biodiversity.scot

What It Is

Farm Biodiversity Scotland is a farm biodiversity audit and planning tool developed by NatureScot on behalf of the Scottish Government, aimed at farmers and crofters. Through a mobile app and website platform, it helps users create habitat maps for farms or crofts and carry out simple assessments for selected habitats. The tool is currently in a pilot phase and is available to a limited number of users across different geographic areas and farm types.

Core Features and Product Capabilities

The product is built around three steps: Map, Measure, and Manage. Users first map all habitats and features on the farm, then complete a simple biodiversity assessment, and finally decide on management actions to improve biodiversity. Its Field Intelligence feature can display field boundaries from the Scottish Government after login; Smart Habitats lets users select habitat types for each field; users can also add linear features such as hedgerows and field margins to meet Whole Farm Plan Biodiversity Audit requirements. The tool also provides habitat condition questionnaires, interactive Farm Insights, plant and insect identification, and records for bird and animal sightings.

Pricing, Trial, and Deployment

The source text does not disclose plans, pricing, payment methods, or commercial licensing terms. What is known is that the project is available as a pilot, and participating farmers and crofters can use its habitat maps to complete Whole Farm Plan-related requirements. In terms of deployment, it clearly offers both App and Website platforms, making it suitable for mobile recording in the field as well as more detailed planning on desktop. There is no mention of self-hosting, private enterprise deployment, or an API.

Pros, Cons, and Best Fit

Its main strength is a clearly defined policy use case: it directly supports Scotland’s Whole Farm Plan requirements linked to agricultural payments from 2025 onward, while lowering the barrier for farmers to conduct biodiversity audits. The interface philosophy emphasizes simplicity and practicality, making it suitable for users without professional ecological expertise. The limitations are also clear: it remains a limited pilot; Manage-related capabilities are marked for release in 2026; and there is insufficient information on permission management, security compliance, support services, and integrations. It is best suited to farm operators in Scotland who need to submit a Biodiversity Audit.

Access from China and Alternatives

The source text does not provide information on access from China, and payment methods are also unknown. Because the tool is strongly tied to Scottish Government agricultural data and policy requirements, even if Chinese users can access it, its practical value would be limited. For similar use cases in China, local GIS, agricultural digitalization, natural resources survey, or ecological monitoring platforms should generally be considered first as alternatives.