Scottish Badgers Strategy 2021 2026
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Scottish Badgers Strategy 2021 - 2026 Version 1 Scottish Badgers (SCIO) Charity Number SCO34297
Contents
1 Welcome to Scottish Badgers 1
Scope of Strategy 1
Our Vision 1
Our Purpose 1
2 Our Priorities 2
Priority 1: Crime Prevention 2
Priority 2: Education 2
Priority 3: Advocacy and Engagement 3
Priority 4: Development Planning 3
Priority 5: Research 4
Delivering our Priorities 4
3 Our Structure and Governance 5
Our Team 5
Funding 7
4 Delivering our Projects 8
Action Planning 8
Responsibilities 8
Accountability 8
Review and Monitoring 8
Appendix 1 9
Action Plan Template 9
Appendix 2 11
Organogram 111 Welcome to Scottish Badgers
Scope of Strategy
1.1 Scottish Badgers published its first Strategy in 2015. Our Strategy aimed to guide the work of
the charity during the period 2015 - 2020 and provided an organisational framework that would
ensure effective and efficient delivery of our aims and objectives.
1.2 The charity, it’s contractors and volunteers embraced the Strategy and used it as a framework to
drive Scottish Badgers forward, growing our membership, increasing our reach and audience and,
ultimately, better protecting badgers.
1.3 By early-2020, many of the Action Plans set out in the original Strategy had been achieved and
so, with enthusiasm, our Trustees met to agree a new Strategy for the next 5 years. This
document sets out the agreed approach.
1.4 Adopting a similar structure to our previous Strategy, in the following pages, we describe our
vision of how Scottish Badgers will operate by 2026. To target and focus our projects and
activities, we have developed a series of Action Plans, the structure and function of which are
described in Section 4. The Action Plans themselves will be flexible documents, allowing us to
respond to change and development within and outwith our organisation.
1.5 While our Strategy sets out an unapologetically ambitious future for Scottish Badgers, it
recognises the uncertain political and economic landscape before us. Both Brexit and Covid will
shape the world in which we operate and, as such, our Strategy continues to provide a significant
focus for our governance and financial development.
Our Vision
1.6 Our vision is of a Scotland free of badger persecution and cruelty by 2026. Scotland’s wildlife
legislation will be strengthened, and enforced by, sufficiently-resourced and informed law-makers,
police and prosecution services.
1.7 In parallel, Scotland’s communities will recognise the value of our native badger as part of wider,
healthy ecosystems and will act to protect local populations.
Our Purpose
1.8 Our purpose is to:
• Operate as Scotland’s leading charity concerned with the conservation, welfare and
protection from persecution of badgers.
• Act as an equal partner with Scotland’s crime enforcement and prosecution services.
• Engage with all parts of the Scottish community, ensuring we have active members in all
parts of Scotland.
• Act as a resource for expertise, raising standards in badger survey amongst professionals
and amateurs.
• Actively influence law-makers and decision-makers by engaging with the political and
local planning processes, drawing on our members’ extensive expertise and experience.
• Contribute towards an environmentally-informed and sustainable Scotland.
12 Our Priorities
2.1 Scottish Badgers categorises its operational work within 5 distinct Priority Areas. The depth and
range of our Priorities allow us to take a broad approach to the protection of badgers. However,
we recognise that, as a small charity with limited resources, we must have a clear focus for our
operations. Our Priorities are set out below, by order of importance.
2.2 We recognise that many of our priorities will overlap and there will be considerable cross-priority
working required to achieve our Vision. Similarly, while our priorities focus our activity, Scottish
Badgers will always be responsive to new opportunities. We will regularly review our priorities
and our projects to ensure we continue to be effective and efficient.
Priority 1: Crime Prevention
2.3 Tackling the persecution of badgers has been Scottish Badgers’ primary function since its
inception in 1999. The status of badgers is unique in Scotland in that they benefit from their own,
species-specific Act of Parliament; the Protection of Badgers Act (Scotland) 1992, as amended.
Despite their legal protection, badgers continue to suffer persecution across Scotland. Whether
for ‘sport’ or as a consequence of poorly designed land management practices, our badger
populations are routinely subjected to persecution. Scottish Badgers will continue to work
towards a Scotland free of badger persecution. We will:
• continue to fund and support at least one Operations Coordinator, or similar role,
within our organisation.
• work with partner organisations to directly influence legislation. Our partners
include government agencies, e.g. NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland,
other NGOs in the wildlife and environment field, other professionals such as
ecologists and countryside rangers, and private companies in forestry and
development.
• work with and support Police Scotland, SSPCA and other agencies to prevent,
detect and prosecute badger crime.
• empower our volunteer network to recognise badger crime in the field and
report it to the relevant authorities.
