Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022-27 - Full version
Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022 – 27 Plana Com-pàirteachais Pàirc Nàiseanta a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh 2022 – 27
This document is available in other formats on request. Please contact the Cairngorms National Park Authority on +44 (0) 1479 873 535 or visit cairngorms.co.uk Cover image of Braemar and inside cover image of the Deeside Way, both by Jakub Iwanicki / VisitScotland. © Cairngorms National Park Authority, 2022. All rights reserved. ISBN 978−1−3999−3136−6
Contents Ministerial foreword 4 National Park aims 6 What is a National Park Partnership Plan? 8 The wider policy landscape 10 Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 12 Outcomes for Nature, People and Place. 20 Nature. 28 People. 56 Place 78 Complementary strategies How we will deliver the plan 100 104 Key National Park forums and groups 107 Glossary of terms . . 114 Organisations and groups listed 117
Ministerial foreword important to ensuring that we do the right things at scale, taking the people who live, work in and visit the Park with us.
Lorna Slater MSP The nature and climate crises require leadership and action and this National Park Partnership Plan does both for the largest national park in the UK. We have experienced significant changes since the last Partnership Plan was published in 2017 and it was heartening to see nearly 1,500 people take part in the consultation on the future of this special place.
The climate and nature crises are the biggest challenges we face and it is critical that the Cairngorms National Park is an exemplar in achieving net zero, developing nature-based solutions and helping Scotland meet its targets as part of a just transition.
The Partnership Plan offers an opportunity to ensure that nature is at the heart of our decision- making for the future. We need to deliver an economy that supports people to thrive whilst also protecting and nurturing nature, not exploiting it for short-term benefit and long-term harm.
This generation’s goal, and that of all governments, must be to leave things better than we found them for future generations to enjoy.
To address the climate and nature crises, we need to act at unprecedented speed and scale across all parts of society. That is why the Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 programme is so Meeting the objectives within this Partnership Plan will mean hard choices need to be made. There are ambitious targets to increase the number of affordable houses, improve active travel and public transport, reduce deer numbers and other herbivores to enable woodland expansion, restore and manage peatland to reduce carbon emissions, and to have 50% of the National Park managed principally for ecosystem restoration, which will bring wider landscape, biodiversity and people benefits. This is not tinkering around the edges, this is fundamental change that we need to see and support.
This Partnership Plan will focus delivery on our shared ambition for a carbon negative and biodiversity-rich National Park with better functioning, better connected and more resilient ecosystems, a place where people want to live, work and visit, underpinned by a wellbeing economy that works for all the people of Scotland.
It sets out an approach that listens to and involves communities in the National Park, giving us the best possible chance together to deliver a decarbonised and nature-based economy where people and nature thrive together.
National parks can do so much for Scotland and this plan shows the ambition and the pragmatic application that will be needed to meet the challenges of the next 25 years.
Lorna Slater MSP, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity 4
Ro-ràdh bhon Mhinistear Tha an èiginn nàdair is gnàth-thìde feumach air ceannas agus gnìomh, agus sin dìreach na tha Plana Com-pàirteachais na Pàirce Nàiseanta seo a’ lìbhrigeadh airson na pàirce nàiseanta as motha san Rìoghachd Aonaichte. Tha sinn air atharrachaidhean mòra fhaicinn bho chaidh am plana com-pàirteachais mu dheireadh fhoillseachadh ann an 2017 agus bha e na thoileachas dhuinn gun do ghabh faisg air 1,500 neach pàirt anns a’ cho-chomhairle air na tha an dàn don àite shònraichte seo.
’S e èiginn gnàth-thìde agus èiginn nàdair na dùbhlain as motha a tha romhainn agus tha e deatamach gum bi Pàirc Nàiseanta a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh na h‑eisimpleir ann a bhith a’ coileanadh net zero, a’ leasachadh fhuasglaidhean stèidhichte air nàdar agus a’ cuideachadh Alba gus na targaidean aice a choileanadh mar phàirt de dh’eadar-ghluasad cothromach.
Tha am plana com-pàirteachais a’ toirt cothrom dhuinn dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil nàdar aig cridhe ar co-dhùnaidhean airson an ama ri teachd. Feumaidh an eaconamaidh againn a bhith a’ cuideachadh dhaoine gus soirbheachadh ach aig an aon àm a’ dìon agus ag àrach nàdar, gun a bhith a’ gabhail brath air airson buannachd sa gheàrr-ùine a dh’adhbharaicheas cron san fhad-ùine.
