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Cairngorms

Cairngorms National Park Recovery Plan given the Green light

12th June 2020

A plan for a ‘Green’ recovery in the Cairngorms National Park was agreed today (12 June 2020) at the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) board meeting, which was held online.

The Scottish Government has said that the recovery from Covid-19 needs to deliver a fairer, greener and more equal society. This initial Green Recovery Plan is about ensuring that as we rebuild the economy of the National Park we do this in a way that also ensures that we protect and replenish our natural and social capital.

Xander McDade Convener of the CNPA Board explains, “The  Cairngorms National Park is heavily reliant on tourism and nature and landscape underpin much of the area’s economy. The recovery is going to take time and different businesses and communities will be affected in different ways. We are keen that the CNPA and our partners support this recovery and in doing so continue to deliver against the Park Plan’s long-term outcomes.”

“We have a unique opportunity to ensure that as we play our part in helping to rebuild the economy, we do it in such a way that also tackles the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.  Many businesses and communities in the Cairngorms National Park are facing an uncertain future and the CNPA is committed to supporting them and to a sustainable recovery of the economy for our communities.”

I was delighted the CNPA Board agreed this Recovery Plan today, it is designed to support the economy and communities across the National Park in the short term but also ensures that we build a sustainable future.”

Grant Moir CEO at the Cairngorms National Park Authority added “The Recovery Plan outlines the creation of a Cairngorms Recovery Fund; the CNPA are providing £100k to support local business and community activity to help the recovery on top of a host of other activity, including £30k from the Cairngorms Trust.   This is in addition to the schemes happening at a national and regional level and will have a local focus, looking at ways to boost local economy and employment in the short term as well as delivering on the long term aims of the Park.  We will work with a range of partners to look at what we should support to help the recovery of the Cairngorms over the coming years.”

While seeking to provide direct support through the Recovery Fund, one of the main focuses of the CNPA will be to continue to lever in significant additional funding to be used to benefit communities through conservation and visitor projects that will provide local employment and improved facilities as well as tackle the climate crisis.

The Recovery Plan also includes actions to support businesses and communities through better collaboration and communication.  We have all had to change the way we work during the lockdown and in many cases this has resulted in better partnership working and more efficient business practices. The Plan commits to developing new approaches to community engagement and business collaboration, to enhance digital connectivity, support resilience and economic development across the National Park.

Mark Tate, Chief Executive of the Cairngorms Business Partnership said, “The economy, and therefore our communities, in the National Park has been devastated by this crisis. Visitors are such an integral part of not only our economy but our society, we have missed them. Without visitors many businesses have had zero income from the peak Easter period onwards and the impact will be long lasting and for some terminal. We have been working with our members and with CNPA to prepare to welcome visitors back and the announcement of the £130k fund is welcome. We particularly welcome the commitment to seeking support to build longer term resilience in our economy and, whilst visitors will always be very important, diversification. We will continue to partner with the National Park Authority, businesses in the park have natural resilience and entrepreneurship, we are determined to support them to recover.”

The Green Recovery Plan and all the papers from the meeting can be viewed at https://cairngorms.co.uk/working-together/meetings/meeting/board-2020-06-12/

 

 

Ends.