Badenoch & Strathspey members say continued partnership working with CNPA key to visitor management
Members of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee yesterday (13 November 2023) welcomed continued partnership working with Cairngorms National Park Authority around visitor management and in particular in the Glenmore area.
Representatives from Cairngorms National Park Authority delivered a presentation to members of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee which focused on a review of recent visitor management activity.
Members welcomed the review and praised the ongoing partnership approach, particularly in relation to cross service visitor management initiatives in the Glenmore area.
Chair of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee, Cllr Russell Jones, said: “The Committee welcomes the continued close working between partners to deal with visitor management issues within Badenoch & Strathspey.
“This partnership approach is particularly key in relation to Glenmore, which has seen large visitor numbers and experienced a number of issues, particularly in relation to parking.”
The Chair also welcomed the opening of a new public convenience at Glenmore which is now operational. There will be an official opening at a later date.
Yesterday’s presentation to members was delivered by Murray Ferguson, Director of Planning and Place, Cairngorm National Park Authority (CNPA) and Colin Simpson, Head of Visitor Services and Active Travel at CNPA.
Background
Over the last year the Cairngorms National Park Authority has invested over £500,000 in increased levels of ranger patrols across the National Park to engage positively with visitors and help minimise negative impacts on communities. As well as supporting landowners’ site-based ranger services with funding and training, the Park Authority’s rangers can cover areas without a dedicated ranger service and provide additional ranger patrols alongside partners at some of the busiest locations.
This face-to-face activity is complemented by a series of campaigns with local and national partners, targeting particular types of visitor and encouraging people to travel at quieter times of year. Evidence from the ranger patrols suggest this is helping reduce the number of instances of things like fires, littering and dogs off the lead in sensitive areas.