Assessing and implementing a natural capital approach for Scottish estate management
A natural capital approach presents an opportunity to assess a wide diversity of perspectives and values in land management decisions, but there remain substantial challenges to its implementation. This placement will address these challenges and build awareness and capacity through development of material for use by land managers based on experience with a Scottish case study.
The placement will be hosted by the MacRobert Trust, the charity organisation managing the MacRobert Estate. The estate, located 30 miles west of Aberdeen at the eastern edge of the Cairngorms National Park, covers 7,200 acres of agricultural and wooded lands in an area popular with tourists and walkers. The Trust works closely with its nine tenant farmers and the local village community on a range of projects, and will work with the researcher to understand the decision making environment, and assess how natural capital can inform decision making across a range of values and be implemented in land management organisations.
Research will assess the practicalities and methodological challenges, and evaluate options for institutionalising natural capital approaches. The work will produce briefing notes for land managers and report on the role and potential of natural capital in Scottish land management.
Placement information:
End of placement video (and shown below)
Starting placement presentation introducing placement ideas