Feumaidh gur e amas a’ ghinealaich seo, agus amas gach riaghaltais, rudan fhàgail nas fheàrr na lorg sinn iad airson nan ginealaichean ri teachd.
Gus dèiligeadh ri èiginn gnàth-thìde agus èiginn nàdair, feumaidh farsaingeachd is astar na h‑obrach a bhith aig ìre nach fhacas a‑riamh roimhe thar gach pàirt den chomann-shòisealta. Sin as coireach gu bheil am prògram, Dùthchas: Monadh Ruadh 2030, cho cudromach airson dèanamh cinnteach gun dèan sinn na rudan ceart aig an ìre cheart, a’ toirt nan daoine a tha a’ fuireach, ag obair agus a’ tadhal air a’ Phàirc còmhla rinn. Le bhith a’ coileanadh nan amasan sa phlana com-pàirteachais seo feumar roghainnean cruaidh a dhèanamh. Tha targaidean àrd-amasach ann airson an àireamh thaighean aig pris ruigsinneach a mheudachadh, siubhal gnìomhach agus còmhdhail phoblach a leasachadh, àireamhan fèidh is luibhearan eile a lùghdachadh gus leu- dachadh choilltean a dhèanamh comasach, talamh mònach ath-nuadhachadh agus a riaghladh gus sgaoilidhean carboin a bhacadh, agus 50% den Phàirc Nàiseanta a bhith air a riaghladh gu sònraichte airson ath-nuadhachadh eag-shiostaim, a bheir buannachdan nas fharsainge do chruth-tìre, bith-iomadachd agus daoine. Is e atharrachadh bunaiteach a tha seo a dh’fheumas tachairt agus tha e deatamach gun toir sinn taic dha.
Bidh am plana com-pàirteachais seo a’ cuimseachadh air ar miann coitcheann airson Pàirc Nàiseanta carbon-àicheil a tha beairteach le bith-iomadachd ‘s a bheil eag-shiostaman ag obair ann an dòigh nas fheàrr, nas eadar- cheangailte agus nas seasmhaiche, àite far a bheil daoine airson a bhith a’ fuireach, ag obair agus a’ tadhal, le taic bho eaconamaidh sunnd a tha ag obair do shluagh na h‑Alba air fad.
Tha e a’ stèidheachadh dòigh-obrach a bhios ag èisteachd ri coimhearsnachdan sa Phàirc Nàiseanta agus gan toirt na lùib, a’ toirt dhuinn an cothrom as fheàrr gus eaconamaidh neo-charbonaichte agus stèidhichte air nàdar a lìbhrigeadh còmhla far am bi daoine agus nàdar a’ soirbheachadh.
Faodaidh pàircean nàiseanta uimhir a dhèanamh airson Alba agus tha am plana seo a’ sealltainn an àrd-mhiann, agus obair chiallach a bhios a dhìth gus coinneachadh ri dùbhlain an ath 25 bliadhna.
Lorna Slater BPA, Ministear airson Sgilean Uaine, Eaconamaidh Chearcallach agus Bith-iomadachd 5
National Park aims The Cairngorms is the UK’s largest national park at 4,528 sq km (6% of Scotland’s land mass) and is home to one quarter of the UK’s rare and endangered species. Around 18,000 people live in the National Park across the areas of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Highland, Moray, Perth and Kinross, with two million visitors enjoying this special place every year.
The National Park has four distinct aims as set out by Parliament:
To conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area.
To promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area.
To promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public.
To promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.
These aims are to be pursued collectively. However, if there is conflict between the first aim and any of the others, greater weight is given to the first aim (as set out in Section 9.6 of the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000). This helps ensure conservation of the natural and cultural heritage underpins the economic, social and recreation value of the Cairngorms National Park. The Partnership Plan embeds this approach in the strategy for the National Park that is approved by Ministers and sets the framework for all public bodies that work within the Cairngorms, from organisations like NatureScot and the five local authorities to Transport Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland. The plan is also supported and delivered by a range of private and voluntary organisations.
Image of an osprey by Peter Cairns / 2020VISION Our long-term vision: ‘An outstanding National Park, enjoyed and valued by everyone, where nature and people thrive together.’
What is a National Park Partnership Plan? The National Park Partnership Plan sets out how all those with a responsibility for the National Park will coordinate their work to tackle the most important issues. In particular, this plan:
Sets out the vision and overarching strategy for managing the National Park.
