Across Lochaber many landowners are doing great work to restore natural habitats and improve biodiversity. Ecosystem restoration is the process of halting and overturning degradation, resulting in cleaner air and water, extreme weather mitigation, better human health, and recovered biodiversity.
The UN Environment Programme "Becoming #GenerationRestoration: Ecosystem Restoration for People, Nature and Climate" says countries need to deliver on their existing commitments to restore 1 billion hectares of degraded land and make similar commitments for marine and coastal areas.
Ecosystem restoration is one of the most important ways of delivering nature-based solutions for food insecurity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and biodiversity loss. It won’t be quick or easy, and it will take deep changes to everything from the way we measure economic progress to how we grow food and what we eat. But the beauty of ecosystem restoration is that it can happen at any scale – and everyone has a role to play.
There is a wealth of amazing work already in place in Lochaber and a National Park could bring this all together to coordinate effort and make the work more efficient and more effective. By coordinating our efforts, ecological restoration at a truly landscape scale could be achieved.
We have a patchwork of designations already showing the potential of Lochaber. Bringing all these together under one National Park designation with a unified plan for the whole landscape will accelerate nature restoration with benefits to all of us.
NatureScot map of designations
This is probably the most exciting benefit of national parks in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThere is no mention of the scarring or damage done on the existing landscape by heavy machinery trundling over it.
ReplyDeleteNo mention of damage to culverts or small bridges no mention of any interference to those existing and working in the land such as Crofter’s livestock or stalkers.
No mention of when the machines have finished they don’t repair any damage they have done.
No mention of the pollution of diesel the machines burn or residues of such left on the hills.
Finally there are no reports whatsoever kept during or after the peatland have been done to justify any of your nonsense here.
I have yet to find anyone who can tell me what is so inherently wrong with the biodiversity and environment of the lands North and West of Perth. What restoration needs to be done, do you believe that the Highlands &n Islands have been constantly abused by the indigenous and new settlers. Have they desecrated the countryside and seas to such an extent that the environment, plant life and wildlife has been ruined and is in a state of emergency because of their actions over centuries. A slow, caring and compassionate way of life that is in tandem with their surroundings is how highlanders have lived here for centuries. If they didn't live that way they would be gone from the many hills, glens vibrant communities many years ago. We don't need textbook ologists telling us what we are doing right or wrong. Emptying Loch Ness with a teaspoon is not going to make one bit of difference to the planet. What happens when this magical net zero is reached ( if ever) in the UK?. Will people be better off or better fed, receive improve medical care or really care... dream on
ReplyDeleteIt is well known that National parks are struggling to repair the damage to land caused by increased footfall aka tourists. Lochaber is presently well managed by landowners and there is absolutely no need to increase visitors to the area, causing damage to footpaths etc which cannot be fixed by a National Park.
ReplyDelete