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The enabling legislation for the creation and designation
of Regional Parks is the Wildlife and Countryside (Scotland) Act
1981 and in it, Regional Parks are defined as:
large areas of countryside, parts of which are available for
informal countryside recreation.
In a policy statement on the Regional Parks of Scotland by Scottish
Natural Heritage it states that the aims of Regional Parks should:
"all refer to the wider wish to facilitate both the appropriate
understandings and enjoyment of the countryside and the integration
of this with the other uses of the area, such as farming, forestry
and other development, with the context of maintaining and enhancing
a quality natural heritage setting.
This type of approach is fully consistent with thinking about
countryside management, as it has developed over the last 20 years.
Regional Parks have indeed been to the fore in applying this more
integrated approach in Scotland."
The Pentland Hills Regional Park was designated on 22 October
1984. Following a public inquiry, this designation was confirmed
in September 1986.
Initially the Regional Park was operated by Lothian Regional Council
who prepared a subject local plan to guide its management. Following
local government re-organisation in Scotland in 1997, a partnership
between The City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council and
West Lothian Council was formed. This Joint
Committee with elected members from all three local authorities
now has an overseeing management responsibility for the Regional
Park, which is guided by a minute of agreement between the authorities.
Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Water as important park
funding partners are non-voting members of the Joint Committee.
The aims of the Regional Park have stayed true to the original
designation and are:
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To retain the
essential character of the hills as a place for the peaceful
enjoyment of the countryside
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Caring for
the hills so that the landscape and the habitat is protected
and enhanced
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Within this
caring framework to encourage responsible public enjoyment of
the hills
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Co-ordination
of these aims so that they can co-exist with farming and other
land uses within the park.
The Pentland Hills Regional Park operates a Ranger Service through
the City of Edinburgh Council who act as the managing authority
on behalf of the Joint Committee.
The Regional Park also supports the Park's Consultative Forum. This took
over the roles of the Park's Advisory Committee in November 2004. It is
the formal forum of the park, invited by the Joint Committee, to represent
a wide range of interests and which could provide technical and specialist
knowledge to support the management and development of the park. It will
formally convene in the Spring on 2005. With Loch Lomond Regional Park
being subsumed into the National Park, the Pentland Hills remains one
of Scotland's three remaining Regional Parks. Pentland Hills Regional
Park is in regular liaison with colleagues in Clyde
Muirshiel and Lomond
Hills Regional Parks. Check out their website, or better still make
a visit and explore some of Scotland’s best kept secrets!
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