Guides the work of all public bodies and other partners to deliver the aims of the National Park.
Provides the strategic context for the Local Development Plan.
Is the Strategic Regional Land Use Framework and Regional Spatial Strategy for the National Park.
Is the Economic and Sustainable Tourism Strategy for the National Park.
The document is arranged in three sections: Nature, People and Place. In each section we set out on overall outcome that we want to achieve by 2045 (the year Scottish Government has committed to achieving net zero), plus a series of long-term objectives and key targets or indicators of progress. Each of these targets is supported by a set of actions and policies for the next five years. 8
We are aware that individuals reading the Partnership Plan will have different interests and priorities; however, we would recommend considering the plan as a whole to see how the four aims of the National Park will be delivered collectively. As an example: To meet the target for peatland restoration there will need to be a change to deer management in the National Park. To enable the scale of peatland restoration to be delivered we will need to increase investment in skills and training of people to deliver this work, which in turn will be an opportunity for economic diversification within the Cairngorms economy. Finally, if we are going to have local contractors who undertake this work, we will need to invest in training and have the right level of affordable housing that allows people to live and work in the area. In this way, all the long-term objectives are interrelated, as the diagram below illustrates: Figure 1: How objectives are interrelated Objective A3 Restore and manage peatland within the National Park to reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity. Objective A4 Reduce the negative impacts of red deer and other herbivores across the National Park to enable woodlands to expand, heather loss to be reversed, peatlands to recover and wider biodiversity and landscape enhancements to take place. Objective C1 Ensure that there is sufficient affordable housing stock to enable people to live and work within the National Park. Objective B2 Develop a wellbeing economy that delivers social justice in a healthy ecosystem, drawing on the special natural and cultural qualities of the Cairngorms. Objective B4 Increase skills and training opportunities for people in the National Park to meet business needs and ensure opportunities created by the growth in green jobs can be filled by residents and under-represented groups. Peatland restoration 9
The wider policy landscape There have been significant changes in the policy landscape since the last Partnership Plan was published in 2017. A climate emergency and nature crisis have been declared. The UK has left the European Union and its policy framework, and the Covid-19 pandemic – and our collective need to recover from its impacts – is at the forefront of policy discussion. There is also a deepening cost-of-living crisis and a desire to move to an economy that works for everyone, with the wellbeing of our citizens at its heart.
National policy framework As a whole, this Partnership Plan is guided by Scottish Government’s National Performance Framework and by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The documents listed on the page opposite are the key national policy documents that underpin the approach taken in this plan.
The Cairngorms National Park also has a significant role to play in delivering the policy ambitions of Scottish Government. This is focused on Scotland being a place to innovate, trial new ways of thinking and show ambition to tackle the key challenges of our time. The National Park has done this in the past on issues like windfarm or hilltrack policy, on increasing the percentage of affordable housing up to 45% in certain villages and towns, and pursuing ambitious projects like Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030. This National Park Partnership Plan looks to promote the National Park as a place to trial solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing Scotland as a whole. Image of a Scots pine by Rachel Keenan
Nature • • A Future Strategy for Scottish Agriculture Climate Change Plan 2018 – 2032 • Deer Working Group – Scottish Government Response • A • • • • Environment Strategy for Scotland Grouse Moor Management Review – Scottish Government Response Land Use Strategy for Scotland 2021 – 2026 Scottish Biodiversity Strategy 2022, Biodiversity Statement of Intent, Edinburgh Declaration Water Framework Directive and River Basin Management Plans
People • • • Equalities Duty Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement National Gaelic Language Plan • កែ • • • Nature-based Jobs and Skills Action Plan Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation Scotland’s Public Health Priorities Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland • Volunteering for All
Place • Cultural Strategy for Scotland • Housing to 2040 Strategy • Let’s Get Scotland Walking – National Walking Strategy • National Planning Framework 4 • National Transport Strategy • Scotland Outlook 2030 – Responsible Tourism for a Sustainable Future • Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 11
Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 It is easy to feel powerless in the face of a global climate emergency and nature crisis. But we believe it doesn’t have to be this way. Inspired by the Gaelic word Dùthchas – meaning the deep-rooted connection between people and nature – Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 is putting the power to tackle the climate and nature crises in the hands of people who live, visit and work in the UK’s largest national park.
