Rewilding in Scotland: Legal Guidance Notes

This note covers rewilding and:

• Planning permission and when it is required
• Exceptions for rewilding projects
• Environmental Impact Assessments and when they are required

This note covers rewilding and:

• Management of and consents needed for sites of specific scientific interest
• Protection offered and liabilities under the European regime
• Other protected area regimes

This note covers:

• Obligations to control the spread onto agricultural land of native plants that can be toxic to livestock or interfere with the growing of crops (including ragwort)
• Offences relating to growing certain non-native of species in the wild
• Protected species of plant and the implications for landholders

This note covers rewilding and:

• Public rights to access land that may affect rewilding projects
• Restricting public access to land and practical difficulties in doing so

This note covers rewilding and:

• Responsibilities owed by landholders to visitors and third parties on their land, and how to mitigate those risks
• Criminal liabilities of landholders, and how to discharge criminal liability

This note covers rewilding and:

• Liability for damage caused by animals under common law and statute
• Defences available to rewilders responsible for animals

This note covers rewilding and:

• Licenses and assessments required prior to the reintroduction of animals 
• Obligations on landowners regarding reintroductions

This note covers rewilding and:

• Conservation burdens: their use for rewilding and how they work
• Private law protection of rewilding land

This note covers rewilding and:

• Its impact on various tax regimes

This note covers rewilding and:

• Subsidies currently available in Scotland that may be available for rewilding and upcoming changes