delivering for a decade

8/10/2019 Delivering for a Decade

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Deliveringfor aDecade2002 2012


2/13

Since its designation as Scotlands rst

National Park in 2002, Loch Lomond

& The Trossachs has continued to

grow in popularity and represents

some of Scotlands nest landscapes.

Infrastructure

Respect

Community Partnership

Biodiversity Action Plan

Community Futures

Conservation Area

Renewal Scheme

Inchcailloch

Three Villages Hall

Volunteering

Scottsland

West Loch Lomond

Cycle path

Bracklinn Bridge

Loch Lomond Byelaws

Waterbus

Carrick Golf Course

East Loch Lomond

Camping Byelaws

Natural Heritage

Grant Scheme

Connonish Gold Mine

Much has happened in the rst ten years of this special place and the Park

remains a major attraction on a global scale.

Whether youre lucky enough to be a resident of one of our many communities,

a frequent visitor or even if this is your rst trip to the Park, have a look through

this booklet at some of the signicant achievements made over the past decade.

Delivering for a Decade


3/13

Infrastructure

As the Park was designated, a funding

package of 1.83 million was made

available to upgrade visitor facilities

including road signs, interpretive

plinths, specially designed picnic

benches, seating, bins, cycle stands,

interpretive exhibitions and lms forNational Park Centres and displays

for Visitor Information Centres

throughout the Park.

Community Partnership

The Loch Lomond and The Trossachs

National Park Community Partnership

was set up to steer the early stages of the

Community Futures Programme project.

The Partnership became a limited company

with charitable status allowing it to developprogrammes of support to communities

and to pursue park or area-wide priorities

and projects.

In its rst couple of years it helped 24

communities in and around the Park to

prepare action plans, detailing their

vision for the future, the current

situation, the issues that matter

most and priorities for action.


4/13

Community Futures Programme

The Community Futures Programme

was instigated in 2002 with the

objective of providing communities

with a way of thinking about and

planning for their future. The key

objective was to create and foster a

support environment at local levelwithin each of the 24 communities in

and around the National Park.

Each community undertook a

Community Futures Process and

established its own Community

Development Company (CDC) - a

company limited by guarantee with

charitable status. Membership is open

to residents and/or local organisations

and is run by a Board of Directors.

Inchcailloch

Under an agreement with Scottish Natural Heritage

(SNH), the Park manages recreation on Inchcailloch.

The island closest to Balmaha forms part of the

Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve (NNR).

Many events take place on the island including

guided walks with a natural and cultural

history theme (the island has a historyof settlement including a church and

a graveyard), early morning bird

watching and wildlife crime awareness.

Rangers also host groups from schools,

youth groups, outdoor education,

universit ies and overseas. A wide range

of conservation work is carried out on the

island including wildlife surveys and

removal of alien plant species. Visitors

can make the most out of the island

by staying overnight using the

informal campsite, managed

by the Park.


5/13

Volunteering

The National Park continues to develop its

volunteer service with 353 active volunteers. Key

areas of work carried out by our dedicated team of

volunteers include engagement with Park visitors,

practical conservation tasks working closely with the

four area Ranger Teams, biological surveys and helping to

organise and deliver events.

Developing the volunteer service includes

increasing numbers, broadening the range

of opportunities, developing an induction

and training programme including a

Volunteering Handbook, support and

recognition, improving the social aspects

of volunteering, and providing appropriate

tools and equipment.

The recently-introduced role of Volunteer

Ranger has proved particularly successful,

with a team of 36 now working closely withtheir full time colleagues, focussing mainly

on visitor welcoming and information

provision.

West Loch Lomond Cycle Path

In 2006, work was completed on this 17 mile

cycleway and footpath which takes you from

Balloch, at the southern tip of Loch Lomond,

to Tarbet. The path is trac-free for most

of the way, with only two short stretches on

minor roads.

