New National Parks - appraisal framework: consultation

2. Consultation questions

Respondents should take into consideration the information provided in this document alongside any knowledge or personal experiences that could be relevant. All opinions are welcome.

You are invited to answer all the questions. However, if you are unable to answer any question then please feel free to skip and move on to the next.

2.1. Questions

New National Parks appraisal framework and selection criteria

Section 4 of the draft appraisal framework sets out the nominations process for new National Parks and the proposed criteria against which nominations will be appraised.

The following questions seek your views on these criteria and the proposed components of each criterion.

Criterion 1 - outstanding national importance

Is the area of outstanding national importance because of its natural heritage or the combination of its natural and cultural heritage?

Component 1

Is the proposed area of outstanding national importance due its natural heritage, including biodiversity, geodiversity and landscapes?

Component 2

Is the proposed area of outstanding national importance due to the area's cultural heritage, including the historic environment?

Question 1

Do you agree that 'outstanding national importance' should be a criterion for assessing nominations for new National Parks?

Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Question 2

Do you agree with the components of criterion 1 (outstanding national importance)?

Component 1: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 2: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Criterion 2 - size, character and coherence

Does the area have a distinctive character and a coherent identity? Is the proposed area of a sufficient size to justify integrated management as a National Park?

Component 1

Does the proposed area have a distinctive character and coherent identity?

Component 2

Is the proposed area of a sufficient size to warrant integrated management as a National Park?

Question 3

Do you agree that 'size, character and coherence' should be a criterion for assessing nominations for new National Parks?

Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Question 4

Do you agree with the components of criterion 2 (size, character and coherence)?

Component 1: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 2: Agree / Disagree / Don't know /

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Criterion 3 - meeting the special needs of the area

How would designating the area as a National Park meet the special needs of the area? What difference would National Park designation make to the area for nature restoration, cultural heritage, sustainable use of natural resources, public enjoyment and sustainable communities?

Component 1

How would National Park designation support the conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage and the historic environment?

Component 2

How would National Park designation support nature recovery and restoration in the area, including ecosystem restoration, protection and recovery of vulnerable and important species and wildlife management?

Component 3

How would National Park designation help to promote the understanding and enjoyment of the area by Scotland's people?

Component 4

How would National Park designation support the sustainable development and well-being of local communities?

Component 5

How would National Park designation support the sustainable use of the area's natural resources and how it would make a significant contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation?

Question 5

Do you agree that 'meeting the special needs of the area' should be a criterion for assessing nominations for new National Parks?

Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Question 6

Do you agree with the components of criterion 3 (meeting the special needs of the area)?

Component 1: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 2: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 3: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 4: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 5: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Criterion 4 - visitor management and experience

How would designating the area as a National Park support visitor management and the area's offer for education, recreation and enjoyment by all of Scotland's people?

Component 1

How would National Park designation enhance opportunities for enjoyment, recreation and understanding of the area's natural and cultural heritage?

Component 2

How would National Park designation support visitor management in the area?

Component 3

How could National Park designation support current and potential future transport infrastructure in and around the proposed area?

Component 4

How could National Park designation support access to nature for Scotland's people?

Question 7

Do you agree that 'visitor management and experience' should be a criterion for assessing nominations for new National Parks?

Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Question 8

Do you agree with the components of criterion 4 (visitor management and experience)?

Component 1: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 2: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 3: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 4: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Criterion 5 – added value

Why is the investment required to create and operate a new National Park for this area justified?

Component 1

How would the benefits of a National Park in the area justify the investment required?

Component 2

What is the added value that National Park designation would bring to the area?

Question 9

Do you agree that 'added value' should be a criterion for assessing nominations for new National Parks?

Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Question 10

Do you agree with the components of criterion 5 (added value)?

Component 1: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 2: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Criterion 6 - local support

Is there sufficient evidence of local support for this proposal?

Component 1

What level of local support (with evidence) is there from local interests (community bodies, landowners and managers, businesses, third sector organisations, public bodies etc).

