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CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK PLAN 2007 CONSERVING & ENHANCING ADVISORY FORUM MEETING NOTES 28TH SEPTEMBER 2007, COYLUMBRIDGE HILTON Present: Alastair MacLennan Chair Alister Laing SAC Regional Manager Anne Rae SEERAD Chris Hewett NTS Mar Lodge Drennan Watson Cairngorms Campaign Dick Balharry Chair, John Muir Trust Eddie Milne SEERAD Hamish Trench DCS Heather Bantick Hebe Carus MCofS Helen McDade JMT Iain Hope DCS Ian Francis RSPB James Scott BASC Jamie Williamson Alvie Estate Jeremy Usher Smith Jo Durno John Moffat SEERAD Kenny Taylor Peter Ord Balmoral Estate Richard Wallace FCS Roger Knight Spey Fishery Board Roy Dennis Simon Thorp The Heather Trust CNPA staff Jane Hope Will Boyd Wallis Colin Maclean Bob Grant Pete Crane CNPA Board Geva Blackett Eleanor MacIntosh Sue Walker (Alistair MacLennan) Welcome & Remit of Advisory Forums Alastair Maclennan confirmed the remit of the new advisory forum would be to provide advice and feedback to the CNPA and its partner organisations on the management of the National Park, specifically in terms of progress being made in delivering the Park Plan, any issues or concerns that need to be addressed and helping to generate new ideas for policy and implementation. The second role is for the forums to help communicate key messages with other interested parties to help gain their support and understanding for the work being carried out in association with the Park Plan. The scope of the forum will be to provide a strategic overview of the progress being made across the piece from the perspective of Conserving and Enhancing the Park, one of the Park Plan’s strategic themes. Membership of the Forum aims to be open and inclusive and may change over time as additional members are invited to contribute to ensure the Forum maintain a breadth of interest and experience. It was agreed that any suggestions for new members should be passed to Gavin Miles so that their names could be included in future correspondence relating to National Park Plan advisory forum meetings. Election of a Chair for ‘Living and Working in the Park’ Advisory Forum No new nominations for the chair were made and Alastair MacLennan remained Discussion of Priority for Action success measures The Forum was asked to identify 2-5 key measures of success they expect for each of four Priorities for Action, from the Forum’s perspective: .. Conserving and enhancing biodiversity and landscapes .. Supporting sustainable deer management .. Making housing more affordable and sustainable .. Providing high quality opportunities for outdoor access The discussions and feedback on the success measures for the Priorities for Action were to be used to: help the in the identification of measurable targets and indicators for the five-year outcomes; help identify the measures of success others will judge the Park Plan by; highlight any discrepancies between what the delivery teams are doing and what others perceive they should be doing; and inform thinking on the development of longer term targets and indicators on the State of the Park and delivery of the Park Plan. The discussions covered issues including • Monitoring is an important and complex issue that can require significant resources to be done in the most desirable ways but yet still needs to be affordable and understandable. • Species and habitats – assemblages and networks; • Identification of key indicator species or habitats • More detailed surveys of particular habitats and species may be required. • Areas with Wild Land qualities • Changes in landcover and landscape • Knowing why the Park is unique and special • The need to establish accurate and measurable baselines and identify trends • Identifying timescales and milestones, SMART targets • Information: communicating progress and change • Identifying information sources and monitoring measures already used by public and voluntary sectors. Eg SNH and sites monitoring, DCS and Deer, Joint Working, RSPB data • Numbers of people employed in deer stalking • Area of land managed with inclusive Deer management • There will be a need for qualitative as well as quantitative measures, and not all measures will be consistent with each other • House prices versus incomes. • Number of business's stating housing is a barrier to their performance. • Numbers quality/energy efficiency of rented properties and their availability • Estate retirement houses can retain skills and knowledge on estates. • Environmental footprint of new houses. • Energy efficiency of existing housing stock. • Numbers of people enjoying access responsibly • People counts on paths • Numbers and types of access cases heard by LOAF • Condition of paths Date of the next meeting: It was agreed that there would be two meetings each year and that forums would be full day meetings (10am – 3pm) where required. The next meeting would be in the early spring of 2008 and a date would be agreed with the new Chair to ensure this meets the needs of the advisory forum members.