This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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National Park celebrates first anniversary
29/07/2003
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park - Scotland's
first National Park - today celebrated its first
anniversary.
pointing to the success of the park authority's Early
Actions Programme, Deputy Environment Minister Allan Wilson
stressed the importance of building on the progress
achieved.
He said:
"The Bonnie Banks are renowned throughout the world and
Scotland is well known for the magnificence of its natural
environment.
"These are images we must build on to inject prosperity
into rural communities and help conserve and enhance the
cultural and natural heritage of the area.
"Only one year in and already we can begin to see the
realisation of the core aims of creating national parks in
Scotland. These included the creation of vibrant rural
communities, to make the parks ideal places in which to
live and visit and to conserve and enhance the natural
heritage for future generations.
"More than 200,000 visitors have visited the area within
the last twelve months who will take home many positive
impressions of their time here.
"The National Park Authority has realised many
achievements throughout the area with the completion of a
variety of local projects that collectively boost the
area.
"These achievements have successfully merged the
sometimes conflicting relationship between economic
development and conservation through the adoption of a
pragmatic view towards environmental sustainability. This
standpoint has allowed the authority to make best use of
local environments, to protect and enhance them and, by so
doing, improve the area's potential as both a visitor
attraction and an area within which to live and work."
Improved communications signposting beauty spots and
areas to visit throughout the park have been among the
improvements undertaken by the authrority. Signposting and
community landscaping projects have been undertaken in:
- Aberfoyle
- Balloch
- Callander
- Killin
- Tarbert
- Tyndrum
As part of his visit, Mr Wilson unveiled a specially
commissioned bench in the village square at Callander - one
of six benches to be placed in communities bordering the
park to commemorate the first anniversary.
The 25-member National Park Authority was created with a
remit to:
- Conserve and enhance the natural and cultural
heritage of the area
- Promote sustainable use natural resources
- Promote understanding and enjoyment (including
recreation)
- Promote sustainable economic and social development
on local communities
More than 14,000 people live inside the boundaries of
the 720 square mile Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National
Park, which was officially opened by HRH The Princes Royal
in July last year.
The park authority's Early Actions Programme put
communications at the centre of their operations in their
first year. Seven full time jobs have been created. Part of
the strategy has also developed 116 National Park
interpretive information plinths and 240 directional road
signs leading to and around the National Park.
The last year also saw 2 million promotional leaflets in
five languages distributed and the development of 18
threshold National Park welcomes signs at main road
entries.