• continue to deliver our own initiatives to raise awareness of badger crime within
the wider public.
Priority 2: Education
2.4 ‘Education’ is our most diverse priority. Within this priority we include our ‘awareness raising’
projects and our well-established training programme.
Awareness Raising
2.5 The elusive nature of the badger often means that the wider public is unaware of local
populations. As a consequence, opportunities for communities to enjoy a relationship with their
local badger populations go unrecognised, along with subsequent opportunities to protect them
from sustained persecution. We intend to address this issue. We will:
• recruit new members across Scotland, ensuring we have a means of keeping
members engaged with our work.
• support the organisation and function of locally-focussed ‘branches’ of Scottish
Badgers.
• identify and attend appropriate events across Scotland, ensuring we utilise local
volunteers wherever possible.
• work with partner organisations to deliver and support Scotland-wide awareness
raising initiatives.
2• develop our website and social media presence, along with traditional
information literature.
• develop links with the media, ensuring our message is heard by the largest
audience possible.
• host relevant and informative annual conferences, allowing our members,
volunteers and members of the public to engage.
• Within the limits of our resources, be available to the wider public via our
website and by telephone and email, providing accurate advice where required.
2.6 Members and Branches will also be supported by a new Membership Support team within our
governance structure.
Training
2.7 Scottish Badgers has developed and delivered formal and informal training events for many years.
We propose to continue to develop our training programme. We will:
• continue to promote, develop and deliver an annual ‘Training Prospectus’.
• continue to promote, develop and deliver our ‘Level 1 Registered Badger
Surveyor’ training courses across Scotland, providing attendees with a
qualification. This qualification will be recognised across the country as the
leading standard in badger surveying.
• develop and deliver our ‘Level 2 Registered Badger Worker’ training courses
across Scotland, providing attendees with an in-depth understanding of badger
ecology and protection. Upon completion of Level 2, attendees will be
recognised by Scottish Badgers, NatureScot and our partner organisations as
competent people in badger protection in Scotland.
• develop and deliver industry-specific training courses, for example badger
protection for the forestry industry and badger survey and assessment for
professional ecological consultancy.
• Further develop a mechanism that allows us to remain engaged with course
attendees, supporting them as volunteers for the organisation.
Priority 3: Advocacy and Engagement
2.8 Scottish Badgers was established at the request of the Scottish Executive in 1992 and since then
we have continued to influence political thinking and nature conservation legislation and policy.
However, in a complex and changing political landscape, it is important that we continue to
challenge the Scottish Government and its agencies in relation to the legal protections offered to
badgers and the enforcement of that legislation. We will:
• continue our active membership of Scottish Environment Link, serving on
appropriate Task Groups as required.
• maintain a high profile within the decision-making community, lobbying and
influencing decision making on important natural heritage issues.
• develop our relationship with like-minded organisations as a means of
strengthening our voice.
• maintain a high profile externally through a strong relationship with national
and local media.
• encourage our members to participate in the democratic process by challenging
decision-makers at a local level.
Priority 4: Development Planning
2.9 Scottish Badgers recognises the economic and social need for sustainable development across
Scotland. However, we also recognise that when poorly designed and implemented, development
projects, such as housing and infrastructure, can have significant adverse impacts on local badger
populations. We will continue to advise and support the development industries to ensure
badgers are fully considered during the planning and construction of such projects. We will:
3• raise awareness of badgers within key development organisations, including
Forestry & Land Scotland, Transport Scotland and other relevant organisations.
• raise awareness of badgers within Local Planning Authorities.
• engage with NatureScot Licensing on emerging badger licensing policy.
• continue to reach out to professional environmental consultancies, raising
professional standards wherever possible. We will achieve this through our
training programme and publication of best practice guidance where
appropriate.
• continue to provide data searches to inform planning applications. We will
ensure our pricing and format remain attractive.
• engage with the planning system as it relates to significant development
projects.
• empower our network of Planning Engagement volunteers to respond
confidently to local planning application consultations.
Priority 5: Research
2.10 Scottish Badgers strives to be a source of accurate information, providing reliable advice at all
levels. We will not lead on new academic research, however we will support and inform research
where possible. In particular, we will lend our support to research that will inform government
policy. We will:
• maintain relationships with relevant universities and research organisations.
• encourage the academic community, at all levels, to engage with Scottish
Badgers.
• encourage the dissemination of new research via our newsletters, social media
presence and conferences.
• we will continue to attract scientific and policy leaders to our annual conference,
ensuring our members and volunteers have opportunities to debate and
challenge.
• we will stay abreast of emerging scientific evidence, developing a formal
position if required.
Delivering our Priorities
2.11 Responsibility for each Priority Area will be held by a Trustee with support from named members
of our Advisory Group. Progress against our Action Plans will be discussed and challenged at each
meeting of the Board of Trustees and regular updates will be provided to our membership and
funders.