Across 24 long-term projects, Heritage Horizons will bring about transformational change in the Cairngorms, benefiting people’s health and wellbeing, delivering on climate change and enhancing nature across the National Park. The programme is on a larger scale than anything previously attempted in the UK, and aims to inspire rural and urban communities throughout Scotland and beyond to take action and make a difference.
Heritage Horizons is an unprecedented partnership of over 45 organisations and is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to the National Lottery players. In particular, Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 will focus on:
Putting local people at the heart of decision-making and giving them more say in future funding decisions.
Working with communities and partners to improve public transport and active travel connections across the National Park.
Working with land managers to explore new ways of managing land, as well as restoring and enhancing large areas of peatland and woodland.
Developing an economy that benefits people and nature, and providing green solutions to public health priorities including Covid-19 recovery, social isolation and dementia.
Taing dhan Made possible with Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 is putting the power to tackle the climate and nature crises in the hands of people who live, visit and work in the UK’s largest national park
Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 Climate conscious communities Increasing awareness and deepening understanding of the climate emergency and its relevance to residents, communities, landowners and businesses in the National Park.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1. Climate learning and education Putting the voices of young people at the heart of decision-making in the National Park, empowering and inspiring our young people and educators to take forward pro-environmental behaviours and activity.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, B1, B7, B10 and B11. Community arts and culture Bringing together the National Park’s creative sector and communities to identify and develop activities that create a greater connection to our landscapes and foster a sense of place.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: B8, C10. Community-managed grant scheme Helping achieve our net zero and wellbeing economy targets by giving communities the power to define, design, fund and deliver projects that matter most to them.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A14, B2, B5, B6, B7, B10, C3, C4 and C10. Effective community engagement and outreach Shaping the way we engage with people in the National Park, ensuring individuals and communities feel empowered, want to contribute and have the resources to effect real change.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: B5, B6, B7 and B10. 14 Active communities Developing active travel infrastructure to make it easy, safe and enjoyable for residents and visitors to walk, cycle or get around using a wheelchair. This is split into four projects focused on Aviemore, Badenoch and Strathspey, Ballater and Braemar, and Blair Atholl and Killiecrankie.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, B7, B9, B10, C4, C5, C6, C7 and C9. Cairngorms Active Travel Plan Developing a Cairngorms-wide active travel network that integrates with public transport, helping reduce private car use and encourage residents and visitors to travel more actively in the National Park.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, B7, B9, B10, C4, C5, C6, C7 and C9. E‑bike network Reducing personal car use by visitors and residents through an accessible network of e‑bikes, and engaging and inspiring people to use e‑bikes as a regular mode of transport.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, B7, B9, B10, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8 and C9. Glenmore transport plan Designing a new sustainable model of transport in the Cairngorms’ busiest visitor hotspot to reduce reliance on private vehicles, in turn reducing carbon emissions from transport in the National Park.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, B7, B9, B10, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8 and C9. Sustainable transport in the National Park Focusing on Deeside, Angus and Highland Perthshire, we will make it easy to get around without a private car by improving sustainable transport options in the National Park.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, B7, B9, B10, C4, C5, C6, C7 and C9. 15 Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 Cairngorms future farming Working with six pilot farms in the National Park to demonstrate how a transition to net zero (or even carbon negative) farming can be delivered practically and profitably in the Cairngorms.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A8, A10 and B4. Climate resilient catchments Increasing climate change resilience to reduce the risk of flooding in the National Park and ensure that rivers continue to deliver for the people and wildlife that depend upon them.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A2, A3, A8, A9, A11 and A14. Deer management Engaging a broad range of people involved in deer management to develop strategic land use plans that will support land managers through the economic and environmental changes associated with reducing deer numbers, and mitigating the impact of deer on the environment.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A2, A3, A4, A11 and B4. Green investment plan Blending public and private finance to deliver our net zero and biodiversity targets, whilst also providing long-term benefits for land managers, investors and communities.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A2, A3, A5, A8, A13, A11 and A14. Landscapes and communities Exploring how communities perceive, experience and value the landscapes of the National Park, identifying special landscape qualities and establishing community preferences for landscape change.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A10, A12, B2, B5, B7, B11, C9 and C10. 16 Peatland restoration Repairing around 3,500 ha of damaged peatland over a five-year period, storing CO2 and delivering significant ecological benefits through restoration.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A3, A5, A10, A11, A13 and A14. Regional Land Use Partnerships Helping all those who have a stake in land management and land use understand their rights and responsibilities and learn how they can get involved in the work of Regional Land Use Partnerships.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A8, A9, A10, A11 and A14. Woodland expansion Helping absorb and store large amounts of CO2 by increasing woodland cover in the National Park by 1,000 ha over the next five years.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A2, A10, A11, A13 and A14. Dementia activity resource centre Creating the country’s first outdoor resource centre specifically designed to support people living with dementia, their families and carers, enabling enjoyment and exploration of the outdoor environment.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, B2, B3 and B9. Public health and the outdoors Working with NHS Highland and partners in a range of sectors to deliver a unique public health programme focused on improving health and wellbeing through access to nature and the outdoors.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, B2, B9 and B10. Wellbeing economy Developing a new economic model for the National Park that benefits people and nature, whilst protecting the planet’s resources and special qualities of the Cairngorms for future generations.
