OUR VIEWS
OUR VIEWS ON...
CLIMATE CHANGE
Galloway can help fight against climate change. It has habitats which can be improved to take and hold carbon from the atmosphere. The best are the deep peats, which need to be preserved and restored, and the salt marshes. Being predominantly pasture there is the potential for huge gains.
Government policy is to expand forestry. This should include different species with longer rotations and avoid clear felling. We need more emphasis on native broadleaf trees to create a mosaic to benefit nature and the landscape and provide resilience against tree diseases.
Government policy is to expand forestry. This should include different species with longer rotations and avoid clear felling. We need more emphasis on native broadleaf trees to create a mosaic to benefit nature and the landscape and provide resilience against tree diseases.
A National Park in Galloway would:
- Create a plan to provide an integrated and achievable framework, which could include the necessary steps to net zero carbon.
- Address transport issues. Public transport will be increasingly important but investment is needed in electric vehicle charging points and facilities for hydrogen or other fuels. Provision will also be needed for long distance cycling.
- Promote other positive intervention to address climate change.
OUR VIEWS ON...
FARMING
A Galloway National Park would celebrate the role of farming in shaping our distinctive scenery and culture.
And while traditional farming, particularly in beef and sheep, does continue it’s understood that change is needed if the sector is to remain successful.
Challenges include biodiversity crisis and loss of many species, changing eating habits (with the expectation that less meat will be eaten), changing markets away from the EU and associated changes in government support.
Challenges include biodiversity crisis and loss of many species, changing eating habits (with the expectation that less meat will be eaten), changing markets away from the EU and associated changes in government support.
Farming’s future would be central to a Galloway National Park and it would be an active partner in:
- Guiding and managing change that respects the area and all its interests.
- Securing additional funding to support the retention of traditional features like dry stane dykes, hedges and boundary trees.
- Supporting value-added businesses and local branding in food and drink, and in animal welfare (e.g. promoting local processing and maintaining local marts).
- Using rangers to address access and other issues, including those caused by visitors.
OUR VIEWS ON...
WILDLIFE & WILD PLACES
Galloway has fabulous wild places from the summits of its hills down to the seashore, but much has been lost – and more is disappearing all the time. This needs to change and we must make our landscape more nature-friendly.
Wild places can be haven for birds, animals, fish, plants and insects of all kinds, including threatened species such as red squirrels, black grouse, curlews, adders and salmon. Some are already protected, but many precious areas of hill, moorland, unimproved pasture, woodland and seashore are not.
Wild places, at all scales, are a vital resource for nature and for people. The role of a National Park is to consider the opportunities and threats for wildlife and nature within a framework that provides for the long-term needs of people and businesses.
Wild places can be haven for birds, animals, fish, plants and insects of all kinds, including threatened species such as red squirrels, black grouse, curlews, adders and salmon. Some are already protected, but many precious areas of hill, moorland, unimproved pasture, woodland and seashore are not.
Wild places, at all scales, are a vital resource for nature and for people. The role of a National Park is to consider the opportunities and threats for wildlife and nature within a framework that provides for the long-term needs of people and businesses.
A Galloway National Park would:
- Use joined up plans to maintain, improve and enlarge natural areas of land for the benefit of wildlife and landscape, this is likely to include linking wild and natural places to provide wildlife corridors.
- Promote initiatives to restore Galloway’s large peatland areas which are in poor condition, to capture and store carbon whilst benefitting nature.
- Help landowners and farmers identify improvements to benefit wildlife and help them obtain grants.
OUR VIEWS ON…
COMMUNITIES
Becoming a National Park would help to support and renew the beautiful towns and villages of Galloway, improving life for our communities.
It’s a wonderful place to live, but it has the lowest average pay for full time work in Scotland, young people are reluctantly leaving due to lack of opportunities and the average age is rising fast.
Remote and rural areas are becoming depopulated as people head for larger towns, or leave all together. An estimated 200+ people of working age a year need to move here for Galloway to remain viable.
We need more jobs and businesses and affordable homes.
A National Park would have a team dedicated to its promotion and management. It would:
- Promote Galloway at home and abroad as a great visitor destination
- Let people know it’s a wonderful place to live and work
- Involve the community in creating a National Park management plan
- Ensure local voices are heard through the locally elected representatives on its Board
- Help ensure the proper provision of new and affordable homes, and other premises
- Help attract new businesses and support existing ones
- Promote our themed towns and branding of local food, drink and other goods
- Work with other authorities, agencies and service providers to address local and visitor needs.
OUR VIEWS ON…
RECREATION AND WELLBEING
Physical and mental health matter enormously and a Galloway National Park would bring benefits for residents and visitors alike.
It would enable people to make the most of its hills, forests, beaches and waters for recreation.
The region is great for walking, cycling, golf, bird watching, fishing and many other pursuits. It also offers arts and crafts, artisan food, books and heritage. Recognition as a National Park would showcase all this and attract more people, underpinning existing and new businesses.
Many hotels and B&Bs have capacity to increase occupancy rates. There is space for more car parking and pitches for tents and caravans. This growth would improve the economies in our towns and other communities. Galloway is easily accessible to the Central Belt and the north of England. Most visitors stay for a night or more and this means that there is a significant benefit to the economy.
The region is great for walking, cycling, golf, bird watching, fishing and many other pursuits. It also offers arts and crafts, artisan food, books and heritage. Recognition as a National Park would showcase all this and attract more people, underpinning existing and new businesses.
