A multi-million pound programme of strategic research delivered over five years providing science and evidence to support policymakers and its partners. Informed by strong partnerships and the needs of a broad range of stakeholders. Science at the heart of society contributing to the health, wealth and wellbeing of Scotland and beyond.
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Research
Ongoing research (2022-2027)
This project is assessing and enhancing water-related ecosystem services of Nature-Based Solutions in catchments. We explore how NBS can work across multiple sectors and scales to achieve transformative change.
- Water
- 2022-2027
This project aims to develop a Risk and Opportunities Assessement Framewowork to asses Natural Capital assets and impacts of climate change, by integrating multiple (qantitative and qualitative) data, to identify risk asset types and consequences on capacity for Nature-based Solutions.
- Natural Capital
- 2022-2027
The project is mitigating threats posed to key crops by new, emerging and endemic pests and pathogens, to protect Scotland’s industries and delivering integrated and sustainable crop protection strategies for Scottish growers.
- Plant Disease
- 2022-2027
This project evaluates the potential of Scotland’s underutilised lands to contribute towards a sustainable food system and provide economic motivation to protect our natural capital. The focus is on wild species that can contribute towards sustainable food production, while meeting environment and biodiversity targets. Engagement with a wide range of stakeholders provides a RoadMap that will meet cross-sector needs.
- Crop Improvement
- 2022-2027
The aim of this project is to produce constructive insights about the most productive venues (territorially and sectorally) and approaches (how and with and for whom) for using natural capital concepts and data to galvanise change for sustainability.
- Natural Capital
- 2022-2027
A healthy soil can provide us with nutritious food, clean water, provide habits for biodiversity, and can slow the impacts of climate change. This project will strengthen our understanding and help protect soils, improve soil health, and identify the roles and contributions of Scotland’s soils in delivering key beneficial services (e.g. food production and other wider benefits).
- Soils
- 2022-2027
The unique characteristics, challenges, and aspirations of the local business base, and opportunities for community wealth building in rural and island communities are examined. We focus on understanding the role of economic infrastructure in prosperity and consider how future changes to agricultural support may impact the rural and island regions of Scotland.
- Rural Economy
- 2022-2027
This project seeks to both understand and facilitate change in remote, rural and island communities working with stakeholders at local, regional and national levels using a combination of qualitative, quantitative and modelling approaches.
- Rural Communities
- 2022-2027
This project explores how the capacity to engage with and care for nature can be cultivated. We consider environmental settings, users, mechanisms for benefit (green prescribing, outdoor learning) and investment.
- Use of Outdoors & Greenspace
- 2022-2027
The Scotland’s Land Reform Futures project supports Scottish Government policy development regarding community land ownership and engagement in land use decision-making, and increases our understanding of roles of land ownership and land reform in achieving net zero emissions and reversing biodiversity decline. It advances social theory on community empowerment, social justice, and the potential for progressive property rights in Scotland.
- Land Reform
- 2022-2027