Relevant partnership plan objectives: A1, A10, B2, B3, B4 and B9. 17
It is essential that we strike the right balance to ensure the National Park thrives for both nature and people in the future 18
Striking the right balance One of the key points around a management plan that takes a long-term view (in this case 25 years and beyond) is the need to be realistic and make clear that there will be trade-offs.
The dial cannot be ‘turned up’ on everything. We will look for areas where we can deliver multiple benefits and mitigate impacts, but we will also be honest about areas where compromise will be required.
For example, the climate is changing and this will affect the species and habitats that can survive in the Cairngorms National Park. Scaling up nature recovery and ecosystem restoration may mean a change to the abundance and distribution of certain species. Equally, it might not be possible – or indeed desirable – to get all features on designated sites into favourable condition if our collective goal is long-term ecological restoration. There may be a need for controls on holiday rental properties to ensure housing is affordable for local people.
These are all points of reasonable debate – and we have heard views on all sides during the extensive consultation on this plan – but it is essential that we strike the right balance to ensure the National Park thrives for both nature and people in the future. This means having difficult conversations with people from all walks of life who care about the National Park and making important decisions, backed up by the best available evidence, for the long term. As the data and evidence changes over the next five years we will also need to adapt and change our approach to managing the National Park, reflecting the best knowledge available. Fair and just transition To address the climate and nature crises, we will need to act at unprecedented speed and scale across all parts of society. Change of this nature is never easy and we need to be careful to bring everyone with us on the journey. It will be crucial that we do not impact any one group of people unduly, and that we use the resources and economic changes to bring benefits to as wide a range of people as possible. This is what we mean by a fair and just transition.
Balancing the objectives contained within this plan with some of the fundamental changes that they will bring about will require careful discussion and weighing-up of different priorities. Understanding and addressing concerns about the changes to current ways of life does not negate the need for transformative action, but it will make it easier to pursue those aims collectively. Hard choices will still need to be made; however, an approach which listens to and involves communities of place and interest in the National Park has the best possible chance of delivering a decarbonised and nature-based economy where people and nature thrive together. 19
Outcome for Nature A carbon negative and biodiversity rich National Park with better functioning, better connected and more resilient ecosystems
Nature Images by Scotland: The Big Picture, Shaila Rao, Spey Catchment Initiative and Duncan Miller 20
Image of a large emerald moth by Malcolm MacGarvin What does that look like?