Its suitable for cyclists, walkers, wheelchair

users and horse riders. The path begins

and ends near railway stations, so you can

travel the whole route and return by train

or travel just part of the route and return

the way you came.


6/13

Loch Lomond Byelaws

The Loch Lomond Byelaws were introduced

in 1996 by the Loch Lomond Regional Park

Authority. Since July 2002, Loch Lomond

and The Trossachs National Park Authority

has been responsible for the byelaws and

submitted proposals for revisions in 2006,

following extensive consultation.

These proposals were approved by Scottish

Ministers in March 2007 and 2012 sees a

review of these with views of all loch users

again being sought.

Natural Heritage Grant Scheme

The National Park Natural Heritage

Grant Scheme has funded over 635k to

landowners, estates, conservation groups

and farmers to help with access, landscape

and conservation projects.

This funding has made a real dierence todiverse projects including protecting bat

roosts, red squirrel monitoring, deer

fencing provision to aid black grouse

survival, invasive plant species control,

new path creation, bridge provision,

directional signage installation and

scrub clearance to open up views

to passengers travelling on the

West Highland Line.


7/13

The Carrick

The National Park Authority received one of the UKs

highest planning awards by the Royal Town Planning

Institute for its work on ensuring the sustainability of

the new Carrick Golf Resort being built on the shores

of Loch Lomond.

The Park Authority was presented with the award

for Rural Areas and the Natural Environment. TheRTPI judges commended the Park planners for their

attention to detail and eorts to ensure that the

new complex integrated into its surrundings.

Respect the Park

Operation Ironworks is a Park-wide policing

operation which launched in 2007. It is led by

Central Scotland Police and runs in conjunction

with rangers from the National Park Authority

and Forestry Commission Scotland along with

Strathclyde and Tayside Police forces. Together

these organisations provide high prole patrolsacross the Park, predominantly tackling antisocial

behaviour and crime within visitor hotspots.

As part of the Respect the Park campaign a

number of other innovative initiatives have been

implemented:

nA dedicated National Park Police

Ocer now co-ordinates all policing

within the Park boundary

a rst for UK National Parks;

n Increased visibility of National Park

Rangers at key locations;

nA focus on key hotspots by Rangers

and Police, including joint patrols;

nA stronger Police presence on

holiday weekends;

n Several National Park sta have now

trained as Special Constables and

are part of the acclaimed Employer

Supported Policing Scheme another rst for UK National Parks.


8/13

Biodiversity Action Plan

Our Biodiversity Action Plan pools the actions of

a wide range of people and organisations to help

protect some of Scotlands most iconic species and

habitats. The three-year plan sets out a series of

actions for the Parks diverse range of habitats and

species, including black grouse, otters, red squirrels

and water voles. The Plan also details programmesfor dealing with invasive species.

Bringing together partner agencies including RSPB,

Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural

Heritage, landowners and community groups,

the plan assists in coordinating work

to conserve and enhance the

habitats and species that

contribute to the Parks

special qualities.

Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme

Callander

The Callander Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme

(CARS) aims to maintain and restore the historic character

of Callanders conservation area, attracting more visitors

to the area and boosting the economy. Funding of 500,000

has been secured from Historic Scotland and Loch Lomond

& The Trossachs National Park Authority until 2014.The conservation area covers the older parts of Callander

around Leny Road, Leny Feus, Main Street, Bridgend and

Bracklinn Road.

Killin

To date the scheme has delivered projects with a

total value of 227,980.55. The contribution from

the Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme is

80,107.26. The remainder has come from private

owners, Stirling Council, the National Trust for

Scotland and the British Geological Survey.

Some of the projects that have beneted from thescheme are:

n Breadalbane Folklore Centre

n Docarth Rd

n 10 Dreadnought Place

n St Fillians Church


9/13

Three Villages Hall

The Three Villages Community Hall in Arrochar was ocially opened in

February 2010 and was the result of dedicated eort and cooperation

from the communities of Arrochar, Tarbet and Succoth. The development

of the project was the vision of Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development

Trust who campaigned for over 10 years to put the heart back into the local

community after various facilities were closed down in the area.

