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There are currently two national parks of Scotland, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, created in 2002, and Cairngorms National Park, created in 2003. These national parks were designated as such under the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 , legislation passed by the devolved government in Scotland, almost 60 years after the idea of British national parks was first suggested.Like the national parks of England and Wales, neither of the Scottish parks are wilderness areas owned by the government. The majority of the land is in private ownership; more importantly, much of the land has been worked by humans for thousands of years, in places quite extensively. Like their English and Welsh counterparts, then, the parks in Scotland are effectively "managed landscapes".
Conservationists argue that this would not be so bad if the landscapes had been historically managed with sympathy for indigenous flora and fauna, but like many areas of the Scottish Highlands, historical deforestation, overgrazing by sheep and deer, and extensive 20th century aforestation with non-native tree species (particularly conifers) have resulted in landscapes without much integrity. It is hoped that the new national parks will address these issues; however, concerns remain that tourism interests and developers may have more influence than conservationists in the management of the new park areas.
Like national parks in England and Wales, each national park in Scotland is administered by a National Park AuthorityA National Park Authority is a special term used in the United Kingdom for the legal body in charge of a National park. The powers and duties of the Authorities are all similar, but do vary somewhat depending on the country in which they are situated.. When the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is the UK Act of Parliament which facilitated the creation of national parks in England and Wales. The Act was passed in 1949 with all party support, as part of the reconstruction of the UK by the was passed to enable the creation of English and Welsh national parks, two objectives were enshrined into the legislation. Updated versions of these two were passed on to the Scottish parks. However, fifty years of experience has meant that Scottish national parks have two further objectives which are not included in the original legislation for the parks in England and Wales. Under the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 , national parks in Scotland have four aims:
- To conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area.
- To promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area.
- To promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public.
- To promote sustainable economic and social development of the area's communities.
The National Park Authority is charged with ensuring that these aims are pursued. Although the four aims have equal status, in accordance with the Sandford PrincipleThe Sandford Principle is a concept in the management of protected landscapes in the United Kingdom. It is called the Sandford Principle after Lord Sandford who chaired the National Parks Policy Review Committee which reviewed National parks of England an, conservation and enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage come first in cases of irreconcilable conflict with the other aims.
1 See also
- Conservation in the United KingdomWith the advent of devolved government for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and of evolving regional government for England, the responsibilities for environment and conservation in the United Kingdom have become more complicated. There follows a list
- National parks of England and Wales
- National parks of Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland does not currently have any national parks established, although a number of AONBs ( Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) have been identified. As of 2002, an effort was being made to establish the first park for the Mountains of Mourne.
- National parks of the United KingdomThe United Kingdom has 13 national parks 11 in England and Wales and 2 in Scotland. The New Forest was announced as the United Kingdom's 14th national park on 28 June 2004, but the formal designation order has not been made as of October 2004. A 15th nati
