About

At 4,528 sq km (or 6% of Scotland’s land mass), the Cairngorms is the UK’s largest national park. Famous for its spectacular landscapes and iconic wildlife, the National Park is home to one quarter of the UK’s rare and endangered species, and nearly half of its area is considered ‘wild land’. 

The National Park is also home to around 18,000 residents across the areas of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Highland, Moray, Perth and Kinross, and two million visitors enjoy this special place every year.

The National Park has four distinct aims as set out by Scottish Parliament:

• To conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area.
• To promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area.
• To promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public.
• To promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.

These four aims are to be pursued collectively; however, if there is conflict between the first aim and any of the others, greater weight is given to the first aim (as set out in the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000). This helps ensure that the conservation of natural and cultural heritage underpins the economic, social and recreation value of the Cairngorms National Park. 

Every five years the Park Authority produces a National Park Partnership Plan – approved by Scottish Ministers – which sets the framework for all public bodies that work within the Cairngorms. This includes the five local authorities that overlap the National Park boundary, as well as organisations from NatureScot to Transport Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise to Skills Development Scotland. The plan is also supported and delivered by a range of private and voluntary organisations.