Strategic Environmental Assessment

Draft Environmental Report

for the

consultation draft of the

Orkney Islands Council Trees and woodland strategy

IMAGE: Orkney Islands Council crest above the words “ORKNEY ISLANDS COUNCIL”, followed by the document title “Strategic Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Report for the consultation draft of the Orkney Islands Council Trees and woodland strategy”.

Cover Note

PART 1

To: SEA_Gateway@gov.scot, SEA Gateway, 2 H (South), Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ

PART 2

An SEA Scoping Report is attached for the plan, programme or strategy (PPS) entitled:

Orkney Islands Council Trees and woodland strategy (consultation draft)

The Responsible Authority is:

Orkney Islands Council

PART 3

• ✓ The PPS falls under the scope of Section 5(3) of the Act and requires an SEA under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005.
• The PPS falls under the scope of Section 5(4) of the Act and requires an SEA under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005.
• The PPS does not require an SEA under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. However, we wish to carry out an SEA on a voluntary basis. We accept that, as this SEA is voluntary, the statutory 5 week timescale for views from the Consultation Authorities cannot be guaranteed.

PART 4

Contact name: Erica Niven

Job Title: Rural Planner

Contact address: Neighbourhood Services and Infrastructure, Orkney Islands Council, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY

Contact tel no: 01856 873535

Contact email: erica.niven@orkney.gov.uk

PART 5

Signature
(electronic signature is acceptable)

Erica Niven

Date

24 January 2025

Table of Contents

• Non-technical summary
• 1. Context for the Environmental Report
     • a. Background
     • b. Alternatives
     • c. Environmental protection objectives in other plans, programmes and strategies
• 2. Current state of the environment
     • a. Topics considered
     • b. Environmental baseline
• 3. Environmental assessment
     • a. Assessment carried out
     • b. Other environmental assessments
• 4. Monitoring
• 5. Next steps
• Annex I: Other plans, programmes and strategies
• Annex II: Environmental assessment tables
  • Table A1 – screening table
  • Table AII – assessment for Vision, themes 2 and 3
  • Table AIII – assessment for indicative settlement mapping
• Annex III: Baseline environmental data – see separate Topic paper document
• Annex IV: Monitoring measures table
• Annex VI: Habitats Regulations Appraisal

Note: Topic papers are provided in a separate document.

Non-technical summary

This Environmental Report assesses the potential environmental effects of the draft Trees and woodland strategy for the Orkney Islands Council area (figure 1).

IMAGE: Map of the Orkney Islands showing the area covered by the strategy, including the main islands, surrounding waters, settlements, ferries, airports, hills and lochs. The map is credited to Mikenorton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Figure 1 – the area covered by the strategy

The draft Trees and woodland strategy provides high level strategic direction to encourage tree planting in Orkney to benefit people and nature. It is a requirement of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 and National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

The key issues facing the Orkney Islands Council area that are of relevance to the Trees and woodland strategy can be summarised as the effects of climate change on people and nature, and the effects of people and land management practices on nature (see separate environmental baseline Topic papers for further information). The draft Trees and woodland strategy seeks to address this where possible by safeguarding the existing tree and woodland resource, encouraging an increase the number of trees, woodlands and hedges and highlighting the public health and wellbeing benefits of them. Increasing trees, woodlands and hedges may have environmental effects. The main purpose of the Strategic Environmental Assessment is to identify whether and where effects may occur, to enable amendments to minimise harmful effects.

None of the themes or the vision of the strategy were predicted to have negative environmental effects (Annex II: Environmental assessment tables). The environmental assessment identified that the vision and two of the strategy themes (themes 1 and 3) as having the potential to have positive environmental effects in relation to climate change and air quality. Two uncertain effects were identified, one relating to European sites where until proposals come forward it is not possible to know what the potential effects might be (however negative effects would be avoided through embedded mitigation in the strategy), and the other relating to use of new trees from outside of Orkney for new planting proposals, which may introduce invasive non-native species, tree pests or diseases. However standard industry prevention measures used by commercial suppliers should reduce the risk where trees are sourced from such suppliers, a residual risk remains for trees sourced from non-commercial suppliers, resulting in the uncertain score.

