Opposition to Galloway National Park Designation

A campaign has been launched by opponents of the proposed Galloway National Park in Scotland, which has been selected by the Scottish government as the preferred site for the country's third national park. This designation would mark the first new national park in the UK in approximately 15 years, joining the ranks of the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. The government has emphasized that the initiative is community-driven and aims to address pressing environmental issues, including the nature and climate crisis. However, dissenting voices were heard at a public meeting in Gatehouse of Fleet, located within the proposed park boundaries. Activists, led by local resident Ms. Brownlee, argue that establishing a national park would be detrimental to the area's character. She has created a Facebook group that has attracted nearly 1,000 members, all sharing concerns about the potential negative impacts of increased tourism and visitor traffic. Ms. Brownlee highlighted the "unbelievable" damage caused by visitors in existing national parks, claiming that such designations strip areas of their rural charm and ruggedness, ultimately undermining what makes them special. The campaign against the national park designation reflects a growing apprehension among locals about the implications of increased regulation and tourism. The next step in the process involves a report from NatureScot, which is set to be reviewed by the Scottish Parliament in April next year, as the debate over Galloway's future continues to unfold.