Ramblers
Scotland conference conclusions: "New
forest opportunities and bring forward Cairngorms World Heritage Site
Ramblers
Scotland members, meeting in Pitlochry this weekend, have called for future
management of Scotland's state owned forests to promote more opportunities for
outdoor recreation, new standards for renewable energy generation and better integration with surrounding land
uses .
Alison
Mitchell, Convener of Ramblers Scotland
welcomed the recent decision to shelve controversial plans to lease
large parts of the forest estate to private sector interests in order to raise
funds.
Alison
Mitchell said :
"There
should be 4 main priorities at the heart of future forestry policy in Scotland:
- New planting is
needed to help in the battle to absorb carbon and combat climate change.
This should be focussed in lowland areas, where faster growth from a
diverse range of tree species is preferable to the upland single species
monocultures of the past. New lowland woods will also provide more people
with better opportunities for enjoying the outdoors close to where they
live. - More paths are
needed within our forest areas and especially to facilitate access to and
from hill ground. Too many forests cover huge areas of ground with
impenetrable ranks of conifers - these need to be opened up for public use
and enjoyment. - Better integration
with deer management is needed. Over large areas of Scotland deer
populations need to be massively reduced, forests need to be restructured
to give far more open space, deer fences need to be taken down so that
deer and trees are managed in an integrated way. Paying for more stalkers
to cull the deer would be far more cost effective than erecting and
maintaining mile upon mile of expensive and not very effective deer
fencing. - Within the forest
estate new standards need developing for renewable energy developments,
especially wind turbine establishment. Many forests and the surrounding
land can accommodate such renewable energy developments, providing
turbines are much smaller in height than those being erected across many
hills, are kept well away from skylines and are not located on peaty
ground"
Finally,
Alison Mitchell noted that the meeting was being held close to Blair Atholl
which it is hoped would soon become the southern entry point to the Cairngorms
National Park. She thanked John Swinney, the local MSP, for his efforts over
the years to secure the southern extension to the national park. She urged the
Scottish Government to now address the need to develop the case designating the
Cairngorms as a World Heritage Site.:
"Successive
governments have recognised, for over 20 years, the potential for designation
of the Cairngorms as a WHS but little progress has been made in turning fine
words into action. The SNP Government now has the opportunity to secure
international recognition for the natural and cultural qualities of this
magnificent mountain range and with it the associated economic and
environmental benefits".
More information:
- Ramblers Scotland is the representative body
for walkers in Scotland, with over 7,800 members and 58 local groups
throughout the country. We
want Scotland to be a place where people choose to walk and where it's
easy and enjoyable to do so. We aim for good-quality walking environments
and to make walking accessible to all. We are working for walkers from
the centre of the city to the top of a remote mountain. - The Ramblers Scottish Council 2009 was held at
the Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry on Saturday, 21st March - Sunday, 22nd
March. This is
the main opportunity in the year for our members to help formulate,
influence and debate the organisation's policy in Scotland. - Motion
passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 March: That the Parliament notes the unanimous recommendation of
the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee that the Scottish Government
drop proposals for leasing up to 25% of the Forestry Commission estate for
a period of 75 years; notes that the Forestry Commission makes a major
contribution to the economy of Scotland and can also make a major
contribution towards helping Scotland meet its climate change targets;
welcomes the decision of the Scottish Government to amend the Climate
Change Bill to remove the relevant clauses; calls on the Scottish
Government to bring forward its review of the operation of the Scotland
Rural Development Programme urgently, including reviewing the level
awarded for grants, and to pursue proposals for joint ventures to deliver
renewables projects in the Forestry Commission estate; considers that all
forestry proposals in future must be part of an integrated land-use
strategy, and further calls on the Scottish Government to introduce a
comprehensive sustainable land-use strategy, taking into account the
strategic economic, social and environmental impacts and benefits of
forestry, agriculture, recreation and other land uses and setting out,
where appropriate, the contribution each can make in dealing with the
consequences of climate change. - Relevant
motions passed at Ramblers Scottish Council meeting:
That
Scottish Council, whilst not opposed in principle to investigating creative
ways of managing the National Forest Estate, calls upon the Scottish Government
to take account of the following substantive issues in their proposals
in relation to the raising of funds to plant more trees, namely,
a)
to ensure future investment, for present and future generations, in all forest
areas, whether under public or private management, which ensures (i) that
public access, whether by right or custom, is maintained; (ii) the protection
and appropriate management of existing paths and tracks; (iii) the creation of
new opportunities for non motorised recreation.
b) to
ensure that improvements are made in the integration of the management of forests and deer populations,
both within and around the forests
c) to
ensure appropriate use of land within the National Forest Estate for renewable
energy developments which gives due regard for the outstanding quality of the
landscape across much of Scotland.
Submitted by Forth Valley, Fife & Tayside Area
Following
the principles of public access to Scotland's countryside, as laid down in the
Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the accompanying Scottish Outdoor Access
Code, this Scottish Council urges that the Forestry Commission, on both its own
land and through its regulatory and grant aid functions, ensures that:
a) where
possible it opens up lanes, corridors or other access routes in their forests
to assist walkers or climbers to take
access to or from hills and high land lying above the present forest plantings,
along with gates and stiles to facilitate such access.
b) it
includes the above access improvements in future design plans and their
implementation in all plantings, in association with consultation with
appropriate stakeholders.
Submitted by Mid Argyll & Kintyre Group
E mail: [email protected]
Ramblers - at the heart of walking
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