Specialist landscape work

The Cairngorm landscape reflects the interaction of natural components, human influences and cultural perceptions. It provides the setting for our day-to-day lives, influences our health and wellbeing, and contributes to the economy.

At the Cairngorms National Park, our specialist landscape work informs policies and guidance, as well as the design and assessment of specific proposals such as new housing, roads or woodland planting. The purpose of this is to inform the choices people make when developing proposals for landscape change, so these conserve and enhance the Cairngorms landscape while also being good for different communities.

Our work informs a wide range of people, from developers and environmental consultants to partner organisations, researchers, students and members of the public (whether reviewing applications submitted by others or preparing their own).

Specialist landscape work in the Cairngorms is influenced by the National Park being an IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Category V protected landscape, as well as being guided by the European Landscape Convention, to which the UK is a signatory. We also work with other organisations in Scotland with landscape interests, such as Historic Environment Scotland and NatureScot, and refer to the Scottish Landscape Charter. This work is usually led by chartered landscape architects.