Forth Rivers Trust leads the Leven LENs, a collaborative project that aims to match investors with local activities and projects, that preserve and enhance the Leven catchment’s natural assets. This strategy for long-term investment will deliver a healthy productive landscape, while benefitting the environment, boosting biodiversity and uplifting local communities.

We speak to Co-Director of Forth Rivers Trust, Amelia Heath about the Leven LENs project, the wider work of Forth Rivers Trust, their engagement within the Forth catchment and how they overcome the challenges they face.

Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) facilitate investment in nature-based solutions, that deliver productive, resilient landscapes alongside positive environmental outcomes. LENs, are a marketplace for land management measures that deliver ecosystem functions, creating a network of private and public stakeholders based on shared interests and collaboration.

Host Harry Fisher, Producer Iain Boyd, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, Editor Ross Mackenzie

Timestamps:

1:20 – 9:59 Forth Rivers Trust, working with land mangers and pressures on the catchment

10:00 – 13:29 LENs, collaboration and the roles of different stakeholders.

13:30 – 20:29 Loch Leven LENs, funding and engaging local communities

20:30 – 27:54 Other Forth Rivers Trust projects and overcoming challenges

Related FAS resources:

FAS Water Management https://www.fas.scot/environment/water-management/

Landscape Scale Collaboration episode https://www.fas.scot/publication/natural-capital-landscape-scale-collaboration/

Landscape Scale Conservation https://www.fas.scot/article/landscape-scale-conservation/

Emerging Biodiversity Markets In Scotland, A Source Of Alternative Funding https://www.fas.scot/article/emerging-biodiversity-markets-in-scotland-a-source-of-alternative-funding/

Other Related Resources:

Forth Rivers Trust https://forthriverstrust.org/

Landscape Enterprise Networks LENs https://landscapeenterprisenetworks.com/

FIRNS - The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland https://www.nature.scot/funding-and-projects/firns-facility-investment-ready-nature-scotland

MERLIN https://project-merlin.eu/

It’s a brand-new series of Natural Capital with a brand-new host! To kick things off Harry speaks to Scottish Forestry’s Lyn White, who is their forestry and farming development officer. Lyn promotes an integrated approach to farming and forestry, to aid understanding and explore opportunities for them to work more effectively together. We discuss working with farmers to maximise the benefits to farms, the farmer-led Integrating Trees Network and all things agroforestry. We discuss the multiple benefits that planting trees can bring to agriculture, including providing shelter, improving productivity, diversifying income, creating habitats and combating climate change.

Host Harry Fisher, Producer Iain Boyd, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, Editor Ross Mackenzie

Related FAS resources:  

Natural Capital | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Farm Woodland resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Integrated Land Management Plans (ILMPs) | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Forestry Grant Scheme | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Other Related Resources:

Scottish Forestry - Integrating Trees Network

Integrating Trees Network Events

Forestry Grant Scheme (ruralpayments.org)

Scottish Forestry - Home

Timestamps:

0:55 – 15:05 Lyn’s role and the benefits of agroforestry and integrating trees to farmland.

15:06 – 26:05 Agroforestry, considerations, challenges, and grant options.

26:06 – 33:52 Integrating trees network and farmer led initiatives.

33:53 – 40:05 Farmer hesitancies, where to get more info and making the most of your land.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach that ensures habitats for wildlife are left in a

measurably better state than they were before development. In England, BNG is mandatory;

developers must demonstrate and deliver an increase in biodiversity following

their development of 10%.

In the last episode of this series, we hear from ecological consultant and future host of

this podcast, Harry Fisher. We discuss his experience of BNG and how it works,

including biodiversity metrics, valuing nature, opportunities for Scotland and what

he is looking forward to as the future host of Natural Capital.

If you have an idea for future episodes, or want to provide feedback on the series, we would

love to hear from you. Visit: https://www.fas.scot/sounds-comments-and-suggestions/

Host Rachel Smillie, Producer Iain Boyd, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, Editor Ross

Mackenzie.

Related FAS resources:

FAS Biodiversity: https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/

Previous Natural Capital episodes: https://www.fas.scot/sounds/natural-capital/

Emerging biodiversity markets in Scotland, a source of alternative funding:

https://www.fas.scot/article/emerging-biodiversity-markets-in-scotland-a-source-of-alternative-funding/

Other Related Resources:

Understanding biodiversity net gain: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-biodiversity-net-gain

Defra statutory biodiversity metric tools and guides:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-biodiversity-metric-tools-and-guides

Research into approaches to measuring biodiversity in Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/publications/research-approaches-measuring-biodiversity-scotland/

Timestamps:

Intro to episode and our new host Harry: 0:00 – 5:10

What is BNG and its use: 5:11 – 13:13

Actions to increase biodiversity: 13:14 – 19:12

Impact and use of BNG on farms: 19:13 – 25:10

Defra tool, metrics and valuing nature: 25:11 – 33:43