1. An Ecosystem Approach:
The Route to Alignment Across
Government and its Agencies?
Dr Roddy Fairley
Programme Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage

2. An Ecosystems Approach
+ What is it?
+ What do we need it for?
+ How do we apply it?

3. What is an Ecosystems
Approach?
• “integrated” “cost/benefit”
“landscape scale” “multiple
benefits” “sustainable”
• Ecosystem – what it says on
the tin!
• Interacting dynamic systems
…. complexity, emergence

4. What is an Ecosystems
Approach?
• Take account of how nature works:
scale, interaction, capacity,
thresholds, non linearity,
uncertainty
• Take account of the benefits nature
provides: supporting, regulating,
provisioning, cultural
• Engage with all the people who
enjoy these benefits - values

5. What do we need an
Ecosystems Approach for?
+ Already embedded (Marine (Scotland)
Act, Climate Change (Scotland) Act.
+ Land Use Strategy – Objectives,
Guidance
+ Convention on Biological Diversity; EU
Biodiversity Strategy
+ UK National Ecosystems Assessment
(UKNEA)
+ The Economics of Ecosystems and
biodiversity (TEEB)

6. What do we need an
Ecosystems Approach for?
+ BUT - As an “approach” it only has
traction when applied to a problem
and delivers a solution.
+ Priorities; National and Local
+ Shared agenda across Government
+ Unified agenda across outcomes:
climate change adaptation, water framework
directive, biodiversity targets, forest expansion,
NATURA 2000, ecosystem resilience, green-
space, green networks, green infrastructure,
sustainability.

7. How do we Apply an
Ecosystem Approach?
+ Scale
+ Data / information
+ Process – engagement
+ Dealing with uncertainty
+ Direction rather than
destination
+ Learning rather than reporting

8. Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem Health / Ecosystem Function
Environmental management
Physical Environment Biodiversity
Geodiversity Habitats
Water species
Air

9. Applying an Ecosystem
Approach to build a new
agenda
+ Build on what has gone before:
catchment management (existing
institutional structure, stakeholder engagement,
comprehensive cover, shared problems, integrative,
river “systems”)
+ Ecosystem measures –
ecosystem health
+ Adaptive Management (uncertainty,
learning)

10. Applying an Ecosystem
Approach to build a new
agenda
+ Ecosystem Health
+ Evidence to make diagnosis
+ Analysis to inform prognosis
+ Proposals for Treatment

11. Applying an Ecosystem
Approach to build a new
agenda
+ Ecosystem Health – a simple health
check? Accept complexity – but need
simple place to begin.
2. soil quality,
3. water quality,
4. habitat quality,
5. extent of semi-natural land,
6. an index of connectivity,
7. a measure of diffuse pollution,
8. the presence or absence of functional groups,
9. some measure of species diversity, and
10. a measure of penetration by invasive non-native
species.

12. Applying an Ecosystem
Approach to build a new
agenda
+ Assessment of ecosystem health to
inform
+ National priorities: which in greatest
need of remediation/treartment
+ National priorities: what is most
prevalent/ systemic problem
+ Local priorities – what issues matter
most in individual catchments
+ Local priorities – how do we add
value locally

13. CONCLUSION
+ Defined clear priorities – the shared
agenda for all of government and its
agencies (roles and responsibilities;
joined-up)
+ Health indicators – assess success
of treatment; inform adaptive
management
+ One simplified agenda for land
managers. Increased confidence
and success.
+ Opportunity for reduced regulation