We are joined by environmental historian Dr Ian Maclellan as we wind the clock back through Scotland’s long history of land use change: from the ice age to the Romans, clearances, industrialisation and modern pressures. Along the way, we unpack how humans have been part of the landscape – managing it for food, livelihoods and leisure, and the consequences this has had on nature and biodiversity.

Scotland’s landscapes are often seen as wild and timeless, but people and the land have shaped one another over thousands of years. We discuss this and how understanding yesterday can help us make better decisions for the future. Challenging us to have more nuanced, informed conversations about land restoration and management today - recognising complexity, positive outcomes, unintended consequences, and the realities of climate, culture and history.

Host Harry Fisher, Producer Iain Boyd, Editor Kieron Sim, Executive Producers Kerry Hammond & Kirstyn Blackwood

Timestamps:

1:25 – 13:38 Introductions and high-level walkthrough of Scotland’s natural history

13:38 – 31:00 Management of land and our relationships with it

31:00 – 43:55 Our perceptions and misconceptions of the land and challenges for the future

43:55 – end. Final comments and where to get more info

Related FAS resources

Natural Capital: https://www.fas.scot/sounds/natural-capital/

Biodiversity: https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/

Other Related Resources

Prof T C Smout: Nature Contested Environmental History in Scotland and Northern England since 1600: https://www.nhbs.com/nature-contested-book

University of Stirling Environmental History and Heritage: https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/arts-humanities/history-politics/history-research/environmental-history-and-heritage/

Prof R Orum: Where Men No More May Reap Or Sow: The Little Ice Age: Scotland 1400–1850: https://birlinn.co.uk/product/where-men-no-more-may-reap-or-sow/

Ichnos Heritage: https://ichnosheritage.com/

Galloway and Southern Ayrshire is Scotland’s first UNESCO Biosphere which promotes a balanced relationship between people and the natural environment. Built on partnership, community action, innovation and learning, the Biosphere supports thriving, sustainable communities living in harmony with nature.

In this episode, we’re joined by Nature Recovery Manager Dr Anna Griffin and Natural Capital Officer Jonathan Olandi to explore the work of the Biosphere and introduce their new project, OPIN (On-farm Plans Integrated with Nature). This initiative will recruit 12 farms across the Biosphere in Dumfries and Galloway to take part in a five-year programme focused on whole-farm planning and farming resilience. We discuss how land managers can get involved, the benefits of participation, and the support available, including access to a robust suite of tools, data, and capital grant funding, that will help implement strategic land management actions that are good for natural capital and good for business.

Host Harry Fisher, Producer Iain Boyd, Editor Kieron Sim, Executive Producers Kerry Hammond & Kirstyn Blackwood

Timestamps:

1:04 – 9:00 Intro to speakers and Biosphere

9:00 – 14:30 Reasons for the designation and previous projects delivered

14:30 – 30:30 The OPIN project

30:30 – 50:00 Benefits for land managers and how to get involved

Related FAS resources:

Natural Capital: https://www.fas.scot/sounds/natural-capital/

Biodiversity: https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/

Other Related Resources:

Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere: https://www.gsabiosphere.org.uk/

To apply or for more information: https://www.gsabiosphere.org.uk/contact-us/

Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal: https://www.borderlandsgrowth.com/

In this episode of Natural Capital, Harry Fisher and Alex Pirie reflect on their time at Scotland’s first Nature Friendly Farming Summit. The summit explored how to scale nature-friendly farming to deliver for people, nature and climate and brought together farmers, policymakers, researchers, and environmental leaders to discuss how Scotland can build a resilient, nature-positive farming future. The summit addressed how nature and profitability are not opposites and showed how the path to a thriving, nature-friendly farming future is already taking shape.

Harry and Alex explore the main themes from the day, from farmers as stewards of the land, how profitability and biodiversity can go hand in hand and set the scene on biodiversity loss, climate pressures, and the need to de-risk nature-based solutions. The episode also looks at the future of funding, how current and new payment systems can reward environmental outcomes and discusses some of the key messages and announcements made on the day.

Host Harry Fisher, Producer Iain Boyd, Editor Kieron Sim, Executive Producers Kerry Hammond & Kirstyn Blackwood

Related FAS resources:

FAS Environment - https://www.fas.scot/environment/

NC LENs episode - https://www.fas.scot/podcast/natural-capital-landscape-enterprise-networks-leven-lens/

NC John and Louise Seed Woodend episode - https://www.fas.scot/podcast/arable/

Thrill of the Hill - https://www.fas.scot/sounds/thrill-of-the-hill/

Other Related Resources:

Nature Friendly Farming Network - https://www.nffn.org.uk/

Minister for Agriculture speech - https://www.gov.scot/publications/minister-for-agriculture-speech-nature-friendly-farming-network-summit/

RSPB article on summit - https://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/news/nature-friendly-farming-summit-scotland

AECS announcement - https://www.ruralpayments.org/news-events/ministers-have-confirmed-the-2026-round-of-the-agri-environment-climate-scheme--aecs-.html

Alex Pirie - https://www.sruc.ac.uk/all-unearthed-posts/meet-the-consultant-alex-pirie/

Timestamps:

0:56 – 6:10 Intro to summit, nature friendly farming and setting the scene

6:11 – 25:26 Range of different farmers, organisations and messages from speakers and exhibitors

25:27 – 29:10 Policy, government messages and funding announcements

29:10 – 35:04 Landscape scale initiatives and LENs

35:05 – end. Summing up and main takeaways.