Question reference: S2W-30989
- Date lodged: 11 January 2007
-
Current status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 19 January 2007
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what economic, social or environmental benefits have arisen as a result of the designation and management of the Cairngorms National Park.
Answer
The Cairngorms National Parkwas designated in 2003. It would not be meaningful at this early stage toattempt an assessment of the economic, social and environmental benefits arisingfrom the designation; since many of the benefits which the National Parkdesignation sought to achieve will only be fully realised over a longer periodof time. The National Park Authority, like other public bodies, will be subjectto review after its first five years of operation and I envisage that thatwould provide a first opportunity for an assessment of the benefits which thedesignation has secured.
In the meantime, the annual reportsof the National Park Authority (copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 41116,38506, and 34782) provide a detailedaccount of the work which it has undertaken. For example, the National ParkAuthority was able to report in its 2005-06 Annual Report its success in becomingthe first national park authority in the UK to secure award of the European Charter forSustainable Tourism.