Decision will send a "chill down the spine" of environment campaigners say charities
The decision to scrap plans for a new national park for Scotland are yet another “retreat” by the Scottish Government on its green commitments.
That was the reaction of environment campaigners after Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon announced the dropping of proposals to create a park in Galloway.
She said the Scottish Government had weighed up the arguments for and against and decided not to proceed.
The proposals had proved contentious, and had seen significant local opposition - the No Galloway National Park campaign had a string of concerns, including the potential for over tourism, rising house prices and whether existing infrastructure could cope with more visitors.
A NatureScot consultation revealed that 54% of people who responded opposed a national park and 42 per cent were in favour, with the majority of those responding from Galloway and Ayrshire.
However, Scotland’s environment charities reacted with dismay and disappointment – saying that, along with missed climate change targets and backtracking on rewilding and reintroduction schemes, the Scottish Government is in retreat over the environment, and should send a “chill down the spine of everyone campaigning to make the world a better place”.
Karen Blackport, co-convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and chief executive of Bright Green Nature, said: “By scrapping plans for a Galloway National Park, the Scottish Government has yet again proved it cannot successfully plot a path to a wilder Scotland. This decision undermines efforts to restore nature, protect wildlife and support resilient rural communities. Amidst a climate and biodiversity crisis, Scotland needs leadership and vision – not another retreat from meaningful action.
“The Scottish Government must now use the Natural Environment Bill to begin a new phase for Scotland’s national parks – ensuring that everyone can benefit from wilder national parks that can be the jewels in the crown of Scotland’s nature recovery and its journey towards becoming a Rewilding Nation.”
Ramblers Scotland director Brendan Paddy said: “Scotland has waited for two decades for its third national park, so we are disappointed to see this major opportunity missed.
“A new Galloway National Park, if delivered well, had the potential to attract funding, promote responsible outdoor recreation and support people from all backgrounds to walk in this beautiful corner of Scotland.
“We hope that the next Parliament will work to rebuild confidence that national parks are a key part of how Scotland's finest environments can be managed for the mutual benefit of residents, visitors and nature.”
Kat Jones, director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland, said: “The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next national park should send a chill down the spine of everyone campaigning to make the world a better place. That a policy so popular with the public, and a designation with so much promise for the region, has been dropped, seemingly in response to a well-funded media campaign spreading fear and misinformation, is a tragedy.
“But this is not just a tragedy for the people of Galloway and southern Ayrshire, who were set to benefit most from the national park, this decision impoverishes all of us. National parks are a recognition of the best of our nation’s landscapes and this decision will impact Scotland’s standing as a country that values and protects its nature.
“This decision is a betrayal of the Galloway people who have worked tirelessly for seven years to bring well deserved, national recognition for the special landscapes of their area.
“If the Scottish Government can’t muster the energy to get a policy as popular, with as many co-benefits, and with such cross-party support, as a national park over the line, how will we make the far more challenging changes we will need to stave off the nature and climate emergencies?”
John Thomson, Chair of the Scottish Campaign for National Parks, added: “It is deeply sad that misunderstandings about the role and impact of national parks, together with intensive and often misleading lobbying, should have deprived Scotland's people of the third national park that they were promised little more than three years ago. The country's two existing national parks are already at the forefront in tackling the ever more pressing climate and biodiversity emergency, and in leading the way to the greener, healthier and happier wellbeing economy that the Scottish Government said it was pursuing.
“A new national park for Scotland was supported by all political parties. The ministers' decision represents a major failure to capitalise on Scotland's peerless combination of natural and cultural assets. For Galloway it is a huge missed opportunity to secure not only profile and resources but a stronger say over its future.
“All those with the region's interests truly at heart will now have to redouble their efforts to protect its precious landscapes and habitats from the many threats that they face.”
