Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access Forum - November 2024

This document contains the agenda for the Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access meeting on 13 November 2024 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, held via Microsoft Teams. The agenda includes a welcome and introductions, approval of the minutes from the last meeting, a fire management consultation (Paper 1), an update on the Active Cairngorms Action Plan (Paper 2), a review of the Core Paths Plan (Paper 3), a verbal update on the Local Outdoor Access Forum (LOAF) membership, an update and forward look (Paper 4), any other competent business (AOCB), and setting the date for the next meeting. The Microsoft Teams meeting ID is 399 499 327 012 and the passcode is 3gqX06.

This document contains information about a proposed seasonal fire management bylaw for the Cairngorms National Park. The Cairngorms National Park Authority Board approved the principle of the bylaw after consulting with the public, landowners, and partners, with a majority supporting its introduction. The bylaw would be in effect from 1 April to 30 September each year. The Local Outdoor Access Forum (LOAF) is invited to provide comments on the wording of the bylaw, which aims to be easy to understand and address the period of greatest fire risk. The Park Authority will consider the feedback and submit the final wording to Scottish Ministers in January 2025, with the earliest implementation date likely to be 1 June 2025. The document includes details of what is prohibited with regards to setting fires and BBQs unless contained. It also includes definitions of terms used in the bylaw, such as "avoidable damage", "barbecue", and "land manager", and outlines potential penalties for those who do not provide details when requested to do so, or for other offences.

This document contains an update on the progress of the Active Cairngorms Action Plan, which supports the National Park Partnership Plan objectives. It provides details on the seven priority areas: managing visitors, minimising impacts on sensitive species and habitats, ranger services, public health in the outdoors, volunteer Cairngorms, youth and outdoor learning, and paths, trails and outdoor access duties. For each area, the document outlines key measurable outputs, delivery periods, and notes on 2024 delivery, encompassing various initiatives, collaborations, and training programs aimed at enhancing visitor experiences, conservation efforts, and community engagement within the Cairngorms National Park.

This document contains an update on the review of the Core Paths Plan within the Cairngorms National Park. The Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access Forum (LOAF) is invited to nominate a member to the project steering group, and to review the current Core Paths Plan's objectives, making recommendations on their relevance. The Park Authority is required to maintain a core paths plan, with the current plan being from 2015, and is now under ministerial direction to review the plan, which the LOAF groups will advise on this process. The review will consider minor and major amendments, with an aim to make corrections and updates to specific paths, and also evaluate new developments. The Core Paths Plan review will take place in stages: development (Nov 24 – Mar 25), informal consultation (April – Aug 25), review (Oct 25 – Feb 26), formal consultation (Apr – Jun 26), review (July – Aug 26) and submission and adoption (~Sept 26).

This document contains an update from the Cairngorms Local Outdoor Access Forum on work that has been undertaken and planned. Core path developments include addressing issues on the Old Logging Way, such as sections being too narrow, steep, or submerged in wet weather, and also improving signage. Directional signage on the Speyside Way between Aviemore and the park boundary is currently being updated, and a section of the route near Kincraig is being realigned. Other projects include the completed Charter Chest path and revised community path leaflets. A community "thank you" day was held in Boat of Garten following a campaign encouraging residents to be good Capercaillie neighbors, with plans to address points raised during the pilot next year.