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Commissioned by Dumfries and Galloway Council Researched and written by the Southern Uplands Partnership February 2016 1. NATIONAL PARKS IN THE “It is a rather strange situation in a UK AND IN SCOTLAND country as renowned as Scotland for the quality and diversity of its National Park (NP) status is acknowledged landscapes that we don’t celebrate worldwide as a principal means of this fact with more NPs. recognising areas of highest national value Scotland’s first two NPs have for natural and cultural heritage, including almost universally been judged a landscape, wildlife and outdoor recreation. success over the first decade-plus of their existence.” Scotland currently has only two of the UK’s John Mayhew Scottish Campaign 15 NPs. Both are quite large but together for National Parks cover only 7.2% of the Scotland’s land area, compared with 9.3% of England (10 parks) and 19.9% of Wales (3 parks). They were designated under The National In contrast with other, topographically Park Scotland Act (2000) with the following similar countries: New Zealand has 14 and defined aims; Norway 37 NPs. (a) to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area, Scotland lacks an effective alternative (b) to promote sustainable use of the mechanism for protecting its finest natural resources of the area, landscapes, akin to the 38 Areas of (c) to promote understanding and Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the Wales, with their boards, staff and statutory form of recreation) of the special management plans. Their 40 Scottish qualities of the area by the public, and National Scenic Area (NSA) equivalents (d) to promote sustainable economic lack these resources and have recently and social development of the been judged unworthy of international area’s communities. recognition. The three in Dumfries and Galloway are in fact the only ones to have It is universally acknowledged that there received any meaningful management. are other areas of the country worthy of designation as reflected by the SNP’s 2011 manifesto which committed it to “work with communities to explore the creation of new National Parks”. 2 Historically, thinking about potential The fact that the area is already recognised additional National Parks has tended as special for reasons of landscape (NSA); to focus on the montane landscapes of for natural heritage (National Nature the Highlands, reflecting the view that Reserve, Special Protection Area, Special these were Scotland’s most distinctive Area of Conservation and Site of Special contribution to UK’s landscape resource. Scientific Interest); for recreation (Galloway But it has always been recognised that the Forest Park) and for being relatively finest landscapes were not restricted to undeveloped (Dark Sky Park) and as a the north of the country and as people’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve can all be appreciation of the interest and value of said to support the case for National Park more managed “cultural landscapes” has designation. increased, and the pressures upon them have grown, the desire to see them better The region has a particularly interesting mix cared for has also burgeoned. of natural and more cultural landscapes: the wildest hill land in southern Scotland, very attractive enclosed landscapes, forests 2. THE NATURAL AND and woodlands of many different types, CULTURAL CONTEXT fascinatingly diverse coastline, substantial archaeological and historic interests, a The quality and national significance of the wealth of vernacular buildings from the landscapes of Galloway have long been grand to the humble, a range of appealing recognised. The area around Merrick and small towns and villages, which in turn Glen Trool was identified as “eminently have influenced many art and literary suitable” for National Park status in the associations, including The Glasgow 1945 Ramsay Report “National Parks – A Boys, Goldsworthy, Burns, Scott, Crockett, Scottish Survey”, but at the time the newly Buchan and Sayers. proposed (Galloway) National Forest Park was seen as a satisfactory alternative. Looking beyond the land the Solway Firth also possesses great interest, as the least More recently the SCNP (Scottish developed of the UK’s major estuaries, Campaign for National Parks) and APRS with a very wide tidal range and with (Association for the Protection of Rural fringing habitats ranging from extensive Scotland) “Unfinished Business” report of salt-marshes and mud flats to cliff-girt 2013 identified at least seven more areas peninsulas. worthy of National Park status. Galloway was one of them. The cultural and environmental benefits 3 of a National Park largely arise as a result National Park boundary. However the of better management. Focusing on the figures for Wigtownshire and the Stewartry qualities that make the area special and together highlight relatively low levels of ensuring that these qualities are both entrepreneurism and below average gross- promoted and respected. added value. They also emphasise high dependency on traditional industries such 3. THE SOCIO as agriculture