As introduced the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill obliges owners to have land management plan for all continuous land holdings – that is, under one ownership or linked ownerships – over 3,000ha.

The proposals stipulate that such plans will be publicly available, the community is engaged in the development stage, and the plans are reviewed every five years.

The main principle of a land management plan as outlined in the bill is to detail the owner’s long-term vision and objectives for managing the property, including its potential sale. The plans will cover elements of existing rules such as the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and code of practice on deer management. They will also address how land is managed to contribute towards achieving net-zero emissions and enhancing biodiversity.

Objectives may be difficult to put on paper and in some cases landowners may not wish to divulge their objectives to such a public audience. Costs are also a potential barrier to successful adoption – the financial memorandum supporting the bill suggests costs of between £3,000 and £15,000. The precise sum will depend on the amount of information already held by the landowner. Mapping may be required to set out the extent of the landholding and the degree of consultation with communities may vary depending on extent and location.

Some landholdings that are mapped and have relatively small communities will have much lower costs than a rural-urban fringe estate which may have multiple areas to potentially sell, large populations to consult and mapping to update.

The production of land management plans will be similar both in process and content to deer management plans, and many large estates will already be well versed in developing, agreeing and reviewing these.

Our question is, what can large landowners do now to prepare for what is required, build resilience in their business and establish positive objectives for the future?

The starting point might be to consider your current objectives. In our experience the most efficient estates have clear objectives and structures for decision making. Many already include elements of what will be required as they have set objectives which include community engagement and supporting carbon sequestration or biodiversity.

  • We at Galbraith are able to offer a holistic range of services for gathering and building the information required for a land management plan. We have extensive experience in working with landowners and developing woodland management plans at all scales.
  • Our Natural Capital Atlas provides a baseline for natural capital opportunities, our GIS team are able to assist with mapping of complex holdings and our consultant services can review your current offering and business streams to determine appropriate objectives.
  • Gathering these ideas and information now can help your business be more sustainable for the future and build resilience, both by spreading costs and providing a clear vision for the future.