Dr Paul Walton says the link between biodiversity, conservation, public good and human health is clear.

A bit of preventative spend can deliver enormous benefits for the people of our country, he insists.

SNH's Sally Thomas says her organisation will begin working towards a new set of targets from 2020.

We are already looking at how to achieve what we want to by working with stakeholders and NGOs, she adds.

Image source, bbc

Dr Paul Walton from RSPB says the cut to the SNH budget is a critical issue.

He explains one of the issues with woodland management is getting a three year project funded by the EU to clear rhododendron, but then it ends and the shrub re-invades.

Dr Walton says seabirds are an indicator of the impact of climate change.

New breeding sites are being made for seabirds and building resilience is a critical part of what his organisation does, he says.

The loss of core support for NGO groups, beyond project funding, is key says Prof Christopher Spray from Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.

These groups need revenue to drive forward the ambition, he argues.

Jonny Hughes from the Scottish Wildlife Trust says the land use strategy was given "no clout" for implementation because it was disconnected from funding.

Funding for projects will not amount to much until the funding for biodiversity targets sits alongside land management targets, he insists.

Mr Hughes also warns there will be an economic impact, noting the SWT turned every pound given to it into £4-5 pound for the economy but their funding has been cut.

Image source, nnv

Jonny Hughes from Scottish Wildlife Trust says biodiversity, forestry and agriculture must be integrated.

Mr Hughes argues the future lies in integrating land use and calls for a complete redesign the current agricultural policy.

He cites his organisation's vision Land Stewardship and insists this is a time of opportunity as well as being time of considerable threat.

The Trust’s Land Stewardship Policy, external is a "blueprint for ensuring future public support for the rural economy is linked to public goods", and highlights the need to "manage land sustainably, so it can be used in perpetuity."

Andrew Midgley of NFUS, the farmers union, says around £40m per year is spent through the agri-environment schemes, going direct to landowners and farmers.

He explains that the cost of doing everything we wanted to do on biodiversity would actually cost nearer to £400m.

The NFUS representative says the number of applications for funding has been smaller this year, which he attributes to the uncertainty around Brexit and people not wanting to commit when frameworks might change.

There is also an issue around integration of conservation and land management, Mr Midgley agrees.

We must be very consciously focused on these conflicts and we must invest in areas where there are issues to be dealt with, he argues.

Image source, bbc

Jonny Hughes from Scottish Wildlife Trust tells the committee over the last eight and a half years all of the funding has gone south.

Mr Hughes explains the "perfect storm of Brexit" which will mean the loss of the EU Life fund, external.

There has been a loss of collaborative working and a severe decline in funding, he says.

Mr Hughes says by not fixing things in the short term we are making things worse in the future, costing the country far more.

He calls for a "stitch in time" approach.

Sally Thomas of Scottish Natural Heritage says working at a local level is very useful for national parks, as this gives businesses a better understanding of how biodiversity can benefit them.

Calum Duncan from the Marine Conservation Society says there needs to be a network of marine protected areas, additional support for certain areas and an well resourced compliance body.

Marine Scotland's budget going up is welcome, he adds, but he also expresses concern there are only two vessels for a coastline of 80 miles.

Image source, bbc

Anna Lawrence of Community Woodlands discusses the integration of different types of land use.

Ms Lawrence explains the SRDP (Scottish Rural Development Programme) is very skewed to establishing new woodland rather than managing existing woodland.

She says biodiversity is "extremely unsexy" in terms of attracting funding.

Professor Christopher Spray from Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park says there is a lack of and decline in monitoring on biodiversity.

"This is a serious risk to be able to provide the evidence upon which policy is being built."

Tory MSP Finlay Carson asks about the role national parks could play regarding funding.

Mr Carson has previously called for the establishment of a national park in Galloway.

Dr Walton says protected areas are vital for protecting biodiversity, but insufficient for improving it.

He calls for protection and biodiversity to be considered as one.

Image source, bbc

Dr Rob Brooker of SEFARI says there has been a decline in the number of ecologists working now, with a 58% drop in the number of staff.

He says there is a loss of capacity in the scientific capacity and in monitoring abilities.

SEFARI, external is the Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes, a consortium of six research institutes.

Dr Brooker says not a lot of money is coming to classic biodiversity research.

Convener Gillian Martin asks about the current funding challenges for delivering biodiversity.

Dr Paul Walton from the RSPB says we are in a situation where a lot of our wildlife is in trouble.

Half of our native woodlands are in poor condition, climate change is proceeding and there is an issue with non-native species, he adds.

Opportunities to build resilience are evaporating quite quickly Dr Walton says, pointing to smaller budgets for SNH and the Lottery Heritage.

The RSPB representative also warns the Brexit will result in a losing a key source of funding.

Image source, bbc

The committee is taking evidence from:

• Eleanor Kay from Scottish Land & Estates, external
• Andrew Midgley from the NFUS, external
• Calum Duncan from the Marine Conservation Society, external
• Professor Christopher Spray of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, external
• Jonny Hughes from Scottish Wildlife Trust, external
• Dr Paul Walton from RSPB, external
• Anna Lawrence of Community Woodlands, external
• Dr Rob Brooker of SEFARI, external
• Sally Thomas from Scottish Natural Heritage, external

Image source, Getty Images

The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee is this morning discussing biodiversity funding, before moving on to consider post-Brexit regulations.

Read the committee papers here., external

Welcome to Holyrood Live on Tuesday 11 December 2018.

This morning, the environment committee explores biodiversity funding and implementation with a broad range of stakeholders.

Image source, Getty Images

After topical questions, the Scottish government leads a debate on sea fisheries and end of year negotiations.

SNP MSP Angela Constance's member's debate on the 60th anniversary of the ultrasound scanner ends the day.