New ten-year plan for protecting St Kilda

Developed in conjunction with partners from Historic Environment Scotland, NatureScot, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the Ministry of Defence, the management plan outlines a decade-long journey to further conserve and sustain St Kilda, as well as finding out more about the islands, sharing knowledge of their unique wildlife and culture, and helping to contribute to the wider community in the Western Isles.

Read more about our management plan for St Kilda

Over the next ten years, the partners’ vision will be delivered through six outcomes:

1. The biodiversity, habitats and ecological functions of the World Heritage Site will be conserved.
2. The cultural heritage of the World Heritage Site will be conserved.
3. Global challenges (such as climate change) and other risks to St Kilda will be identified, and mitigation and adaptation implemented.
4. Access to St Kilda will be enhanced in a sustainable way and more people will be presented with additional opportunities to experience the World Heritage Site, understand its significance and support its protection.
5. Opportunities for research and knowledge sharing will be enhanced, and research will be used to underpin the management and interpretation of the World Heritage Site.
6. Effective management of the islands, which is transparent, collaborative and underpinned by sustainable practices, will be achieved.

The partners have already begun to put the management plan into action and have taken steps in identifying the specific climate change risks to St Kilda. A recent three-day workshop examined data in detail and provided the group with a much better understanding of where the biggest impacts would be and where to focus resources. From this workshop, mitigations are being put in place, and work to conserve and sustain the archipelago will begin. Investments have also been made in more environmentally sympathetic and energy-efficient buildings on the island by the Ministry of Defence, with the support of the National Trust for Scotland.

The dramatic landscape of St Kilda draws an increasing number of visitors to the archipelago each year. This new St Kilda management plan will ensure that the remarkable islands are protected, cared for and enjoyed for generations to come. Philip Long OBE, Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland, said:

‘The publication of the St Kilda Management Plan marks the beginning of a ten-year journey to find out more about this wonderful and inspiring place, to share knowledge of its wildlife and culture and help contribute to the wider community in the Western Isles and its sustainability.

‘Because of St Kilda’s historic interdependency of landscape, wildlife and culture, it is inscribed as a mixed World Heritage Site, the only one in the UK to have this status. This exceptional significance means it is essential that its management balances these different conservation needs, so working together with our partners we will ensure that we take full responsibility for passing the site onto future generations in the best possible condition. In our ten-year strategy, we set out bold ambitions in caring for and preserving not only Scotland’s built heritage, but also its vast natural landscapes.’

Caring for more than 100 places across Scotland, over the last 90 years the Trust has pioneered public access to and shared ownership of some of the most magnificent buildings, collections, and landscapes in the country. Since we announced our Nature, Beauty & Heritage for Everyone strategy earlier this year, we have begun to outline the numerous ways we will achieve our ambitious plans to protect and preserve Scotland’s rich natural and built heritage.

Find out more about our ten-year strategy