2.12 The Action Plan Template in Appendix 1 will be used to record action and measure progress as
we deliver our Priorities. Actions Plans will be flexible but include clear targets against which to
measure our progress.
43 Our Structure and Governance
3.1 Scottish Badgers currently enjoys the support of approximately 400 members. We have an active
and engaged volunteer group, spread across the length and breadth of Scotland, allowing us to
act on behalf of badgers at a national scale.
3.2 The following sections describe our governance structure and set out our approach to succession
planning. Using the template set out in Appendix 1, a separate Governance Action Plan will be
developed for our governance. The Action Plan will address the following governance objectives:
• We will maintain a diverse Board of Trustees with a broad range of experience
and expertise.
• We will continue to attract Advisory Group members and develop their
understanding of the organisation, thereby ensuring a pool of future Trustees.
• We will attract funding for, and appoint, a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with
responsibility for overseeing the delivery of forthcoming Strategies.
• We will attract funding for, and appoint, a Core Development Officer (CDO), with
responsibility for delivering many of our Priority Area actions.
Our Team
3.3 An organogram of our management structure is provided in Appendix 2.
Board of Trustees
3.4 Scottish Badgers is directed by a Board of Trustees, each of whom brings a particular skill set,
experience and geographical knowledge. Our Trustees, appointed from the Advisory Group and
led by a Chair, have overall accountability for the organisation and have ultimate responsibility for
the delivery of this Strategy Document. The Trustees are elected from our Advisory Group, with
the decision ratified by the wider member group at our Annual General Meetings.
3.5 Our Board of Trustees meets quarterly to discuss and agree the organisation’s direction. The
names and experience of our current Trustees are provided on our website,
www.scottishbadgers.org.uk.
3.6 Trustees have various operational and technical remits, ranging from the financial management of
the charity to the development and delivery of our extensive training programme.
Advisory Group
3.7 Our Trustees are supported by an Advisory Group, consisting of experienced and skilled
volunteers from across Scotland. Advisors are drawn from the membership and invited to join the
Advisory Group by Trustee consensus.
3.8 Our Advisors primarily act as deputies to our Trustees, tasked with supporting the delivery of
specific Priority Action Plans. Advisors may also be invited to work across a range of Priority
Action Plans, reporting to a number of Trustees. Where required, our Advisory group will meet
quarterly with our Board of Trustees to discuss progress against the Strategy. Further
opportunities to meet and share experiences as a group will also be explored.
3.9 Our Advisory Group will also include a number of recognised specialists and experts in key fields,
including welfare, conservation and advocacy. The Board of Trustees may also choose to appoint
Advisors who represent specific geographical regions. While these advisors will not be required to
attend quarterly meetings, the Board of Trustees will draw upon their experience and expertise as
required.
Contractors
3.10 Scottish Badgers benefits from the skills and experience of two dedicated officers, each of whom
has responsibility for different areas of our work.
5Operations Co-ordinator
3.11 Our Operations Co-ordinator has a varied role, but takes the lead on all things related to our
Crime priority. Our Operations Co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring that all incidents are
recorded and that the appropriate people, normally Trustees or Advisory Group members, deal
with the investigations.
3.12 Often acting as a primary point of contact for members and the public, our Species Protection Co-
ordinator will direct enquiries and requests to appropriate Advisors and Trustees as required.
3.13 Over the course of this Strategy, we will seek to further develop the co-ordination of our
operations, primarily by exploring opportunities to grow our team of contractors and staff. In
particular, through our Governance Action Plan, we will investigate the creation of new paid roles
within the organisation.
Project Officer – ‘Earn Your Stripes’
3.14 Over the years our Project Officer role has delivered our numerous and highly successful HLF-
funded projects. These have varied in scope and scale, but play a crucial role in engaging with
communities, bringing nature conservation to those with limited previous experience or exposure.
During the course of this Strategy we will continue to seek funding for projects that seek to
achieve Scottish Badgers’ Vision and Purpose.
Local Branches and Branch Co-Ordinators
3.15 While Scottish Badgers is active at a national scale, we operate within local branches, allowing our
work to focus on local issues. This approach also allows us to engage more effectively with
enthusiastic volunteers across the country.
3.16 We currently have a number of local branches, which lead on local surveys and, where
appropriate, respond to local issues events on Scottish Badgers’ behalf. Each local branch
receives equal support from the Board of Trustees, the Advisory Group and the operations Co-
ordinator.
3.17 The Local Branch structure is designed to be administration-light, however a Branch Co-ordinator
is responsible for ensuring Local Branch activities accord with Scottish Badgers’ Health and Safety
requirements, and is the primary contact for Scottish Badgers’ contractors, Advisory Group and
Trustees.
