Summary

This report argues that we need new national parks.
• National Parks bring a wide range of environmental, social and economic benefits
• There is substantial national public support for National Parks, and local support for designating further National Parks in some parts of Scotland
• There remains a strong case for designating more National Parks in Scotland
• There is scope for improvement in the Scottish Government’s operation of the two existing National Parks and any future ones
• The Scottish Government should therefore prepare and implement a strategy to designate more National Parks in Scotland, including at least one Coastal and Marine National Park
• This strategy should be fully integrated with the National Planning Framework, the sustainable Land Use Strategy and the National Marine Plan.