A policy note co-written by James Hutton Institute and Scotland’s Rural College that draws on evidence from both in Theme C (Human Impacts on the Environment; Project: Land Use Transformations) and Theme E (Rural Futures; Project: Scotland’s Land Reform Futures). A range of policies, strategies, initiatives and public funding streams are concerned with land use, and mapping landownership in Scotland has been a longstanding issue. Better integration of the disparate administrative and research-based data sources are needed to provide well-informed policy development, implementation, and monitoring - while minimising unintended outcomes. The policy note provides three recommendations to better exploit existing data by combining multiple spatial data sources on land use and landownership. Read the policy note 'Spatial Data Requirements for Land-Based Policy Objectives' (published April 29 2024).
A report on accessing and integrating land ownership data in Scotland, based on a review of existing land ownership data, its availability, accessibility, and shareability. It identifies relevant data from several sources including Scottish Government Agriculture datasets, Forest and Land Scotland, Registers of Scotland, Local Authorities, from the private sector and other sources. The datasets differ in terms of scope, coverage, granularity, frequency of update, and cost of access. This document summarises the characteristics of the datasets and the challenges for making land ownership data more transparent. Read the final report 'Review of Land Ownership Data in Scotland' (published March 2024).
Technical, institutional, and social feasibility studies inform the development of a land information dataset to maximise the efficiency and efficacy of community and landowner engagement with the Scottish land reform process and future land use decision-making. Read the first report on 'Understanding community access to land data' (published June 2023).
An extensive literature and policy review defines a conceptual framework/typology of what is meant by ‘land tenure models’, and examines what could be considered alternative/potential to those that already exist or are predominant in Scotland. Read the final report on 'Alternative Land Tenure Models: International Case Studies and Lessons for Scotland' and the visual summary (published June 2023).