Lothian shapes up for its second first

West Lothian, pioneer of the Local Biodiversity Action Planning process in Scotland, is set to take the lead again with the first Local Geodiversity Action Plan north of the border. Thanks to funding from the Scottish Executive’s Community Environmental Renewal Grant Scheme, which represents the proceeds of the Aggregate Levy, the British Geological Survey (BGS) will begin the process this summer with a geodiversity audit of West Lothian. BGS and West Lothian Council (WLC), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Lothian and Borders RIGS Group (LaBRIGS), will assess the state of geodiversity in the area in its local to national context and its relevance to biodiversity, soil conservation and other protection designations.