Scotland’s National Parks (Amendment 1)
There are four questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that amendment S6M-04799.1, in the name of Brian Whittle, which seeks to amend motion S6M-04799, in the name of Lorna Slater, on Scotland’s national parks, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
S6M-04799.1: As an amendment to motion S6M-04799 in the name of Lorna Slater (Scotland’s National Parks), insert at end “; notes the significant local support from communities involved in national park campaigns across Scotland, such as the Galloway National Park Association; acknowledges the concern expressed by many of these communities for what they feel is the unacceptably slow pace of the designation process; applauds the public demand for greater formal recognition of the value of Scotland’s natural landscape and rural communities; believes that the interpretation of what constitutes a viable area for designation as a national park should be as broad as possible to ensure economic and environmental sustainability while recognising the diversity within Scotland’s natural environment, and calls on the Scottish Government to explore other avenues to formally recognise and capitalise on Scotland’s many outstanding areas of natural capital where national park status is not deemed appropriate.”

Original motion(S6M-04799):
That the Parliament recognises the key role that national parks are playing in tackling the twin biodiversity and climate crises, and the important cultural, social and economic benefits that they bring to Scotland; welcomes the announcement by the Scottish Government that at least one new national park will be designated during the current parliamentary session; understands the need for an open and transparent evaluation process to identify the areas to be progressed to national park designation, and welcomes the start of stakeholder engagement to set the criteria for identifying the areas to be designated as new national parks.

Original motion(S6M-04799):
That the Parliament recognises the key role that national parks are playing in tackling the twin biodiversity and climate crises, and the important cultural, social and economic benefits that they bring to Scotland; welcomes the announcement by the Scottish Government that at least one new national park will be designated during the current parliamentary session; understands the need for an open and transparent evaluation process to identify the areas to be progressed to national park designation, and welcomes the start of stakeholder engagement to set the criteria for identifying the areas to be designated as new national parks.