Places policy

Scotland has a wide range of parks, reserves and other places specifically managed for people and nature. This includes both designated and non-designated parks and reserves owned and managed by local authorities or national agencies, as well as some of the properties and estates of NGOs and private businesses. Common to all these places is their strong natural character, with many also having special features of natural or cultural heritage interest, including wildlife, viewpoints and historic buildings.

In providing a broad spectrum of settings and opportunities for enjoying the outdoors and experiencing our nature and landscapes, these places make an important contribution to the Scottish Government's priorities on health, well-being and tourism. In many parts of Scotland, they are an important asset for sustainable economic growth.

Working with stakeholders, we have prepared a statement setting out a vision and strategic action for these places. Key outcomes sought include:

• a range of attractive and accessible places managed for people and nature, meeting local and national needs of users;
• regular use by people from all walks of life and by visitors to Scotland, boosting the economy and supporting local skills and jobs;
• well managed landscapes, wildlife and visitor facilities, maintaining the value of these places for outdoor recreation and enjoying nature;
• existing and new provision developed as part of a strategic approach to increasing participation to promote health, tourism and more sustainable places; and
• sufficient and targeted funding to support this.

In the short-to-medium term, the main emphasis should be on improving the contribution of existing parks and reserves. New provision may have a role to play, though this should only be considered as part of a strategic review of current and future needs. A key focus for action will be on developing the contribution of parks and reserves to the development of the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN)  .