So, what have we learned?
A common theme running through ALL manifestos is a pledge to manage more deer, plant more trees (particularly native species) and accelerate peatland restoration.
Deer
It is clear that deer management will remain a focus of the new Parliament, just as it has been in the last.
How do parties differ on the issue?
The SNP, Greens, Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems all want to see more deer management, backed with funding for pilot control schemes and with better use of venison.
Labour are keen to support community initiatives which supply venison while the Conservatives want to see more procurement of venison in schools (the SNP are also proposing a Food Procurement Taskforce).
Differences aside, all parties are likely to want to input into the National Deer Management and Venison Plan. This is a legacy of the Natural Environment Bill, driven by the Scottish Government, which will almost certainly be advanced over the next 5 years.
Country Sports
Whilst candidates from various parties across our SGA Election Guides have expressed a willingness to work with the sector and push key issues, the only Manifestos to openly make support for country sports unequivocal are Reform and the Conservatives.
Reform’s Manifesto vows to ‘support rural communities by maintaining traditional country sports.’
The Conservatives say they will reaffirm their commitment to field sports, insisting that, if elected, they would reinstate Small Business Bonus Scheme reliefs lost to shoots which no longer meet the Government’s criteria.
Whilst statements in Manifestos can be read as indicators of a direction of travel, all manifestos should be treated with caution. Achieving pre-election promises, for all the parties at Holyrood, will always be contingent on gaining enough support across the Parliament, as is the way of politics.
Wildfire and muirburn
The issue of wildfire has risen much higher up the political agenda, unsurprisingly.
The SNP point to their £434m investment in Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) as well as their Wildfire Strategy, introduced whilst in government.
Labour want to introduce greater public education whilst the Conservatives want a dedicated Wildfire unit within SFRS.
They, too, want a review of muirburn licensing, with either amendments or a repeal, if it is deemed appropriate.
Whatever the electoral outcome, muirburn is likely to remain a focus of the next Parliament.
Rivers
The SNP want to implement the Wild Salmon Strategy and their manifesto makes a commitment to tackling the issues facing the species.
“We are determined to take action to support wild salmon and the businesses which depend upon them.”
Views become more divergent when it comes to the aquaculture sector.
SNP and the Conservatives both vow to support the sector where it is environmentally responsible and prioritises fish welfare.
The Greens, on the other hand, want to pause new farms until they feel the sector is meeting its obligations and they want more powers for regulators to be able to shut down existing farms which are not meeting expected standards.
The issue of sewage is included in several Manifestos.
The Lib Dems (and Greens) want a Clean Water Act. The Lib Dems also favour a move towards 100% monitoring of sewage outflows, with water bodies having to commit to long-term reduction targets.
Labour want sewage data publicly available and to bring sewage outflow monitoring up to the level currently seen in other parts of the UK.
Land Reform
Land Reform is a divisive issue when it comes to the Manifestos, with 2 parties clearly diverging from the others.
The Greens are at one end of the spectrum, pledging ‘radical land reform’ where land of 500 hectares or more must pass a public interest and community good test. They want a map of private owners and greater Community- Right- To- Buy.
The SNP want to extend community ownership while the Conservatives want to repeal the Land Reform legislation completely.
Reform want to scrap the Scottish Land Commission but keep the Tenant Farmer Commissioner.
There are few Parliamentary terms which have not dealt with land reform in some manner or another. The coming term is unlikely to be any different.
Greens on a limb
Whilst most party Manifestos contain rural policies which are within relatively expected boundaries, the Greens are outliers on many subjects.
They want to:
Licence pheasant and partridge releases
Introduce Lynx
Speed the introduction of beavers
Review animal welfare legislation to include sentience through a new Wildlife Act
Place more species on the protected list
Create a carbon emissions land tax
Create a Scottish Environmental Court
