Charities welcome commitment for new national park
Two charities have welcomed the commitment to “designate at least one new National Park” in the Scottish Government/Scottish Green Party Draft Shared Policy Programme.
The Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland (APRS) and the Scottish Campaign for National Parks (SCNP) have called for more national parks in Scotland since 2010, and published their overall case in their report ‘Unfinished Business’ in 2013.
Two lively local community-based national park campaigns have grown up over the last five years:
The Campaign for a Scottish Borders National Park has published a comprehensive professionally researched and written feasibility study.
The Galloway National Park Association has carried out extensive local consultation demonstrating widespread public support, and has submitted a detailed report to the Scottish Government requesting it to carry out a full official feasibility study.
APRS director John Mayhew said: “This marks a great step forward for Scotland’s countryside and I’d like to thank everyone who helped us win this campaign.
"We were delighted to see the commitment to designate at least one new national park, and encourage all involved in ratifying this decision to do so with enthusiasm.”
SCNP chairman John Thomson added: “The new na tional p ark promised will provide exactly the type of stimulus needed to lead fragile rural areas out of the recent crisis and towards future prosperity.”