Developing an Environment Strategy for Scotland

This is a commendable and ambitious aim - and the only one which will work in the long term.

Again, these are all laudable aims. The difficult thing will be achieving them. The Scottish Government's record on biodiversity protection is not exemplary - witness the Trump golf development at Menie links and the failure (so far) of Ministers to call in the Coul Links proposal. The apparently unilateral decision by the UK Government to site a satellite launching facility on A' Mhoine in Sutherland without any prior environmental/ social/economic impact assessments does not bode well for the future of environmental protection here.

I have only had time to look in detail at the Ecosystems and Wildlife one as this is my main area of interest and expertise. This seems to be a good way of summarising the available information on the topic. However, other than a reference to the deer population, there is no mention of the impact of the various types of sporting management (in particular driven grouse shooting) on large areas of the upland landscape and the wildlife which lives there. Given the area that this covers and the current review of grouse moor management, this should be mentioned.