3.18 Our local branches vary naturally over time but include:
• Highlands and Islands • Ayrshire
• Tayside • Central
• Fife • South Lanarkshire
• Lothian and Borders • Aberdeenshire
• Greater Glasgow • Renfrewshire
• Dumfries and Galloway • The Scottish Borders
3.19 We will continue to develop our local branch network during the lifetime of this Strategy. While
local branches will grow organically, we will, in line with our Purpose, focus on developing an
active volunteer resource in all parts of Scotland, putting in place local branch infrastructure
where it best meets the needs of local volunteers and the badgers they strive to protect. As our
membership grows, this may require existing branches to evolve into smaller, more locally
focused survey groups.
3.20 Actions related to our Local Branches will be delivered through Action Plan, associated with our
Membership Priority Area.
Members and Volunteers
3.21 Scottish Badgers benefits from a very engaged membership. The majority of our Members are
actively involved in the organisation, either attending Local Branch events, National Conference,
submitting badger sett and RTA records on a regular basis, or engaging with our social media
posts.
63.22 A number of our members fulfil further volunteer roles, including Events Co-ordinator, Social
Media Team, Book-keeper etc. Our Charity is stronger for the efforts of those volunteers who
deliver specific actions, reporting to the Trustees through appropriate Priority Areas and their
associated Action Plans.
Funding
3.23 Scottish Badgers seeks to tap into a wide range of funding, so that we are never over-dependent
on one income source.
3.24 Since 2001, the charity has received five 3-year Grants from SNH (now NatureScot), and three
Heritage Lottery Grants. The Trustees recognise that, in a post-Brexit and post-Covid charity
landscape, funding mechanisms are likely to become more strained, and so it is essential that we
prioritise fundraising activity.
3.25 We seek to raise funds through:
• Government agencies
• Trust funds
• Donations
• Gift Aid
• Memberships
• Training services
• Conference surplus
• Sponsorships
• Events and merchandise
• Data searches
3.26 One of the core responsibilities of the Board of Trustees is to be involved in fund-raising, whether
directly or indirectly, and this function should never be devolved to paid staff or contractors.
Using the Action Plan template set out in Appendix 1, a Trustee will have direct responsibility for
progressing funding opportunities, working closely with the Chair and Treasurer.
3.27 Over the course of this Strategy, a key priority will be to secure funding to develop our contractor
team.
74 Delivering our Projects
Action Planning
4.1 A template for Action Plans, relating to our priorities, is provided in Appendix 1. Each Trustee
lead will be responsible for maintaining a ‘live’ Action Plan for each of the following Priority Areas:
• Crime Prevention
• Education
• Advocacy and Engagement
• Development Planning
• Research
• Membership
• Governance
• Funding
4.2 Each Action Plan will set out a series of discrete, targeted activities which, when combined, aim to
deliver the Priorities set in Section 2. Each action will be clearly defined and will be allocated to
a named Trustee, Advisor, Contractor or Volunteer. Delivery timescales an, where appropriate,
targets, will also be provided, allowing actions to be prioritised and monitored.
4.3 As the Strategy develops, it is likely that specific Policy Statements will be required. For example,
as the organisation grows and the Trustees focus the charity’s resources, it may be necessary to
set out operational parameters, such as the level of support we provide house-holders, or the
extent to which we are able to engage with individual planning applications.
4.4 As part of the Governance Action Plan, the Trustees will develop a document management
system, and communication protocol, that ensures Action Plans and Policy Statements are
centrally accessible.
Responsibilities
4.5 The Trustees hold ultimate responsibility for the delivery of the Strategy. Each Action Plan is
allocated to a named Trustee who will take overall responsibility. The named Trustee will develop
actions, delegate tasks and responsibilities to Advisors and Volunteers and report on progress at
quarterly Trustee meetings.
Accountability
4.6 Strategy progress will be a standing item on the quarterly Trustee Meeting agenda. Each
quarter, progress against each Action Plan will be presented by the responsible Trustee with input
from Advisors and staff as required.
Review and Monitoring
4.7 This Strategy relates to the period 2021 - 2026. It is envisaged that the Strategy will be subject
to review each year, allowing for revision if necessary.
4.8 The Action Plans are flexible documents. Actions will be determined on a quarterly, allowing
ongoing development and progress to be made during the lifetime of the Strategy. However,
where necessary, individual actions will be amended or revised as circumstances dictate.
Upon expiry of the strategy, a thorough review of its efficacy will be undertaken, with a view to
informing the Strategy for 2026+.
8Appendix 1
Action Plan Template
9Action Plan
Responsible Trustee
Strategy Objective Action Action Measure/Target Responsible Deliver By Comment
No
10Appendix 2
Organogram
11You can also read