As the strategy is implemented, monitoring will occur on an annual basis to see if there are any unexpected effects (Annex IV: Monitoring measures table). If unexpected effects occur, action will be taken to remedy them as appropriate to the effect and its cause.

1. Context for the Environmental Report

a. Background

The plan being assessed is the Orkney Islands Council Trees and woodland strategy. The strategy provides high level strategic direction to encourage tree planting in Orkney to benefit people and nature. It covers the whole of the Orkney Islands Council area (figure 1) for a ten year period.

b. Alternatives

Having a forest and woodland strategy is a legal requirement under the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019^1 and National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). (As there are no forests in Orkney, the strategy has been named a trees and woodland strategy, but still meets the requirements of the Act.) This limits the options available for consideration of alternatives, as not having a strategy is not permitted.

Taking a spatial approach to the strategy or using targets to increase the percentage or hectarage of woodland cover has deliberately not been used. This is in recognition of the climatic, nature conservation, archaeological and land use sensitivities found in Orkney, which reduce opportunities for large scale planting and require fine grain site specific assessment. Rather than focussing on quantity by setting targets or spatially identifying broad areas for planting, the strategy instead encourages an increase in the provision of good quality trees, woodlands and hedges that are informed by detailed location specific assessment and that benefit people while also contributing to enhancing biodiversity.

The alternative to this would be to have a broad brush spatial strategy that could not take account of site specific sensitivities, or to arbitrarily set specific targets for an increase in trees, hedges and woodland cover. However climatic conditions significantly limit potential for trees, which makes significant new planting or expansion unrealistic and many locations unsuitable for trees. Combined with the importance of existing land uses (such as the socio-economic prominence of agriculture, and the natural, climate change and tourism value of peatland habitats), setting arbitrary targets or identifying broad areas of land for planting that turns out to be unsuitable would disenfranchise key stakeholders, reducing the credibility and support for the strategy.

c. Environmental protection objectives in other plans, programmes and strategies

There are a large number of other plans, programmes and strategies (PPS) that are of relevance to the strategy. Due to their number, these are listed in Annex I: Other plans, programmes and strategies. The PPS are categorised according to their international, national and local scales and are accompanied by information on their purpose, relationship with the strategy and their relevance to the environmental assessment.

^1 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2019/13/contents/enacted

2. Current state of the environment

a. Topics considered

Schedule 3 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 lists categories of potential environmental effects that should be considered as part of the environmental assessment process. These have been grouped together into eight Topic areas. The Topics are:

• Topic 1: Climatic factors
• Topic 2: Air
• Topic 3: Water
• Topic 4: Soil and geodiversity
• Topic 5: Material assets
• Topic 6: Biodiversity
• Topic 7: Landscape and cultural heritage
• Topic 8: Population and human health

All the SEA Topics have been included in the environmental assessment, as the strategic nature of the strategy and baseline issues have the potential to influence all topics.

b. Environmental baseline

The separate Topic paper presents information on the environmental baseline, ordered by the eight different topic areas. The baseline information has been presented using infographics rather than the traditional text heavy written report style. The aim of this is to make the information more accessible and understandable to consultees and the public.

The baseline data has been taken from a variety of sources, such as (but not limited to) the Census, Scottish Government National Statistics, National Records of Scotland, Forestry and Land Scotland, NatureScot and Registrar of Scotland.

3. Environmental assessment

a. Assessment carried out

The environmental assessment is presented in Annex II: Environmental assessment tables. This has been updated following the receipt of advice on the Scoping report received in November 2024, to include consultee recommendations where relevant.

In summary, none of the themes or the vision of the strategy were predicted to have negative environmental effects (Annex II: Environmental assessment tables). The environmental assessment identified that the vision and two of the strategy themes (themes 1 and 3) as having the potential to have positive environmental effects in relation to climate change and air quality. Two uncertain effects were identified, one relating to European sites where until proposals come forward it is not possible to know what the potential effects might be (however negative effects would be avoided through embedded mitigation in the strategy), and the other relating to use of new trees from outside of Orkney for new planting proposals, which may introduce invasive non-native species, tree pests or diseases. However standard industry prevention measures used by commercial suppliers should reduce the risk where trees are sourced from such suppliers, a residual risk remains for trees sourced from non-commercial suppliers, resulting in the uncertain score.

