Scottish Habitat Management Advice

Scotland has a wide variety of habitats that support a number of invertebrate species, some of which are very rare in the UK and also globally. Habitats found in Scotland include woodland (including the natural and ancient Caledonian forests), blanket bog, grassland, montane, freshwater (such as rivers and ponds) and estuaries along with the more urban post-industrial land (known as brownfield sites), road-verges, parks and school grounds.

To ensure that invertebrates thrive and continue to provide economic benefits in Scotland it is important that the habitats where they live are appropriately managed. At present, there are few habitats that are suitably managed for invertebrates; e.g. the over-manicured lawns in our parks, the removal of deadwood to tidy up woodlands. This lack of suitable management for invertebrates is often because they are either poorly appreciated or taken for granted. Alternatively landowners and managers may be willing to act, but lack the knowledge of what to do.

The Scottish Invertebrate Habitat Management Advice Documents are available for download and provide advice for landowners and managers, as well as details of agricultural grants and subsidies that may be available to help such management, such as the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). These habitat management sheets can be used by all to help better protect and conserve Scotland for invertebrates.

The Scottish Invertebrate Species Knowledge Dossiers have contributed towards the implementation of the Strategy for Scottish Invertebrate Conservation.

Further advice on managing Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitats for invertebrates such as for mudflats and reedbeds and others are available on our website.