The hall now provides a central facility for three villages which

maximises resources and encourages cooperation.

Constructed using sustainable natural materials sympathetic

to the stunning scenery that surrounds the shores of Loch Long,

the buildings energy-ecient features include ground source

heating and movement sensitive lighting. Produced in close

cooperation with the National Park, the Big Lottery,

LEADER and Argyll & Bute Council, the hall oers a

range of facilities and spaces including recreational

activities and learning opportunities.

ScottsLand

ScottsLand marked the 200th anniversary

of the publication of Sir Walter Scotts poem

Lady of the Lake, which transformed popular

perspectives on landscape and generated

the rst surge of tourists to the Trossachs

and Scotland.

During the summer

of 2010 ScottsLand,

a diverse programme

of cultural and literary

events, took place

throughout the

Trossachs to celebrate

the poem, our heritage and our landscapes. The

events and activities explored the natural and

cultural heritage of the area and included

a new art and literary trail around Loch

Katrine, The Chase, a running and

cycling event in the Trossachs, the

Trossachs Film Festival, a literaryconference featuring Scott and The

Trossachs and a range of exhibitions,

guided walks and cruises.


10/13

Bracklinn Bridge

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park worked closely

with Callander Community Development Trust to nd a replacement

after the original bridge was washed away by oods. The rural location

of the site made it impossible to use traditional installation methods

including crane and helicopter options.

Contractors had to hand winch the bridge into place. The new structure

weighs 20 tonnes and took over 3,000 man hours to install. With adistinct copper roof, the bridge was designed using locally sourced

Larch and four Douglas Fir tree trunks, each measuring 12 metres long.

The bridge was highly commended at the International Bridge Awards

held in Poland in 2011.

Waterbus

Following a successful pilot, Loch Lomond and

The Trossachs National Park supported the

introduction of daily scheduled services that take

in 12 destinations covering south, east, west and

north of Loch Lomond.

Only 45 minutes from Glasgow, people can

now leave their car at home and take ScotRailtrain services to Balloch or Tarbet stations to

catch a boat to places rich in history and culture,

romantic restaurants with views, picnic sites and

breathtaking walks.


11/13

Tyndrum Goldmine

In October 2011, a planning application to operate

a gold mine at Cononish, near Tyndrum in Loch

Lomond & The Trossachs National Park was given

the go ahead.

The mine is projected to generate between 20,000

to 30,000 ounces of gold per year and will provide

jobs for around 50 people in the area. The mine isexpected to be in operation for 10 years, with

the impacts to the landscape being rectied

both during and after this period.

East Loch Lomond Byelaws

The East Loch Lomond Camping Byelaws were

approved by Scottish Ministers on 10 March 2011.

The byelaws have been introduced to help improve the

visitor experience in East Loch Lomond and reduce

the impacts of years of visitor pressure and anti-social

behaviour.

The National Park is very close to a large number ofurban areas and can receive high levels of visitor

pressure, which often includes informal camping

activity around loch shores. As one of the

busiest rural areas in Scotland this specic area

needs active management to deal with the

visitor pressure.

A number of other measures are also

being implemented as part of the

East Loch Lomond Management

Plan, including car park upgrades,

provision of camping facilities

and toilets and a programme ofsignage improvements.


