Scotland currently has just two National Parks, both created nearly 20 years ago. It could soon find itself with a third

Why?

First, because the Scottish Greens went into the 2021 Holyrood elections with a manifesto commitment to create at least two new National Parks, and to reform and expand the existing ones by improving ranger services and backing a programme of public and community buyouts. Second, because the Greens are now in a position to act on that manifesto commitment thanks to the recently negotiated co-operation agreement signed with the SNP. As a result of that power-sharing agreement, the Scottish Government is now committed to nominating at least one new National Park by the end of the current Parliamentary session. It’s a popular enough move: both the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour had manifesto commitments to increasing the number of National Parks.

Where will it be?

That’s a National Park-sized question in its own right. For some time the Scottish Campaign for National Parks (SCNP) has been putting the case for more National Parks, and there are currently strong local groups lobbying for Galloway (“Scotland’s pastoral gem,” according to The Scots Magazine) and the Scottish Borders (“Timeless landscape, rich in history”). The SCNP’s manifesto proposal to all parties ahead of May’s elections suggested seven new National Parks in all. Besides Galloway and the Borders, the other five possibilities are: Glen Affric, Harris, Wester Ross, a Coastal and Marine National Park focussed on Mull, and the area around Ben Nevis, Glencoe and Black Mount. Not everyone is ecstatic at the thought, however. Famers’ representatives in Dumfries and Galloway has raised their concerns.

What is a National Park?

It’s an area of landscape which is given certain protections under law and which is recognised for its wildlife and scenery as well as for its importance in terms of conservation. There can be an element of national pride to it as well. Yellowstone National Park in the United States is the oldest – it was designated such in 1872 – and today there are over six thousand national parks worldwide. The so-called Father of America’s National Parks is one John Muir, born in Dunbar in 1838, which in the eyes of campaigners makes it all the more galling that Scotland still only has two National Parks. Norway, by means of comparison, has 29 National Parks while New Zealand 14. Seven more in Scotland would still only take the total to nine.

Where are the current two?

They are Loch Lomond And The Trossachs National Park and the Cairngorms National Park. They were established by an act of the Scottish Parliament came into being in 2002 and 2003 respectively. They have a combined area of nearly 2500 square miles. Mountains, lochs and glens they have in abundance, so too wildlife. An added appeal is the relative scarcity of two-legged residents – though with around five million tourist visits a year in normal times, it isn’t always as easy to find solitude there as you might think.