Many hotels and B&Bs have capacity to increase occupancy rates. There is space for more car parking and pitches for tents and caravans. This growth would improve the economies in our towns and other communities. Galloway is easily accessible to the Central Belt and the north of England. Most visitors stay for a night or more and this means that there is a significant benefit to the economy.
A National Park in Galloway would benefit wellbeing and promote recreation and tourism by:
- Improving access on foot and bicycle.
- Accessing additional funds and supporting landowners and businesses with grants to encourage new or improved ventures
- Having rangers to monitor what is happening and step in when required
- Involving local people as volunteers on projects to manage and maintain special qualities of the area.
OUR VIEWS ON…
WOODLAND & FORESTRY
Galloway has more woodland than other parts of Scotland and forestry is a dominant industry in terms of landscape and land use.
But while 30% of the landscape is tree covered (compared to an 18% average for Scotland as a whole) much recent planting is a single species – Sitka Spruce, a fast-growing softwood.
However, many areas of traditional woodland, including Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland also survive.
Ideally, broadleaf woods would make up the majority of woodland cover, but there is a continuing need for large-scale softwood plantations. Immediate issues include new planting on farmland, the need for resilience in species selection, and the effects of clear felled areas on the landscape.
The longer term issues start with climate change. Policies are needed to make best use of all woods and forests. The need for changes in tree species must be assessed and planned for, as soils deteriorate and our climate changes.
Ideally, broadleaf woods would make up the majority of woodland cover, but there is a continuing need for large-scale softwood plantations. Immediate issues include new planting on farmland, the need for resilience in species selection, and the effects of clear felled areas on the landscape.
The longer term issues start with climate change. Policies are needed to make best use of all woods and forests. The need for changes in tree species must be assessed and planned for, as soils deteriorate and our climate changes.
A National Park would:
- Engage with the woodland and forest industries to ensure that appropriate thought is given to all current and future issues
- Explore opportunities for local employment and new businesses based on a range of woodland and forests
- Help in developing the options and assessing the impacts of forest and woodland policy in Galloway, which could result in increased grants.
OUR VIEWS ON…
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Scotland has many wind farms and the capacity is set to more than double as we move to a low carbon economy.
Dumfries and Galloway is making a major contribution. Indeed Galloway has a long history of renewable energy with the Ken Valley hydro scheme of the 1930s. This has been assimilated into the landscape and provides wider benefits for residents, visitors and nature.
In future it may also become an important location for other renewable technologies like solar or biomass.
A National Park would:
- Address renewable energy issues in its National Park Plan and guide development while protecting our landscape and heritage
- Seek to ensure that decision-makers take full account of Galloway’s intrinsic qualities and community views, while making provision for renewable energy generation
- Engage with others to promote schemes to power individual communities.
OUR VIEWS ON…
CLIMATE CHANGE
Galloway and its people face the same dramatic challenges as everywhere else to reduce carbon emissions and achieve a sustainable and balanced environment to the benefit of everyone and everything on Earth.
Galloway has a wide range of habitats, many of which can be improved to take and hold carbon from the atmosphere. The best are the deep peats, all of which need to be preserved and restored, and salt marshes, but all soils have a role to play. Being predominantly pasture there is great potential to provide huge gains. Government policy is to expand forestry but this should include different species with longer rotations and a strategy of continuous cover to avoid clear felling. Encouragement should also be made for smaller scale and boundary planting of mixed species, with an emphasis on native broadleaf trees to create a mosaic to benefit nature and the landscape.
Galloway already makes a meaningful contribution to the generation of renewable energy, primarily with hydro and biofuels, and now wind turbines. These activities must be integrated into a fresh and wider view of how nature is conserved and biodiversity increased within a managed landscape. This will mean the area can cope better with greater extremes of rainfall, drought, heat waves and fires. It is essential that we engage in this way with all nature, protecting and restoring it so the planet can breathe.
Galloway has a wide range of habitats, many of which can be improved to take and hold carbon from the atmosphere. The best are the deep peats, all of which need to be preserved and restored, and salt marshes, but all soils have a role to play. Being predominantly pasture there is great potential to provide huge gains. Government policy is to expand forestry but this should include different species with longer rotations and a strategy of continuous cover to avoid clear felling. Encouragement should also be made for smaller scale and boundary planting of mixed species, with an emphasis on native broadleaf trees to create a mosaic to benefit nature and the landscape.
Galloway already makes a meaningful contribution to the generation of renewable energy, primarily with hydro and biofuels, and now wind turbines. These activities must be integrated into a fresh and wider view of how nature is conserved and biodiversity increased within a managed landscape. This will mean the area can cope better with greater extremes of rainfall, drought, heat waves and fires. It is essential that we engage in this way with all nature, protecting and restoring it so the planet can breathe.
A National Park in Galloway would:
- review and consider all issues, including those relating to climate change, in preparing the National Park Plan and this would provide an integrated and achievable framework, which would include the necessary steps to net zero carbon;
- engage in the Rural Land Use Planning Partnerships, full details of which are expected from Holyrood in 2021, so that the park provides the base for such a partnership;
- specifically address the issues of transport in and around the area and for those travelling to it; whilst public transport will be increasingly important, there will always be a need to travel individually which will require investment in electric charging points and facilities to supply hydrogen or other fuels as they are used commercially; and provision will be needed for long distance cycling; and
- protect the area from losing its character and landscape, promoting more natural landforms and positive intervention where it can help to address climate change.