Busy first month for National Park consultation in Galloway

More than 650 people have already attended the 14 public consultation events about the Scottish Government’s proposed National Park in Galloway, with additional members of the public walking round the sessions without registering and participating in online versions. A further 15 of these consultation events are still to be held in the new year across South West Scotland. Some additional drop-in surgeries will be hosted by NatureScot in January to allow local residents to discuss specific topics they would like help with before they complete the consultation, as well as one final online event.

The consultation surveys are available on NatureScot’s website and online information hub, and were also shared via 52,000 leaflets distributed to households and businesses within the proposed area. More than 1000 online surveys have been completed so far. Print, audio and Gaelic options are also available on request.

The online information hub established by NatureScot to provide the public with information about the consultation has 1523 subscribers viewing the proposal, surveys, maps, background resources and email updates.

The NatureScot National Park Reporter staff have so far attended 38 meetings with people in the area, and issued over 1100 email responses to enquiries.

The consultation was launched on 7 November and is the statutory opportunity for anyone with an interest in the Scottish Government proposal to consider and discuss the shape and options for a potential new park in Galloway, parts of Dumfries and East and South Ayrshire. Anyone completing a consultation survey is asked whether they support or oppose the idea of a new National Park being established in the area.

Scottish ministers appointed NatureScot to be the Reporter on their proposal, based on the joint bid made by the Galloway National Park Association and Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, and the statutory consultation runs until 14 February 2025. Scottish ministers will decide whether the designation goes ahead.

NatureScot’s South Operations Manager, Stuart Graham said: “We’ve been listening to people from all walks of life and from all perspectives in this busy public consultation, as we ensure that those living and working in the area have the opportunity to discuss the issues, consider the content of the proposal for a national park in Galloway, and decide whether they support it or not, or have alternatives they wish to suggest.

“With two months of the consultation left, we want everyone to get involved, take the time to read the proposal, and have their say. More than 15 events are taking place in January, and there is extensive information about Scotland’s national parks and this proposal on our website, with leaflet versions of the surveys available in accessible versions. There is still plenty of time for everyone to help us understand the views they wish to express in our final report to Scottish ministers in April next year.”

Ends.