More than 100 jobs have been created at popular beauty spots around the north and north-east.
The Scottish Government has awarded nearly £1.5milion funding to support better visitor management and safeguard the environment – meaning up 94 new ranger posts are being created.
A further 15 visitor operations staff posts will also be available.
The funding from NatureScot Better Places Green Recovery will go directly to 48 countryside, coast and island projects across Scotland.
The extra “boots on the ground” will promote the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) and help manage visitor pressure especially in the north and west Highlands, the NC500, Cairngorms National Park, and a variety of other locations such as the Aberdeenshire and Moray beaches.
‘Hot spot areas’
Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “The Scottish Government is in constant dialogue with relevant parties about the challenges caused by large numbers of campervans and wild campers in key hot spot areas and it’s clear that the countryside rangers are having a significant positive impact in educating and encouraging visitors on how they can enjoy the countryside responsibly.
“This not only preserves our scenery and landscape, it also takes the pressure off our local communities and provides an informative welcome to incoming visitors.”
Bridget Jones, NatureScot’s paths and projects manager, said: “Scotland’s landscapes and wildlife are one of our biggest visitor attractions and with this investment we can connect people with nature and help everyone responsibly enjoy some of the country’s most spectacular locations, while ensuring that we protect and respect the places we visit.”
A similar scheme funded 127 seasonal staff last year, and made a significant difference to addressing irresponsible parking, camping, fires, toileting and litter issues in many rural and coastal areas popular with tourists.
What projects are being funded?
Projects receiving Better Places Green Recovery Funding in 2022 include:
Highland Council access rangers: To employ an additional seven seasonal access rangers and four visitor site wardens to provide a comprehensive visitor management service within Highlands, working in cooperation with other organisations, landowners and communities.
Nevis Landscape Partnership: To employ four full-time seasonal rangers to enhance visitor experience through visitor engagement and managing visitor pressures in the Nevis areas. Employ a full-time seasonal events liaison officer to pilot a new approach for managing charity events on Ben Nevis, in collaboration with landowners and in co-operation with Highland Council.
Islay Development Initiative: 12 key sites are serviced by the seasonal rangers, who will have conversations and build relationships with campers and where waste disposal/recycling services can be offered. They will carry out litter picking and provide information on local facilities.
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