Table 1 – scoring matrix

Consideration of cumulative/in combination effects was part of the assessment process, rather than being a separate assessment. However no cumulative effects with sufficient information to enable meaningful assessment were found. This is because the strategy is a high level document, so there is limited specific information on where, how and when individual activities/projects might emerge. This means that it is not possible to characterise what effects might occur or identify the location(s) potentially affected, nor the magnitude and spatial extent of effects. So while the overall outcome of the vision to increase trees, woodland and hedges in Orkney might have the potential to give rise to some positive environmental effects, it is not possible, on the basis of the limited information within the strategy, to identify where those potential effects might occur or their scale.

No negative effects were identified. This is because of the need for site specific assessment built into the strategy that should identify and mitigate negative effects or rule out proposals likely to have a significant adverse effect at the early project specific development stage.

b. Other environmental assessments

A HRA has been undertaken at the same time as the draft Environmental Report. While the HRA is required under different legislation^2, as a matter of good practice the HRA has been used to inform the Environmental Report and vice versa as part of an iterative process. For ease of cross reference, the HRA is provided in Annex VI: Habitats Regulations Appraisal.

^2 Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994, commonly referred to as the Habitats Regulations.

4. Monitoring

The effects of implementation of the strategy will be monitored during its lifetime. Annex IV: Monitoring measures table identifies what measures will be used and what monitoring will be undertaken. If unexpected effects occur, action will be taken to remedy them as appropriate to the effect and its cause.

5. Next steps

The draft strategy and the draft Environmental Report will be open to public consultation for an 8 week consultation period. Following the consultation period, consultation responses will be considered and the strategy and the Environmental Report will be amended where required, prior to taking the strategy to council committee for final approval.

Once the strategy (and Environmental Report) has gained Council approval, the strategy will be adopted and a post-adoption statement on the Environmental Report issued. The finalised strategy is anticipated to be ready for adoption in spring 2025.

Annex I: Other plans, programmes and strategies

Annex II: Environmental assessment tables

Table A1 – screening table

Table AII – assessment for Vision, themes 2 and 3

SECTION OF PLAN BEING ASSESSED:

Vision: By 2035, there has been an increase in trees, woodlands and hedges in our towns and villages and in the countryside across Orkney that are resilient and contribute to tackling climate change, provide diverse and functional habitats that support wildlife, complement land uses and are valued and enjoyed by people.

Theme 2: Encouraging more trees and hedges

Theme 3: Resilience of trees to climate change

As the vision is a combination of the three themes, the vision and themes 2 and 3 are assessed in a single assessment below. (Theme 1 is not assessed for the reasons set out in the screening table.)

Mitigation to avoid adverse effects is built into the strategy through the requirement for site specific assessment.

Table AIII – assessment for indicative settlement mapping

SECTION OF PLAN BEING ASSESSED: Indicative spatial mapping shown in figure 8.

Mitigation to avoid adverse effects is built into the strategy through the requirement for site specific assessment.

The assessment identified:

• No connectivity with the environmental topics for transport, energy, industrial, manufacture and construction processes, waste GHG emissions, housing for local needs, and employment opportunities local to places of residence.
• Positive but minimal effects on land use, land change and forestry GHG emissions, because enhancing tree and woodland networks in mapped settlements should help capture more GHG emissions.
• Positive but uncertain effects where trees may be used for natural flood and surface water management.
• Positive but uncertain effects on air quality where trees may be planted in areas with high emissions or particulates.
• Positive but uncertain effects on water quality, ecological condition, water storage and natural flood management services.
• No effects on public water supplies, demand for water, sustainable use of water resources, invasive non-native species in the water environment, carbon rich soils, soil sealing, soil structure and soil loss, soil contamination, sustainable use of natural resources, infrastructure, or secondary and recycled materials.
• No effects on protected areas because site specific assessment is required and adverse effects on European sites would be screened out.
• Positive but uncertain effects on protected species and Scottish Biodiversity List habitats and species.
• Uncertain effects relating to invasive non-native species, tree pests and diseases.
• No effect on the special qualities of the National Scenic Area because the mapped settlement is well outwith the NSA.
• Positive but uncertain effects on landscape character and local distinctiveness.
• No effect on historic and cultural interests because site specific assessment is required.
• Positive but uncertain effects on recreation and active travel opportunities.