12/13

Visitor Experience

n Around 7 million visitor days are spent within the

Park each year

- 60% of visitors come for the day, the main

activities are walking, shing or simply sightseeing,

the 40% of staying visitors account for over 2

million bed nights spent in the hotels, hostels,

pubs, chalets, campsites, B&Bs and other

accommodation in the Park

n We can boast one of the largest ranger services in

the UK with 38 full time rangers and 28 seasonals

n We have a dedicated water based ranger team on

Loch Lomond with 3 patrol boats

n The National Park has 2 public slipways at Balloch

and Milarrochy Bay

n There are 2 forest parks within the National Park:

Queen Elizabeth and Argyll

n The West Highland Way, Scotlands premier long

distance route, is 96 miles long in total and much

of it runs through the National Park, following the

shores of Loch Lomond

n Over 80,000 people walk some or all of the West

Highland Way every year

n The Park has an army of 353 active volunteers

Rural development

n We are the Planning Authority

for the National Park area

n The planning department

has processed nearly 4,000

planning applications

including 677 housing

applications, 475 individual

residential units, 60 hotel

applications, 332 additional

hotel rooms approved, 173

holiday accommodation

applications including lodges

and chalets

n Scotlands rst gold mine is

located in Tyndrum in the

National Park

n Around 16,000 people live

in Loch Lomond and The

Trossachs National Park

n The National Park received

one of the UKs highest

planning awards by the Royal

Town Planning Institute for

its work on the Carrick Golf

Resort on the shores on Loch

Lomond

Conservation

n 38 Sites of Special Scientic Interest (SSSI)

n 2 Special Protected Areas (SPA)

n 8 Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

n The National Park Natural Heritage Grant Scheme

has funded over 635K to landowners, estates,

conservation groups and farmers to help with

access, landscape and conservation projects

n The Parks land management team secured funding

of 720K from the Scottish Rural Development

Priorities (SRDP) for the Callander Black grouse

project. The project is for 5 years and covers 8000

hectares between Callander and Lochearnhead

n Loch Lomond contains more species of sh than

any other in Scotland including trout, salmon, sea-

trout, pike and powan

n Ospreys frequently nest on the islands on Loch

Lomond

n Species including otters, red squirrels, black grouse

and water voles are all indicated as priority species

in the National Park Biodiversity Action Plan

n The National Park has healthy red squirrel

populations in Argyll, Callander, Lochearnhead,

Aberfoyle and throughout the Queen Elizabeth and

Argyll Forest Parks

n The National Park hosts a dedicated grey squirrel

control ocer to help red populations thrive

Discovering

a decade of

detail


13/13

The National Park

n Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

became fully operational on 19 July 2002 and was

ocially opened by Princess Anne on 24 July 2002

n The National Park covers 720sq miles

n The Park contains 22 lochs and 50 rivers or large

burns

n Loch Lomond is the largest area of freshwater in

Britain at 24 miles long

n At its deepest, Loch Lomond measures 623 feet,

the equivalent of 45 double decker busesn There are 21 Munros (mountains above 3,000ft)

and 19 Corbetts (mountains between 2,500ft and

3,000ft) in the Park

n The Park is home to 22 separate communities

n 50% of Scotlands populations live within an hours

drive of the National Park

n The work of the National Park is split into 3

main areas of business: Visitor Experience,

Conservation, Rural Development

n There are 39 miles of coastline around the Parks 3

sea lochs, Loch Long, Loch Goil and the Holy Loch

n Standing at 3,194ft, Ben Lomond is Scotlands

most southerly Munro

n The National Park Authority is

made up of 17 Board Members

- ve locally elected members,

six elected Councillors and vemembers appointed by Scottish

Government Ministers

n The Park boundary reaches into

four local authority areas: Argyll

& Bute, Stirling, Perth & Kinross

and West Dunbartonshire

n The Park is home to Scotlands

only lake - The Lake of Menteith

n After Sir Walter Scotts Lady of

the Lake was published in 1810,

tourism in the Trossachs where

Scott got his inspiration from,

rose by 500%n Balquhidder was the home to

Rob Roy MacGregor and his

grave can be found in the local

church

n There are approximately 28

named islands on Loch Lomond

n Loch Lomond is crossed by theHighland Boundary Fault

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority,Carrochan, Carrochan Road, Balloch G83 8EG

tel: 01389 722600 email: [email protected]

web: www.lochlomond-trossachs.org

delivering for a decade

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