It's an important day for the Cairngorms National Park with
the launch of the consultation on the Draft Park Plan for the
area.
The consultation was inaugurated this morning by Rhona Brankin
MSP, the Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development in
Aviemore. And if you're anything like us, you'll no doubt be
wondering what it all means. Here's a nice pic of Loch Insh, Badenoch
to help you think... and relax.
Well, as far as we can tell - and bear in mind that all the
information on the process is written in quango-ese - it's a chance
for everyone with an interest in the park to help shape the way it
develops over the next 25 years. That includes walkers and
climbers.."
The Draft Plan will set out the 'vision' for the park and anyone
from members of the public to interested organisations can contribute
their views between now and 30th June 2006.
Speaking at the event, Andrew Thin, CNPA Convener said:
"Whatever viewpoint people have and wherever they live, this is
their chance to help shape the future of the UK's largest national
park and impact on the quality of the landscape, quality of life and
the quality of people's enjoyment and understanding."
Seven Priorities
The park authority has listed seven priorities for the
first five years of the plan, 2007 to 2012, which are...
- Conserving and enhancing the park's biodiversity and
landscapes
- Developing sustainable deer management
- Supporting integrated land management
- Improving high quality opportunities for outdoor access
- Making housing affordable and sustainable
- Making tourism and business sustainable
- Developing awareness and understanding of the Park
Better Access
It's all, apparently, 'a blueprint for joined up government',
whatever that is. More practically, it's an opportunity for you, as
walkers and climbers, to put your point of view.
Specifically, one of the main priorities - 'improving high quality
opportunities for outdoor access' - is all about improving access to
the outdoors.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority's (CNPA) Head of Visitor
Services and Recreation, Murray Ferguson says:
"The Cairngorms area is already famous for the number and variety
of opportunities to get out and about. We propose to improve paths,
signs and so on to encourage people living in the Park or visiting
the area to have even more fun. There should be something in this
for everyone regardless of age, ability or interest."
Some of the key aims proposed for the first five years with
regards to the priority 'Providing High Quality Opportunities for
Outdoor Access' are:
- Improved provision of walking and cycling routes to serve
schools and work places where appropriate.
- Extensions to strategic routes such as the Speyside Way, which
would also become suitable for use by walkers, riders and
cyclists.
- Better information about path networks around each community
in the park.
- Current and latent demand for public transport routes within
and to/from the Park will be assessed and there will be
itineraries and promotional initiatives linking visitor sites and
public transport.
- Annual workshop for land managers on responsible use in
relation to outdoor access.
You have until the end of June 2006 to have your say and following
the consultation, a report summarising the responses will be prepared
and the final park plan will be developed, with partners for
submission, to Ministers at the end of 2006.
More Information
More information about the Draft National Park Plan can be found
on the CNPA website at www.cairngorms.co.uk
To get involved in the National Park Plan consultation please
contact the CNPA at: National Park Plan Consultation, 14 The Square,
Grantown-on-Spey, Moray, PH26 3HG
tel: 01479 873535 / fax: 01479 873527
email: nationalparkplan@cairngorms.co.uk