Annex III: Baseline environmental data – see separate Topic paper document

Please see the separate Topic paper infographics document.

Annex IV: Monitoring measures table

Annex VI: Habitats Regulations Appraisal

Introduction

A Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been undertaken at the same time as the draft Environmental Report. While the HRA is required under different legislation^3, as a matter of good practice the HRA has been used to inform the Environmental Report and vice versa as part of an iterative process.

INFORMATION

European site details

Name of European site(s) potentially affected

• Auskerry SPA
• Calf of Eday SPA
• Copinsay SPA
• East Sanday Coast SPA (and Ramsar site)
• Faray and Holm of Farray SAC
• Hoy SAC and SPA
• Loch of Isbister SAC
• Loch of Stenness SAC
• Marwick Head SPA
• North Orkney SPA
• Orkney Mainland Moors SPA
• Papa Westray (North Hill and Holm) SPA
• Pentland Firth Islands SPA
• Rousay SPA
• Sanday SAC
• Scapa Flow SPA
• Stromness Heaths and Coast SAC
• Sule Skerry and Sule Stack SPA
• Switha SPA
• West Westray SPA

Qualifying interest(s)

See Annex I.

Conservation objectives for qualifying interests

As no sites will experience a likely significant effect (see stage 3 below), and because the conservation objectives of European sites are currently under review and so may change, readers should refer to the information for each site on the NatureScot portal SiteLink https://sitelink.nature.scot/home for the most uptodate information about conservation objectives.

^3 Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994, commonly referred to as the Habitats Regulations.

APPRAISAL

STAGE 1: What is the plan or project?

Relevant summary details of proposal (including location, timing, methods, etc)

Having a forest and woodland strategy is a legislative requirement under the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. It is expected that the strategy will cover the period 2025 – 2035. As there are no forests in Orkney, the strategy has been named a trees and woodland strategy, but still meets the requirements of the Act, being to:

1. identify woodlands of high nature conservation value in the planning authority’s area, and
2. set out the planning authority’s policies and proposals in their area, as to:
   1. the development of forestry and woodlands,
   2. the protection and enhancement of woodlands, in particular those mentioned in paragraph a,
   3. the resilience to climate change of woodlands, in particular those mentioned in paragraph a,
   4. the expansion of woodlands of a range of types to provide multiple benefits to the physical, cultural, economic, social and environmental characteristics of the area,
3. any other matter which the planning authority consider appropriate.

The draft Orkney Islands Council Trees and woodland strategy has considered the whole of the land area within the Council area. It has been prepared as a draft for public consultation so may change, however the HRA has been undertaken to inform the draft strategy. The HRA will be reviewed and if necessary revised following the public consultation period.

STAGE 2: Is the plan or project directly connected with or necessary for the management of the European site for nature conservation?

No.

STAGE 3: Is the plan or project (either alone or in-combination with other plans or projects) likely to have a significant effect on the site(s)?

No. The requirement in the strategy for proposals to undertake site specific assessment would ensure that consideration of effects on the qualifying interests and conservation objectives of relevant European sites would be considered by those thinking about planting trees or woodland proposals. Any proposals applying for a grant from Scottish Forestry or the Woodland Trust would also be subject to scrutiny, which would include a proposal specific assessment within input from the Orkney Woodland Group, which includes NatureScot.

Therefore, while it is not possible for the strategy to predict where tree and woodland proposals may occur, it is considered that the requirement for site specific assessment would ensure that likely significant effects are minimised and adverse effects on site integrity would not occur as a result of the implementation of the strategy.

STAGE 4: Undertake an Appropriate Assessment of the implications for the site(s) in view of the(ir) conservation objectives

Not required.

STAGE 5: Can it be ascertained that there will not be an adverse effect on site integrity?

Not required.