Public consultation launched on draft Greenspace Biodiversity Management Strategy 2026-2030
People across the Highlands are being invited to have their say on a new strategy that aims to help protect, restore and enhance nature across Council-owned land and greenspaces.
The Highland Council has launched a six-week public consultation on its draft Greenspace Biodiversity Management Strategy 2026-2030, which sets out a framework and practical guidance for managing Council-owned greenspaces to support biodiversity and respond to the ecological and climate emergencies.
The draft strategy outlines an ambitious set of principles, objectives and targets for managing greenspaces across eight categories of Council-owned assets: public parks and amenity greenspaces, burial grounds, roads and transport networks, countryside sites, schools, buildings, streets and civic spaces, and allotments.
The strategy has been developed in collaboration with key operational teams and has received input from Councillors and a wide range of Council services. The Council is now seeking the views of residents, visitors, community groups and organisations before the final strategy is brought back to a future meeting of the Communities and Place Committee for approval and adoption.
Chair of The Highland Council's Communities and Place Committee, Councillor Graham MacKenzie said: "Our parks, open spaces, roadside verges and other greenspaces have an important role to play in helping wildlife thrive while creating healthier and more resilient communities.
"The draft Greenspace Biodiversity Management Strategy sets out how we can work towards enhancing biodiversity across Council-owned land while continuing to provide welcoming and accessible spaces for people to enjoy.
"I would encourage everyone with an interest in the future of Highland's natural environment to take part in this consultation. Whether you are a resident, visitor, community group or organisation, your views will help shape the final strategy and ensure it reflects the priorities of the communities we serve."
The consultation focuses on the Council's strategic approach to biodiversity management and will not determine detailed changes to individual parks, verges or burial grounds. There will be further opportunities for communities to help shape site-specific management plans for local greenspaces in the future.
The consultation is now open and will run until midnight on Sunday 4 October. It can be accessed via the Council's engagement platform EngageHighland
Following the consultation, responses will be reviewed and used to help inform the final Greenspace Biodiversity Management Strategy 2026-2030 before it is presented to the Communities and Place Committee for discussion and formal approval.
About Engage Highland platform
The easy-to-use platform allows anyone to quickly see what projects and proposals are open for consultation and engagement. People can choose to register, or take part in consultations without registering.
For registered users, there are interactive mapping and voting capabilities as well as a mechanism for the vital ‘feedback’ loop, to find out what has been agreed and why. Users can also set up alerts, so they receive automatic notifications when any consultations are launched in a specific geographic area or on a topic, they are particularly interested in.