Formal Board Paper 1 Annex 1.16 - Blue and green infrastructure

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park's Local Development Plan, focusing on blue and green infrastructure. It highlights the crucial role these natural and built elements, like parks, rivers, woodlands, and urban green spaces, play in enhancing biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and improving community well-being. The report details how national and local policies, such as the National Planning Framework 4 and the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, guide the protection and expansion of these areas, aiming to create interconnected 'Nature Networks' and ensure sustainable resource management. It also examines existing protected sites, efforts in peatland and woodland restoration, water quality and flood management, and various community-led initiatives, providing a robust foundation for future development plans within the National Park.