Component 2

What level of support (with evidence) is there from the local authority/authorities in the area?

Question 11

Do you agree that 'local support' should be a criterion for assessing nominations for new National Parks?

Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Question 12

Do you agree with the components of criterion 6 (local support)?

Component 1: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 2: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Criterion 7 - strategic contribution

Would the designation of the area bring benefits to Scotland as a whole and contribute to strategic priorities including nature restoration, climate mitigation and adaptation action, green investment, skills and jobs and nature friendly farming?

Component 1

How could National Park designation support the area's leadership on climate change mitigation and adaptation in a way that is fair and inclusive for local communities?

Component 2

How could National Park designation support the area's contribution to commitments within the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, including ecosystem restoration, protection and recovery of vulnerable species, wildlife management, nature friendly farming, the expansion of areas that are protected for nature and the development of nature networks?

Component 3

How could designation as a National Park support sustainable investment in the area's natural capital?

Component 4

How could designation as a National Park support the development of green skills and jobs in the area?

Component 5

How could designation as a National Park complement the contribution that Scotland's existing National Parks make to tackling the nature and biodiversity crises?

Question 13

Do you agree that 'strategic contribution' should be a criterion for assessing nominations for new National Parks?

Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Question 14

Do you agree with the components of criterion 7 (strategic importance)?

Component 1: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 2: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 3: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 4: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

Component 5: Agree / Disagree / Don't know

If you disagree, please give reasons for your answer.

Question 15

Once finalised, the appraisal framework will include details of how each criterion will be scored. This will be published ahead of the nominations process being launched. Do you have any comments that you would like to make about how the selection criteria should be scored?

Question 16

Do you have any other comments that you would like to make about the draft appraisal framework and nominations process for new National Parks?

2.2. Responding to this consultation

Please respond to this consultation using the Scottish Government's consultation hub Citizens Space. You can save and return to your responses while the consultation is still open. Please ensure that consultation responses are submitted before the closing date of 4 August 2023.

If you are unable to respond using our consultation hub, please complete the Respondent Information Form and send it to:

New National Parks Team - Nature Division
The Scottish Government
Area 3H South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ

NationalParks@gov.scot

2.3. Handling your response

If you respond using the consultation hub, you will be directed to the About You page before submitting your response. Please indicate how you wish your response to be handled and, in particular, whether you are content for your response to published. If you ask for your response not to be published, we will regard it as confidential, and we will treat it accordingly.

All respondents should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and would therefore have to consider any request made to it under the Act for information relating to responses made to this consultation exercise.

If you are unable to respond via Citizen Space, please complete and return the Respondent Information Form included in this document.

To find out how we handle your personal data, please see our privacy policy.

2.4. Next steps in the process

Where respondents have given permission for their response to be made public, and after we have checked that they contain no potentially defamatory material, responses will be made available to the public at Citizen Space. If you use the consultation hub to respond, you will receive a copy of your response via email.

Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence to help us. Responses will be published where we have been given permission to do so. An analysis report will be made available.

2.5. Comments and complaints

If you have any comments about how this consultation exercise has been conducted, please send them to the contact address above or at NationalParks@gov.scot Scottish Government consultation process

Consultation is an essential part of the policy-making process. It gives us the opportunity to consider your opinion and expertise on a proposed area of work.

You can find all of our consultations online at Citizen Space. Each consultation details the issues under consideration, as well as a way for you to give us your views, either online, by email or by post.

Responses will be analysed and used as part of the decision-making process, along with a range of other available information and evidence. We will publish a report of this analysis for every consultation. Depending on the nature of the consultation exercise the responses received may:

• indicate the need for policy development or review
• inform the development of a particular policy
• help decisions to be made between alternative policy proposals
• be used to finalise legislation before it is implemented

While details of particular circumstances described in a response to a consultation exercise may usefully inform the policy process, consultation exercises cannot address individual concerns and comments, which should be directed to the relevant public body.