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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · 19d

- The benefits of nature for climate adaptation and wellbeing

Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · 19d

- A Just Transition for Grangemouth and the missed opportunities
- The need for a well-being economy and a focus on warm, insulated homes and good public transport, including far better rural bus services.
- The need for attention to the health impacts of the climate crisis

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · 19d

Our Director Kat Jones facilitated a table for Central Scotland constituents with Monica Lennon MSP and the key issues that came up were

- The impact of climate change on the Global South and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · 19d

We took part in the Stop Climate Chaos mass lobby yesterday. Around 500 people registered to lobby their MSPs for greater climate action and hundreds showed up to speak to their MSPs

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · 21d

With the UK-wide deposit return scheme due to start in October 2026, we need UK Ministers to get serious about the circular economy including repair and reuse. Reusing our resources instead of wasting them becomes the norm.
✉️ Read the letter:

We’ve let the new DEFRA minister know that repair and reuse is popular, can you help? - The Restart Project

The circular economy risks dropping off the government's agenda, so we re-sent DEFRA our open letter from business and community leaders.

therestartproject.org

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · 21d

The circular economy, and along with it repair and reuse, could be slipping down the UK-wide political agenda.
We have signed a joint letter, co-ordinated by @therestartproject.org, to Emma Reynolds, new DEFRA minister, reflecting our support for policies put forward in the #RepairReuseDeclaration.

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Aug 5

This week the world gathers in Geneva to agree the Global Plastics Treaty. We've signed a Friends of the Earth Scotland letter to the First Minister calling for more ambition on plastics.

It's a whole year since the Circular Economy Act was passed - action is needed now.

aprs.scot/what-we-sa...

Call for more ambition on plastics pollution - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

We recently signed an open letter to the Scottish Government on disposable dental flossers, concerned about yet another form of disposable item that is turning up on beaches and in rivers. We were quoted in The Herald and the full quote is below.

aprs.scot

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 31

Read the full statement from Kat Jones, APRS Director, and the background to the case, on our website:

aprs.scot/press-releas...

Cochno Battery Farm gets go ahead - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

A Battery Storage facility on a 29 Hectare Green Belt site near to the famous Cochno Stone in Faifley has just been consented by Scottish Government. APRS Objected to the 560 MW Whitehall Battery Stor...

aprs.scot

Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 31

In the wake of this egregious decision we are calling for a reconsideration of policy regarding battery storage to ensure that storage is consented in the most appropriate locations, avoiding Green Belts and sites of importance for nature or heritage, and that there an assessment of the need.

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 31

But, as of April 2025 there is 23.9GW of Battery Storage in the planning system with 2.3GW consented in three days alone last week.

Scottish Government have never turned down a Battery Storage facility. And if this site at Cochno can get permission for battery storage, then nowhere is safe.

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 31

Battery storage in the planning system already exceeds the projected requirements for the future. According to NESO modelling, 5.9 to 6.4GW of battery storage could be required in Scotland by 2030, and between 6.4 and 7.6GW by 2045. Source: www.neso.energy/docu...

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 31

Battery storage applications are coming in thick and fast across Scotland, and Green Belts are some of the most affected areas.

In only three days last week the Scottish Government approved seven battery projects representing over 2.3 GW of energy storage capacity.

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 31

A Battery Storage facility on a Green Belt site near to the famous Cochno Stone in Faifley has been given the go ahead.

We objected to the development which has been heavily opposed locally and will impact on an important array of Neolithic cup and ring marked rocks.

aprs.scot/cochno

Development impacts Green Belt, Access and Neolithic Rock Art - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

We are encouraging our supporters to object to the development of battery storage at Cochno in the green belt, which impacts on core paths and one of the densest and most accessible accumulations of pre-historic rock art in Scotland's central belt.

aprs.scot

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 24

We haven't been moping about since Galloway National Park was cancelled - we dived straight into working on the National Park section of the Natural Environment Bill. It's been a great opportunity to look at the process of designation and possible changes in future.

aprs.scot/news/still...