and forestry. As with other ECONOMIC CONTEXT predominantly rural parts of Scotland, the area has a higher proportion of older According to Rural Scotland in Focus 2014, people and a lower proportion of people small settlements (ie those with populations in their 20s and 30s. Wages tend to be low. under 3000) have generally grown between This reflects the fact that it is a popular 2001 and 2011 across the Scottish Borders, place for people to retire to in their later eastern Dumfries and Galloway and South years and also the shortage of high quality Ayrshire but have declined in the west jobs that might attract the younger and (including Portpatrick, Wigtown, Whithorn, the more ambitious. Poor infrastructure Tarbolton, Bellsbank). The same report (including transport and broadband) points out that Youth unemployment add to difficulties. There is however an amongst 16-24 year olds is the highest above average score for “well-being” in Scotland in the three local authority which perhaps reflects the high quality areas of East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire environment and the fact that many people and Dumfries and Galloway. All of rural choose to live here. The western part of Southern Scotland has high percentages of D&G has a higher dependency on tourism people (all over 16) with no qualifications. jobs. There is therefore a need to consider how to attract people back to this part of The Ayrshire Local Development Strategy Scotland and to provide opportunities for 2014 paints a similar picture for South and them. East Ayrshire citing remote rural towns and villages, with declining mining and The Crichton Institute Dumfries and manufacturing industries, dependent on Galloway economic baseline study 2014- traditional fishing, forestry and agriculture, 2020 paints a picture of a region rather with an increasing dependency on tourism lagging behind the rest of Scotland in related opportunities. Attracting more terms of economic performance. The tourists to the region must thus be a key study provides an overview of the whole aim for economic development and can of D&G as well as the former districts, only be assisted by National Park status. 4 neither of which exactly matches a likely The Social benefits of a National Park 4.1 Organisational Costs include community pride in the place; health benefits from promoted access The annual cost of running the Cairngorms and recreation opportunities; advice and National Park is about £4million and the skills training; education and interpretation Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park (eg linked to ecosystem services) and is £6 million according to National Parks even provision of affordable homes – a UK website www.nationalparks.gov.uk. At significant issue in all National Parks. a time of economic cuts, any significant investment of this nature would need to have a very good chance or guarantee of The National Park Management generating a good return but it should be Plan is a key requirement of pointed out that a National Park Authority all Scottish National Parks and in Galloway would almost certainly be of provides an opportunity to a smaller scale and therefore significantly produce a balanced guide to cheaper as highlighted under Governances natural, social and economic models below. management of the National Park area. The content is produced In the United States a 2013 study quotes following extensive involvement the National Park Services Director as of all parties living, working and stating “that for every tax $ invested in the involved in the National Park. National Park Service it returns 10$ to the US economy due to visitor spend”. 4. ISSUES ASSOCIATED One form of return often over looked is WITH NATIONAL in providing leverage to external funding PARK DESIGNATION opportunities through justification for new investment, and also the capacity to Any potential economic benefit from a seek funding for such investment. So for National Park needs to offset against the example, in the Northumberland National costs of running such an organisation Park, an investment of £14.8 million has and the impact of any additional limiting been approved for the construction of a rules and regulations that might restrict visitor centre. The National Landscape economic development. Discovery Centre is specifically intended to encourage more people to visit the 5 National Park. Funding will come from a public recreation number of sources including the Lottery 65% of those interviewed had visited a Fund. In Cairngorm during 2014/15 almost National Park in the last year with 30% £10m of EU and HLF funding was brought having visited three or more times. in to pay for conservation and access projects over a 3-4 year period. The respective D&G and Ayrshire LEADER Local Development Strategies 2014, both 4.2 The Local Economy identify agriculture, forestry and fishing as being significant occupations (7.4% and National Park designation “puts a place 6.2% respectively) within the area that a on the map” – both literally through new National Park might cover.

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