Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access Forum - February 2021

This document contains an update on promoting responsible outdoor access in the Cairngorms National Park. It highlights the work done to promote responsible access, seeks advice on key priority messages, and discusses site-specific advice for informal camping and campfires. The document reflects on 2020, noting increased informal camping, fire lighting, and litter, and the need for consistent messaging. It also looks forward to 2021 with revised messages on dog ownership, camping, and fires, and discusses stronger measures for key hotspots, including potential limitations on fires and camping. The document also touches on involving Police Scotland for dealing with offenses, and the need for a simple test to ensure changes in advice are robust and have consensus.

This document contains an update on access casework handled by the Cairngorms National Park Authority from 2018 to 2020. Prepared by Doug Stewart, Outdoor Access Officer, the report aims to update members of the Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access Forum on casework handling, including monthly breakdowns and summaries, and to consider findings and forecasts based on relevant factors and the post-Covid 19 environment. The Park Authority maintains a ‘casework’ record to monitor tasks and processes, which includes data on the numbers and types of casework, dates, handling times, and a record of contacts made during processing. The records show a gradual upward trend over the review period with an increase in casework post-lockdown in 2020 and higher-than-average volumes in Planning and Forestry casework.

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This document contains the meeting notes from the Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access Forum on 24 February 2021. Attendees included representatives from the forum (LOAF), the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), and Forest and Land Scotland (FLS). Discussions covered updating the Scottish Outdoor Access Code with a stronger message about fire risks and campfire impacts, reviewing CNPA access casework, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) Heritage Horizons funding application, which members supported. The next meeting is scheduled for June 2021.