These answers were submitted by a young adult, Angus, to the consultation and he has given permission for us to reproduce them here as an example to help others in writing their responses.
Support or Oppose a new National Park
Q1 To what extent do you support the idea of a new National Park being established in the southwest of Scotland?
If you don’t have time, the most important thing is to just answer this question.
“Strongly Support”
Please tell us the main reasons for your opinion
Angus said …..”It is a beautiful area worthy of more protection and seems to have the capacity to absorb more visitors and improve biodiversity and if this could be done in a coordinated way – as a National Park could help manage – this would benefit the local people too. It seems to be a part of Scotland where there is a lot of inequality and a National Park could gradually provide a sustainable economic boost which seems badly needed for many.
“I have heard some people saying it would be better to improve the roads first or other infrastructure in the area instead, but a National Park will be for the long term and bring government support to the area every year rather than a one off investment.
“It is a very special area with a really varied landscape, from hills and countryside to the coast and marine environment which is changing due to more intensive forestry and renewable energy. At the same time people are leaving the area and not coming back. The area has so much nature and history, and some is already protected – but has a lot more potential for nature restoration and for increasing tourism, which a national park would really help coordinate, and manage and promote – to visitors.”
Area Options
Q2 Which option do you prefer?
Q2b Would you like to make any changes to or comments on your preferred option (e.g. make it smaller or larger, add or remove particular areas, features or settlements)? If so, where and why
Angus said ….”I selected option 3 as I think a relative large park will bring greater benefits – both for tackling climate change and biodiversity loss and for being able to spread visitors across a wider area so that more communities can benefit. I think a bigger park will bring more jobs working in environmentally positive jobs too. It might make it a more appealing place to live and work for everyone too.”
What a new National Park Authority could do
Q3 Please note any comments on these suggestions for planning, access, forestry and wind farms in the box below.
Angus said ….”On planning it seems odd to suggest a different model from the two existing parks as they seem to be working. If the new National park doesn’t write the local development plan it won’t be able to guide the type and quality of development that happens. I think one of the arrangements that exists in the two existing Parks should be adopted as I’m not persuaded there is a need for a different model.
“I think access provision in the two existing parks is better than in most of Scotland and they do a lot behind the scenes for visitor management. The rangers are really important in this too and I have friends that have learnt amazing skills as junior Rangers in the Cairngorms. it has been an amazing experience for them to learn so much about the park and nature and land management and meet lots of other people – an amazing benefit of living in a very rural place.
“there seem to be lots of wind farms in Galloway already, and lots of sitka forestry in some areas. I’d hope that a national park would only let these be expanded in less sensitive areas and try to improve the look of them and make them better for nature. So those proposals sound sensible.”
Who should be members of the National Park Authority?
Q4 Do you support these proposals for Board size and percentage of directly-elected members?
Q4b What alternative options do you suggest, and why?
Q4c Please explain why?
Board Expertise
Q5 Should Scottish Ministers appointments to the Board include expertise on nature, farming and forestry?
Q5b What other areas of expertise would the Board require, and why?
Angus said ….” I think the Board should definitely include expertise on nature and climate given the crises we need to address. Also farmers and foresters, but these may come in through the local members who come onto the board. It might also depend on what range of expertise the staff in the park have.”
National Park Name
Q6 Do you agree the park, if established, should be called the Kingdom of Galloway National Park?
Q6b If not, what alternatives would you suggest?
Kingdom of Galloway sounds a bit weird and old-fashioned so maybe just Galloway?
Adding any further comments
I really hope that the new national park will make the most of the coastline which is spectacular and really important for birds – that would be really interesting and I think new for the UK. The marine environment is so under pressure the park could be really innovative doing more to help ecosystems recover.