Link National Parks Report Briefing
This week’s publication of the report Social and Economic Benefits of National Parks by the highly respected Scottish Environment LINK highlights the huge benefits that would be gained from a new Galloway National Park. The benefits for nature are just the beginning – with major gains in store in everything from affordable houses and jobs to health and inward investment.
Sandra McDowall, Vice Chair of GNPA, said:
“This report is amazingly good news for Galloway. It shows just how enormously beneficial Scotland’s National Parks have been for their residents and our whole country.
“One example is affordable housing. Scotland’s two National Parks lead the way, beating government targets for affordable new homes.
“That’s something that’s urgently needed in Galloway and a National Park could be the key.
“More than that, National Parks bring prosperity. The two existing parks have brought in £700 million to the tourist economy, 30 times the amount put into them by the Scottish Government, a fabulous return on investment.
“It all backs up our research, carried out before this report, which estimates that a Galloway National Park would directly bring an additional £92 million a year for the region and create 1,500 FTE jobs.
“And being a National Park would allow the region to pull in extra funding and investment meaning that overall it could boost the economy by £250 million a year and create 2,000 FTE jobs.
“It’s vital that we separate the facts from the fiction in the discussion about National Parks. That’s why the new LINK report is so welcome.
“We would urge people to read it for themselves and find out about the great work being done by National Parks to improve our environment and our communities.
“Galloway just can’t afford to miss out on such a positive chance to build a brighter future for ourselves and for future generations.”
D&G tourism targets
A National Park would provide the perfect way to help Dumfries and Galloway Council reach its target to attract 37,500 new visitors to events in the region. See Daily Record report here.