Still working hard on National Parks - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

Since the cancellation of the process to designate a new National Park in Galloway we have been busy taking the opportunity of the Natural Environment Bill to improve on the process of designation, as well as to make existing National Parks more effective.

aprs.scot

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 21

Welcome to our new Office Manager and Administrator Laura MacLeod - we are so delighted to have her on the team. Nina Sobecka retired at the end of June after 13 years with us but she is continuing a volunteer on the Oral History project, so she will still be around!

aprs.scot/news/welco...

Welcome to Laura and the new Trustees - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

We are delighted to welcome Laura MacLeod who joins us to take over from Nina as Administrator and Office Manager. In addition we welcome Graeme Purves and Suzie Saunders as our new Trustees.

aprs.scot

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jul 18

We are starting a new research project on energy - especially looking at the volume of planning applications for battery storage as so much is appearing on Green Belt sites. We have two amazing volunteers working on it - look out for the report in September!

aprs.scot/news/energ...

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jun 25

This week an updated Landscape Charter, has been published by The Scottish Landscape Alliance.

The document, endorse by Scottish Government, a vision of how Scotland’s communities, land managers and public bodies can contribute to enhancing Scotland’s landscapes.
aprs.scot/news/updat...

Updated Landscape Charter is Published - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

APRS is a member of The Scottish Landscape Alliance and this week, they published Scotland’s Landscape Charter, a document endorsed

aprs.scot

Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland

Neil Reid @cairngormwanderer.bsky.social · Jun 16

Governments always seem to prioritise the benefit of landowners and big business rather than the people who voted for them. God knows national parks aren't perfect, but they're better than the free-for-all that blights the outdoors elsewhere.
Actual APRS report here - aprs.scot/news/how-mis...

Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jun 16

How misinformation brought down a National Park.

APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...

Powerful vested interests killed new national park at birth - SNP should be ashamed

The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next National Park should send a chill down the spine of everyone…

www.heraldscotland.com

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jun 16

Absolutely. Politicians really need to be more aware of these tactics.

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jun 16

adding this in on the thread, may be of interest bsky.app/profile/aprs...

Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jun 16

How misinformation brought down a National Park.

APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...

Powerful vested interests killed new national park at birth - SNP should be ashamed

The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next National Park should send a chill down the spine of everyone…

www.heraldscotland.com

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Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland

Gavin Corbett @gavincorbett.bsky.social · Jun 5

This is powerful analysis from @kat-jones.bsky.social of @aprscotland.bsky.social. If national parks are to be a mainstay of how we protect nature, enhance access and provide lasting community benefit (and I firmly believe they are) then a bolder approach is needed.
aprs.scot/news/misinfo...

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jun 16

We can write the article, but unfortunately have no control over the headline.....

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jun 16

The Herald article is a summary of a longer post on our website, an analysis of the NatureScot report and the extent that misinformation took over the discussions on a new National Park for Scotland.
aprs.scot/news/how-mis...

How misinformation brought down a National Park - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

APRS Director, Kat Jones reflects on the campaign to bring down the planned new National Park. Detailed analysis of the NatureScot report confirms that misinformation has had an insidious impact on th...

aprs.scot

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Action to Protect Rural Scotland @aprscotland.bsky.social · Jun 16

How misinformation brought down a National Park.

APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...

Powerful vested interests killed new national park at birth - SNP should be ashamed

The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next National Park should send a chill down the spine of everyone…

www.heraldscotland.com

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Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland

Graeme Purves @gaspurves.bsky.social · Jun 6

@aprscotland.bsky.social Director Kat Jones on the campaign that banjaxed a Galloway National Park and another poorly conducted consultation by the Scottish Government:
#Galloway
#ScottishEnvironment 🌱
#LandManagement

How misinformation brought down a National Park - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

APRS Director, Kat Jones reflects on the campaign to bring down the planned new National Park. Detailed analysis of the NatureScot report confirms that misinformation has had an insidious impact on th...

aprs.scot

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