Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority Publishes Green Finance Guidance for Nature Restoration Projects
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority has unveiled new guidance designed to shape the future of green finance within the National Park.
The guidance aims to support large-scale environmental restoration needed to reverse the decline in nature by 2030 and deliver widespread restoration within the National Park by 2040. Recognising that a combination of private investment in natural capital, alongside public finance, will be necessary to achieve this ambitious scale of impact, the guidance provides practical direction for landowners, developers and communities involved in nature restoration projects within the National Park.
In alignment with the Scottish Government’s recent Natural Capital Report, which highlights industries dependent on Scotland’s natural assets contributed over £40 billion and supported approximately 261,600 full-time equivalent jobs in 2019 – it’s clear that these resources are critical to Scotland’s economy. However, the UK remains among the most nature-depleted nations globally, sitting in the bottom 10%. This further highlights the urgent need for responsible and large-scale restoration efforts.
This guidance provides clear recommendations for those interested in exploring responsible, values-driven, and high-integrity green finance. The objective being to balance ecological integrity with economic opportunity, working to help ensure green finance projects align with the National Park’s commitment to biodiversity, climate resilience, and supporting local communities.
A key focus of the guidance is to encourage all green finance projects to be backed by ethical standards, transparency, and accountability. The guidance emphasises the importance of verifying carbon claims through recognised, government-backed schemes such as the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) and Peatland Code (PC) to prevent greenwashing, and ultimately aiming to ensure that investments deliver real, lasting benefits for nature and communities.
Simon Jones, Director of Environment & Visitor Services at Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, said: “Green finance can play a crucial role in delivering large-scale environmental restoration, but it is not a ‘silver bullet’ solution. It must be applied thoughtfully and responsibly, with a focus on ethical standards and real benefits for local communities. Our new guidance aims to help landowners, communities, and developers navigate this complex space, ensuring projects deliver tangible, long-term benefits for both nature and people.”
Key Criteria for Green Finance Projects
The guidance sets out clear principles for acceptable green finance projects, including:
- Verification through recognised carbon accreditation schemes: Ensuring that carbon claims are credible, transparent, and backed by independent verification.
- Alignment with national climate and biodiversity goals: Projects should contribute to Scotland’s climate resilience and nature restoration objectives, while also benefiting local communities.
- Commitment to ethical investment standards: Projects must adhere to high ethical standards to avoid greenwashing and ensure sustainability.
With COP29 recently focusing on climate finance and Scotland’s Natural Capital Market Framework now in place, the National Park Authority’s guidance aligns with national and global initiatives, underscoring the urgent need to diversify funding sources. These efforts, alongside initiatives like the Scottish Land Commission’s guidance on responsible natural capital management highlight a clear message: green finance must be ethical, accessible, and informed by the needs of local communities.
While the National Park Authority does not provide financial advice, it is committed to raising awareness of green finance opportunities and risks. The guidance includes a transparent, checklist-based approach developed through The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS) project to help land managers design projects that integrate environmental, social, and economic outcomes. The National Park Authority’s Nature and Land Use and Communities Teams are available to support landowners, developers, and communities throughout the project design process.
“We recognise that green finance, when applied responsibly, can unlock new opportunities to support long-term environmental recovery,” Jones added. “This guidance is designed to help projects of all sizes access the right blend of public and private finance, ensuring they deliver meaningful benefits for the Park, its people, and the wider environment.”