This research has been supporting the implementation of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. Researchers have worked closely with the Scottish Government's Land Reform Bill team through a series of six meetings, providing responsive evidence on the identification and characterisation of large landholdings that may fall within the scope of the proposed legislation. The research explored different approaches to assessing the spatial contiguity of landholdings and concluded that this issue may be less significant than initially anticipated. The evidence generated has informed ongoing policy discussions, strengthened working relationships with Scottish Government officials, and underpinned responses to Parliamentary Questions relating to the Bill. Alongside this work, the project has continued to build collaboration with Registers of Scotland following its earlier review of Scottish land ownership data, supporting future improvements in how land ownership information is collected and used.

The project is also examining how different land ownership and governance models influence environmental management and community outcomes. A review of long-term land management agreements for biodiversity has been completed, providing policymakers, landowners and environmental organisations with a practical overview of the mechanisms available to support conservation management. The briefing has been well received by organisations including NatureScot, which highlighted its value in clarifying how different agreements can contribute to biodiversity objectives, while feedback from the Crofting Federation emphasised the important role that crofting land can play in nature restoration and stimulated wider discussion about the role of private finance in delivering biodiversity outcomes.

Understanding how communities experience and participate in land ownership and decision making forms another important strand of the project. Researchers have begun detailed case studies examining innovative approaches to land governance and how policy is implemented across different geographical scales. Fieldwork within community-owned estates is exploring how these communities experience change over time, while surveys of community landowners and groups seeking community ownership are providing new insights into how rural communities value land and the opportunities and barriers associated with community ownership. These findings will inform the next phase of interviews and help improve understanding of the long-term impacts of community land ownership in Scotland.

Stakeholder collaboration has been central throughout the programme. An active advisory group has helped shape research priorities, survey design, case study selection and dissemination activities, while also providing valuable guidance on ethical approaches to working with community landowners. The project has also worked closely with Scottish Government agricultural statisticians to explore how future Agricultural Censuses could better capture information on land tenure through spatially referenced data, improving the evidence available to support future land policy.

The research is already influencing policy and practice through its direct engagement with the Scottish Government's land reform programme, its contribution to the evidence underpinning the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, and the growing use of its work by organisations involved in conservation, community ownership and land management. As the project progresses, ongoing engagement with communities, policymakers and stakeholders will continue to strengthen the evidence base for future land governance in Scotland.

Progress is on track across all work packages. Minor deviations relate only to staffing. No major difficulties reported.

Work package 1: Enhance understanding of how land data can support efficient and inclusive engagement in land reform processes
•    Feasibility studies were concluded with the publication of the report Review of Land Ownership Data in Scotland (March 2024). Direct support was provided to RESAS and the Land Reform Bill team, particularly in relation to the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment. Citizen science tools for land data use are under development, and initial outreach to rural communities has begun.

Work package 2: Assess existing and emerging tenure models and their influence on land management outcomes
•    Scoping and selecting case studies explored both long-term community landownership and policy alignment across governance scales. Ongoing work includes:
o    An online survey capturing public land values under different land reform scenarios.
o    In-depth interviews and literature review on biodiversity enhancement and long-term management agreements.
o    Development of a podcast series reflecting international perspectives on climate change and land use (e.g. New Zealand).

Work package 3: Convene a Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) to co-develop research and inform relevance across cultural, fiscal, and legal contexts
•    New members were added to address expertise gaps. SAG input has been critical in case study selection, community collaboration design, and providing key stakeholder connections.
 

To develop a land information dataset that will maximise the efficiency and efficacy of community and landowner engagement with the Scottish Land Reform process, several meetings have been held with key stakeholders including Registers of Scotland and the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate, to discuss data integration. While to understand land data needs, interviews have been conducted with representatives of community organisations that have been recipients of the Scottish Land Fund. The interviews provide insights into the accessibility and useability of land data in the pursuit of community land-based activities, such as developing affordable housing or active travel paths. 

Two literature and policy reviews have been undertaken to assess the connection between existing, novel, and potential landownership/tenure models and land management outcomes. The first aimed to understand what 'alternative' land tenure models could be to those that already exist in Scotland, drawing on a wide range of international examples that fulfil different aspects of Scottish Government land reform policy. The second has sought to understand the scope of existing research into how people 'value' land beyond market value, and what methods have been used to understand the values placed on land. These reviews will inform the development of a questionnaire seeking to understand the impact of land reform on these values.

Thirteen individuals with expertise (e.g., cultural, fiscal and legal) across the land sector in Scotland have been recruited to convene a Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) to co-construct the research, provide access to networks, case studies, and support open science. Each member took part in an initial interview to capture current understandings views on Scottish land reform. The SAG has agreed on a Terms of Reference during its initial meeting as well as discussed its role in the research process. Each meeting is thematic, with discussions recorded and fully transcribed for use as qualitative data throughout the project. SAG input has contributed to refining the literature reviews and supported links to interviewees.

The project team has developed a response from the James Hutton Institute to the Scottish Government's consultation on 'Land Reform in a Net Zero Nation' (submitted October 2022). This response included original data analysis that sought to help policy makers better understand the implications of provisions in the consultation regarding defining 'large-scale' landholdings.