The Highland Biodiversity Partnership commissioned evaluation of biodiversity in the Scottish Highlands, covering the extent of existing resources and uses being made of it. It also considers opportunities for further sustainable use, and what current usage is unsustainable.

The report identifies 153 different uses of biodiversity and suggests 30 further opportunities. It is clear that biodiversity is a major resource and asset for the area. Uses range from whale and dolphin watching businesses to grazing machair, from native plants used in soft engineering to commercial collection of wild fungi, from meadowsweet used in wine-making to native woods used for housing and high quality flooring. The partnership now plans to use the report to develop projects aimed at developing sustainable uses of biodiversity and enhancing and protecting existing resources in the Highlands.

Supported by Scottish Enterprise Grampian, the North East LBAP Business and Biodiversity Project aims to create and promote opportunities for local companies in the biodiversity process. The main emphasis of the project is support for businesses developing their own Biodiversity Action Plans. This involves businesses in assessing the impact of their supply chain, ground management, waste discharge policy, etc. Measures to protect and enhance biodiversity, and mitigate negative effects, can be integrated into existing company management systems or Environmental Management Systems (EMS), where appropriate.

The first stage of this project included the development of an outline information pack for local businesses. When completed, this pack will hold examples of best practice from companies based in the North East integrating biodiversity targets into their operations.

The Cairngorms Wildlife Tourism Project (CWTP) has been set up to investigate potential opportunities for further development of sympathetic wildlife tourism in the Cairngorms area. The suggested objectives of the project were based around existing strategic objectives: draw people away from sites sensitive to, or which have already suffered environmental damage, provide suitable and attractive alternatives, maintain and improve the quality of outdoor recreation on the lower ground of the Cairngorms, improve opportunities available for all types of users, and facilitate better communication and understanding among those who use the land to foster appreciation and acceptance of others' traditions, needs and aspirations.

Using these objectives as a starting point, the suggested aims of the CWTP are:

• integrate, co-ordinate and promote quality wildlife tourism in the Cairngorms
• demonstrate and raise awareness about the wider community benefits arising
• encourage new wildlife tourism opportunities aimed at less sensitive sites and species
• produce, promote and deliver best practice and a code of conduct
• produce, promote and deliver a Cairngorms-specific code for wildlife watchers.

One of the initial options considered by the group was to produce a Biodiversity of the Cairngorms brochure for all the accommodation providers in the area, funds for such an ambitious scheme may not be available until the Cairngorms National Park comes into existence.

One of Fife's biggest coastal reed beds will hopefully see a significant increase in wildlife, thanks to help from East of Scotland Water (ESW). Margaret's Marsh in North Queensferry is owned by the Ministry of Defence. It is already an SSSI, but in recent years the reedbed has expanded and grown dense, resulting in loss of open water habitat. In a joint venture between ESW and SNH, a shallow pond was excavated and is being left to fill naturally with rain water. It will in time become home to a variety of insects, and provide food for birds such as reed bunting, wigeon, moorhen and the elusive water rail.

ESW is taking the biodiversity message very seriously. Its own staff have the opportunity to get involved in current initiatives and, numerous surveys and local projects are underway.

Ravenscraig Former Steelworks Site: The plan for Ravenscraig identified a need for detailed ecological survey. Mitigation and translocation measures are being discussed for LBAP audit species such as grayling butterfly, blue fleabane, viper's bugloss, otter and bats.

Torbush Opencast, Morningside: A plan for reclaiming this working opencast site is being drawn up. On the basis of the Biodiversity and Opencast Mining Good Practice Guide (RSPB/SNH 2000), the creation of a wetland mosaic/flood plain habitat is favoured. Key LBAP habitats on site include floodplain/wet grassland, open water, reed beds and streams.

Gartcosh Former Steelworks Site: The site supports an important colony of great crested newts and other amphibians. It is listed as an amphibian conservation area. To allow development of the site, it is proposed to relocate the newts, under licence, to a new pond area developed on the perimeter of the site. This may then be managed as a Local Nature Reserve. Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire also funded the production of an LBAP for the newts.

The minerals company Pioneer Aggregates - recently taken over by Hanson Quarry Products (Europe) - has long shared its working quarry site at Mountcastle near Letham in Fife with a colony of sand martins. The species has recently experienced a catastrophic decline in its population, as a result of the African drought and the loss of suitable nesting sites in Britain. Many long-established sand martin colonies now lie empty, making the Mountcastle site all the more important.

The Fife Biodiversity Action Plan proposed measures to help sand martin colonies at Mountcastle and elsewhere. Accordingly, a number of sand martin barrels were made erected by the Fife Ranger Service at the quarry site, as well as at the nearby Local Nature Reserve of Birnie and
Gaddon Lochs.

The Dumfries & Galloway LBAP acts as a framework to focus and prioritise resources of partner organisations. It has also had some success in attracting funding itself. The initial part-time Project Officer post was 50% funded by RSPB and SNH, with Dumfries & Galloway Council providing office accommodation and support. Following this, a three year implementation funding package was secured through successful application to the EU 5b programme. Matching funding was found from a variety of organisations including Dumfries & Galloway, SNH, SWT, SEPA and the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group. A full-time project officer is now employed by Dumfries & Galloway.

Features of the funding of LBAPs to date have been collaboration and innovation, and flexibility. The LBAPs objective framework, is also being used to prepare the Structural Programming Document for new European funding for the South of Scotland, as well as at local level as a framework for the Scottish Power Rural Care Programme.

The UK Biodiversity Action Plan promoted the concept of 'champions' from business and industry who would fund biodiversity projects in return for recognition of their support. Champions have already been found for a number of species and habitats covered by UK-wide action plans. At a local level in Fife, sponsorship is sought for publication of the LBAP and for projects. A minimum of £500 is asked to champion one LBAP species - this ensures the inclusion of the company's logo on the published SAP. After a short-term project in the SAP Action Schedule, the champion may then be asked to fund additional project work.

It may not be possible to find champions for all 100 SAPs and 8 HAPs in Fife, but there is potential to raise £50,000 - and a further £150,000 if each champion also funded a project. By entering into three or five year funding agreements with champions, this could be tripled.