About
Watch the Natural Capital Tool in action
What is the Natural Capital Tool?
The Natural Capital Tool ('the NCT') is a free and easy-to-use, geospatial tool that aims to facilitate decision makers to take a natural capital approach to land management in Scotland. A natural capital approach is when the full range of benefits that we receive from nature are taken into consideration within the decision making process.
The key features of the NCT are as follows: natural capital baseline mapping, ecosystem service capacity and demand mapping, habitat connectivity mapping, landscape-scale opportunity mapping, and scenario planning, with the ability to see quantified changes in ecosystem service provision with relative, biophysical and economic valuation (where applicable).
Who is the Natural Capital Tool for?
The Natural Capital Tool is aimed at any decision maker who is interested in exploring how to integrate natural capital approaches into the management of their land. Potential users include farmers/crofters, local authorities, landscape-scale restoration projects, consultants, and many others. The NCT was co-designed with a wide range of stakeholders spanning many sectors and industries to ensure that it is relevant, useful and accessible to different types of users.
Where is covered by the Natural Capital Tool?
The NCT applies exclusively to Scotland, covering both the mainland and the extent of Scotland's islands.
Can I save my progress in the Natural Capital Tool?
Yes, by creating an account in the NCT, you will be able to save your progress and return to your project at a later date. This means that the polygons you have created/uploaded and the interventions you have chosen will be saved.
Can I export my baseline mapping and interventions?
You can save and export your baseline mapping, interventions and their associated uplift in a printable HTML file. Currently, you will not be able to export the GIS outputs produced by the NCT as a GIS-supported file, such as a GeoPackage or shapefile.
I already have a file outlining the area I would like to view in the Natural Capital Tool. Can I use this?
Yes, you can upload your own polygons into the NCT for both the target area you would like to view and the area you want to use for your interventions.
Can I upload maps relevant to my project and view them in the NCT?
Currently the NCT does not have this capability; however, we are looking to include this in a future iteration. If you have a suggestion for a relevant context layer, please email natcaptool@nature.scot.
Can we see what parameters are used to create the models for ecosystem services and habitat networks?
Yes, this is available within the Methodology Report.
What maps are used to create the habitat baseline?
The habitat baseline is a bespoke habitat map created specifically for the NCT and is a combination of OS MasterMap and other habitat data specific to Scotland (i.e. Scottish Crop Map, Habitat Map of Scotland, etc.). A full list of the datasets used to create the habitat baseline is listed in the Methodology Report.
Can we see the values used for the ecosystem service and habitat network models?
Yes, you can download an excel file containing the values used for the ecosystem service and habitat network models by clicking here.
How can I request account deletion?
Send an email to natcaptool@nature.scot with the subject `account deletion request` from the email address you used to register the account. The request will be actioned without confirmation, and all data associated with your account will be permanently deleted. Please see our Privacy Statement for more information on how we handle your data.
Glossary
Natural capital refers to the elements of nature that hold societal value, such as habitats, ecosystems, and animal/plant species. Natural capital includes both the living and non-living aspects of ecosystems.
Ecosystem services are the benefits that natural capital provides to people, such as insect pollination, flood mitigation, and carbon sequestration.
Habitats are natural environments in which certain animal and plant species live. In the NCT, your target area of land can be viewed in terms of the habitats present within it, comprising cultivated land, woodland, grassland, wetland, ponds, etc.
A natural capital approach is when the full range of benefits that nature provides are considered within decision making.
Habitat networks are areas of 'usable space' that species associated with a particular habitat can move through.
Polygons refer to the areas of land you select within the tool.
Interventions refer to the specific practice you want to implement within the tool, e.g., woodland planting or grassland restoration.
Uplift refers to the change seen in ecosystem services before and after interventions.