Progressing the SW Scotland Biosphere

The proposed redesignation of the Biosphere in SW Scotland is poised at a crucial stage. Over the last few years, local partners, including Dumfries & Galloway Council, South and East Ayrshire Councils and Scottish  Natural Heritage have commissioned a number of consultations and reports and these have indicated that the biosphere idea has community backing and would generate significant new economic activity. This has in turn won local political support for the idea.

Initially it appeared that the Scottish Government was not minded to endorse the approach and the partners agreed to find an alternative way of promoting cross-border working. An Interreg project (EU money) was developed, working with partners in Northern Ireland and Eire. This would establish a pilot project in SW Scotland, targeting three river catchments (the Cree, the Doon and the Stinchar) and would allow a number of biosphere type projects to move forward, linked to work that would also deliver actions under the Water Framework Directive. The application has now been submitted with S Ayrshire Council as the lead agency, and the result of the first stage of the appraisal process will be known in September. If successful, the project could start in 2010.

Since the Intereg application was made, the attitude of the Scottish Government appears to have softened somewhat  providing wide community support can be demonstrated, and it now seems that the Biosphere idea may be supported after all. This may be clarified on the 10th September when local Councillors meet with the Minister.

In the last year, one UK Biosphere reserve has been redesignated – the Dyfi Valley in Wales. If the SW Scotland project goes forward it could be the third in the UK and the only one in Scotland for the time being.

In the meantime, there is strong interest in some communities within the potential biosphere who would like to start biosphere-type projects now and councils will shortly be giving thought to establishing community biosphere champions to spread the message about the significance of having a UNESCO designated biosphere in the area.