A UNESCO delegation visited Galloway this week as part of a showcase for a $25,000 agriculture project.
The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere (GSAB) was chosen as one of five sites to participate in an international peer learning project, exploring a methodology for assessing natural capital on farms holistically.
Aiming to halt degradation of natural habitats and restore biodiversity while improving the farm business, recommendations will be based on a holistic view of each farm holding and will provide managers with the tools to identify the best possible interventions for their land.
The 12-month project, funded by the abrdn Charitable Foundation, addressed the urgent need to evaluate and protect natural capital on Scotland’s farms, trialling auditing techniques in real time and developing an innovative methodology with the potential to be expanded nationwide.
The delegation for this week’s visit met biosphere trustees and heard from partner organisations, including NatureScot, the NFUS, Dumfries and Galloway Council and South of Scotland Enterprise, during a one-day conference and tour visiting a working farm and seeing some of the UNESCO region’s most important environmental sites.
Commenting on the visit, John Thomson, acting chair of the GSAB, said: “We are proud to have spent more than a decade working with farmers to identify how we can together make sure that agriculture in our region fully reflects the principles that underpin its UNESCO designation and is thus truly sustainable, both financially and environmentally. Thanks to the UNESCO Regional Bureau of Science and Culture in Europe and the abrdn Charitable Foundation’s generous grant, we have been able to build on the research and relationships that already exist to create a toolkit that is accessible and dynamic, with transformative potential for agriculture and land use in Galloway and Southern Ayrshire and across Scotland as a whole.”
Jane Morrison-Ross, chief executive of South of Scotland Enterprise, added: “The success of farming and land-based enterprise is absolutely critical to the South of Scotland economy. The project led by the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership demonstrates how our region is in the very vanguard of research and innovation that will build long term resilience for local businesses and communities. “Our discussions with the many partners who attended this week’s event were truly inspiring and a fantastic example of how shared learning can accelerate sustainable development; it showcases why the South of Scotland is the Natural Capital Innovation Zone for Scotland.”
