Island rangers may be part of the solution to help manage an increasing number of tourists on Skye.
A plan to reinstate rangers will be discussed at a conference hosted by destination management organisation Skye Connect next month.
Rangers, who were once employed on the Isle of Skye by Highland Council, could help to manage the many hundreds of thousands of visitors who make their way to the island each year, the organisation has said.
SkyeConnect will hosting a half-day conference to discuss visitor management and the individual solutions landowners are finding to concerns such as parking, inconsiderate wild camping and littering.
A spokesman for SkyeConnect said conference attendees would hear about community concerns and discuss landowner initiatives to manage the numbers of visitors.
SkyeConnect project manager, Alistair Danter said: “Historically the Highland Council rangers provided an important resource for visitor management. With the loss of the service a number of initiatives are being developed by the voluntary and private sectors.
“Our conference will look at a range of models together with the opportunities for development of this much needed visitor management tool.
“The conference is lucky to have the support of a National Trust manager, a former Cairngorm National Park ranger and a number of local voluntary trust staff.
“We would encourage anyone with an interest to join us at the Minginish Hall on October 5 and contribute to the debate.”
