters of a million pounds.  Just over a third of this is a grant from SNH.  The main purposes of this grant are to help FWAG provide an accessible source of knowledge about the methods and techniques of managing habitats and landscape features, to support the operation of agri-environmental schemes and, perhaps most important, to raise farmers' awareness of environmental issues and to encourage them to join environmental schemes.

FWAG operates through a network of local advisers who are well placed to offer advice on a range of natural heritage issues, specifically tailored to the needs of individual farmers, such as the management of hedges and field margins to diversify habitats.