1 Moorland is more diverse Moorland is more structurally diverse, providing a greater range of habitats for plants, insects, birds and mammals, and supporting a thriving rural economy. 2 Woodland is expanding Woodlands are larger and more natural, delivering benefits for biodiversity, carbon storage, water quality and flood mitigation. 3 Peatlands are restored 4 Thousands of hectares of peatland have been restored, trapping CO2, aiding species recovery, improving water quality and reducing flooding risk. 5 Species are recovering 6 Species are recovering within a network of connected habitats and are less reliant on targeted conservation activity. Rivers are reconnected Rivers have been restored and reconnected to create thriving wetlands and floodplains, helping mitigate the impacts of climate change. Farming is carbon neutral Farming is carbon neutral or carbon negative, helping combat climate change, enhance species diversity and provide a sustainable source of food. 21
6 Outcome for People A wellbeing economy that works for all the people of the Cairngorms 5 1
lunteer fanger People Images by Tomintoul and Glenlivet Development Trust, Merryn Glover, Keilidh Ewan and Perfect Vision 4 3 22
Image taken in Anagach Woods by Rachel Keenan What does that look like? 1 Communities are empowered Residents are more involved in the way land is managed, with the number of community-owned or managed assets and social enterprises increasing. 2 Wellbeing comes first Communities are healthier, happier and more resilient, benefiting from a diverse local economy that puts wellbeing and the environment first. 3 Green jobs are growing There has been a significant increase in the number of green jobs, with skills and training opportunities available for people to meet the growing demand. 4 The Cairngorms is a Park for All The Cairngorms is a true ‘Park for All’, welcoming and supporting people from more diverse backgrounds to live, work and visit here. 5 Volunteering is on the rise Hundreds of volunteers are helping look after the landscape of the National Park, bringing benefits for nature and for their own health and wellbeing. 6 Young people stay and thrive The proportion of young and working-age people has stabilised and begun to increase, supporting thriving communities and a robust economy. 23
5 Outcome for Place A place that people want to live in, work in and visit that works for all 1 4 Place 2 3 24
Avlemore Gift Company 01479 811819 Image of two tourists in Aviemore by Liam Anderstrem What does that look like? 1 Housing is more affordable More people have access to affordable housing in the National Park and the proportion of second homes, vacant properties and holiday lets has decreased. 2 Transport is more sustainable People increasingly choose to leave their car at home, with residents and visitors being more active and making regular use of low and zero carbon transport. 3 Communities are connected Communities across the National Park are better connected by a network of fully accessible paths and cycle routes, improving people’s health and wellbeing. 4 Visitor facilities are first class Visitors choose to stay longer and travel at different times of year, supported by improved infrastructure and high- quality ranger services. 5 Cultural heritage is celebrated The area’s rich cultural heritage is cared for and celebrated in communities across the Cairngorms, from events and interpretation to storytelling and music. 25
This plan sets out how all those with a responsibility for the National Park will coordinate their work 26
Our plan for the future 27
Outcome: A carbon negative and biodiversity rich National Park with better functioning, better connected and more resilient ecosystems Image of a path through a pine woodland by Jack Skinner 28
Nature The interaction between people and nature is central to addressing many of the challenges we face in the National Park and in society more generally. There is a need to find solutions to the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis that have nature at their heart.
As the UK’s largest protected area home to one quarter of the UK’s rare and endangered species – the Cairngorms should be a rural exemplar of this approach, and in this section we identify a range of measures to conserve and enhance nature in the National Park. This means addressing a number of significant land use and ecological issues over the next 25 years that will continue to have positive effects in the National Park for the next 200 years.
We do not pretend that this process will be easy. Achieving the kind of systemic change we are talking about will require a massive collective effort across all areas of society. We need to ensure that this takes place as part of a just transition, supporting people in different sectors to both take new opportunities and share traditional skills that will be needed to deliver this plan. We have set out a range of measures to support people and jobs across the National Park in the People and Place sections of this plan, and we believe that there will be significant opportunities over the next 25 years for all those currently involved in land management. Alongside this, additional jobs will be created in areas such as peatland restoration, river restoration, species management and habitat enhancement.
There is also a need to base our approach on the best available data and to adapt as we proceed to ensure we are delivering the long-term targets set out in the plan. We have set out a series of targets and indicators alongside each objective and we will be reporting on these on an ongoing basis, tracking our progress and informing future decision-making. Image of a red squirrel by Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION 29
Al. Net zero The climate and nature crisis is the single biggest challenge that we face and it is critical that the Cairngorms National Park – as the largest protected area in the UK – is an exemplar in achieving net zero, developing nature-based solutions and helping Scotland as a whole meet its targets as part of a just transition.
The Park Authority is working with independent experts to establish the National Park’s existing carbon footprint and will use this to present a route map to net zero (and beyond) during 2023. This will present an ambitious but realistic action plan based on the best available evidence, helping us identify and track the key steps we need to take over the coming years.
OBJECTIVE Ensure the Cairngorms National Park reaches net zero as soon as possible and contributes all it can to helping Scotland meet its net zero commitments.
TARGET • INDICATOR • ACTIONS BY 2027 PARTNERS (alongside the Park Authority) • • • By 2023, establish the timeframe within which the Cairngorms National Park will be net zero and set a target for becoming carbon negative. Annual independent progress report on net zero for the Cairngorms National Park. Carbon audit and baseline established for the Cairngorms National Park in 2022. Establish a date for the Cairngorms National Park to be net zero and carbon negative by 2023. Establish a Community Climate Action Hub for the National Park. • Heritage Horizons: Cairngorms 2030 programme (see page 12). All partners 30
It is critical that