CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY Paper 3 16/01/04 CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY Title: Integrated Land Management Schemes - Discussion Paper Prepared by: Agriculture Working Group Fiona Newcombe, Head of Natural Resources Purpose This paper outlines a process for developing integrated land management schemes Recommendations That the Board: • Agree the proposal to evolve the Agriculture Working Group into the Integrated Land Management Working Group. • Consider membership of the Integrated Land Management Working Group. • Give advice on the frameworks for developing integrated land management schemes, and identifying public benefits. Executive Summary The Agriculture Working Group has achieved its main objective of responding to the CAP consultation. Members have identified key priorities for evolving this into the development of integrated land management schemes. This paper defines integrated land management schemes. It makes proposals for a process for their development, and for the identification of public benefits, which we wish to use them to purchase. It suggests that a new Integrated Land Management Working Group guides this work. Integrated Land Management Schemes -Discussion Paper Introduction 1. Members identified the need to develop integrated land management schemes as an early priority for the Park. It was recognised that the current situation, where a plethora of national and local schemes run by many different organisations exist, made it challenging for land managers to make the best decisions for the sustainability of their businesses. Often the schemes conflicted with each other, were inflexible, and all resulted in a heavy burden of bureaucracy and high costs of monitoring. 2. Having so many schemes run by so many organisations makes it very difficult to develop a regional overview and objectives. Instead of asking what do we want to do for this area/business, the land manager is forced to ask what can I do under the schemes. 3. In the Corporate Plan, a commitment is made to work with the Scottish Executive and our partners and land managers in the Park to ensure that land management support schemes are developed which are integrated and appropriate to the needs and aims of the National Park. What is meant by integrated land management schemes? 4. The aim of this commitment is to ensure that all public measures (e.g. grants, regulation, advice) that contribute to the four aims and are available to land managers (e.g. crofters, farmers, foresters, landowners, local communities, sporting interests, conservation and access organisations) are managed in a co-ordinated way. The measures should be based upon clear objectives to deliver public benefits that contribute to the four aims of the National Park. 5. The measures should be easy to access and should be complementary. Advice should be available to individuals to help them build a portfolio of support. Ultimately, we aim to have a one-stop-shop (i.e. an all-encompassing and flexible land management contract system) for all public measures in the Park. This is an ambitious goal and will not be achieved in the short-term. Initially, therefore we will work with partners to increase the co-ordination of existing measures. The future of the Agriculture Working Group 6. The Agriculture Working Group has delivered its immediate objective of responding to the Scottish Executive’s Common Agriculture Policy consultation. Two key work areas for developing integrated land management schemes have been identified by the Working Group. These should be started next to deliver the commitment in the Corporate Plan: a) Identifying the public benefits from land managers required to deliver the 4 aims b) Integrating agriculture schemes with other land management sectors (building on the key message in the CAP response of the Park as a Land Management Contract ‘region.’ 7. To achieve these objectives, it is proposed that the Agriculture Working Group evolves into the Integrated Land Management Working Group. This new Group will steer these two work areas. Some Agriculture Working Group members may wish to continue with this new Group, and other Members are invited to join. It is recommended that external members who can provide expertise also be invited. Members are asked to agree this proposal. Identifying public benefits 8. The Corporate Plan proposes that we will be taking a lead in developing a shared understanding of the “public goods” which the public sector will purchase from land managers, and incentive schemes that may be developed to achieve the management of farmed as well as non-farmed land in ways that will help deliver these 9. To achieve this, the following framework is proposed: • Enter discussions with land managers about their aspirations for delivering public goods • Set up forum in which to develop and coordinate thinking among stakeholders. • Specify and implement research project to define the “public goods”, identify how current schemes deliver these, and how to fill gaps. • Develop a strategy for delivering public goods Integrating Land Management Schemes 10. To achieve this, the following framework is proposed: • Continue advocacy of the Park as a Land Management Contract ‘region.’ • Draw up report on comprehensive list of current schemes, drawing upon existing studies. • Discuss with key partners mechanisms to achieve the best balance of incentive /regulation /best practice in other land management sectors. • Develop with partners mechanisms to ensure nature conservation designations benefit wildlife and land managers. • Analyse and identify scope for pilot scheme within Park to provide improved access to schemes and streamlined delivery. • Work with SEPA and SEERAD to develop an effective mechanism for integrating effective land and water management. • Research and analyse other pilot schemes, which aim to integrate land management schemes. 11. Board are invited to give advice on these proposals. Fiona Newcombe 6/01/04 fionanewcombe@cairngorms.co.uk