SLE enhances Policy Team with new adviser on biodiversity and woodlands

Press Release

A new policy adviser on biodiversity and woodlands has been appointed by Scottish Land & Estates.

Nathan Bryceland has joined the rural business organisation to support the work of SLE members across Scotland as they work to address the nature crisis.

Nathan joins Scottish Land & Estates with 20 years’ experience working in countryside management and education, with countryside ranger services, local government, and government agencies – including 10 years leading learning programmes with Historic Environment Scotland. He has also worked closely with Scottish rural estates and the tertiary education, tourism and agricultural sectors.

Over the years, Nathan has worked on multiple partnership projects focused on Scotland’s natural and built heritage, including woodland creation and management schemes, biodiversity surveying and community engagement (including conservation volunteer management), and has extensive experience of leading environmental educational excursions for groups of all ages and abilities across Scotland and beyond.

Nathan is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, with PGCE and MA Honours in Environmental Education and History, specialising in land use, management and recreation in the Scottish Highlands & Islands and national parks.

Biodiversity and wildlife projects that SLE and its members are involved in include Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels; South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project; Peatland Action; Working for Waders, and the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforests. SLE members are also at the forefront of the Wildlife Estates Scotland accreditation scheme, a best practice scheme that promotes the highest standard of game, wildlife and habitat management practices.

Nathan’s appointment also coincided with International Day for Biological Diversity, held on May 22.

In his new role, Nathan will work closely with SLE’s policy team based at Musselburgh as well as the regional network around the country.

Stephen Young, Director of Policy at Scottish Land & Estates, said:

“We’re pleased to welcome Nathan to Scottish Land & Estates and he adds a wealth of experience and knowledge to our policy team.

“Nathan will play an important role in aiding the significant contribution our members are already making to enhance biodiversity in Scotland. Farms and estates are biodiversity champions and schemes such as Wildlife Estates Scotland demonstrate the positive management that can influence animal and plant species, the condition of their habitats and the ecosystems that support them. Continually evolving our understanding of nature and biodiversity is important for those on the ground and Nathan will be an important link between our members and policymakers.”

Nathan Bryceland, Policy Adviser (Biodiversity and Woodlands) at Scottish Land & Estates, said:

“There is some brilliant conservation work undertaken by rural businesses across Scotland and all too often, it happens quietly with a minimum of fuss by land managers who view their role as being the present custodians ahead of generations yet to come.

“As we seek to enable biodiversity recovery, there is a growing realisation that work needs to take place at a landscape level to affect the quick progress that is needed in the decades to come. Scottish Land & Estates members are excellently placed to deliver this and I’m looking forward to helping them in this task in the months and years ahead.”