Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) members have raised concerns in the past week around proposals to create a new national park in crofting areas. Members also highlighted various issues with the Cairngorms National Park which are impacting their crofting activities.
SCF chair Jonathan Hedges states, “Whilst national park designations can have many benefits for an area, they can also have large and potentially negative impacts on crofters and crofting depending on what restrictions are put in place. It is vital that every proposal put forward needs to be subject to meaningful consultation.
As land managers, crofters must have a say on whether a national park should be created in their communities or not.”
Mr Hedges continues, “Any new national park proposal in the crofting counties must have at its heart protection, enhancement and development of crofting as a sustainable, high nature value land use. This must include creation of new crofts to provide land, homes and jobs for people of working age.
In the meantime SCF will be supporting crofters in the Cairngorms National Park to achieve just and reasonable treatment from the park’s management.”
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