A national park for Galloway could be like no other in Scotland if it goes ahead, the Scottish Government has indicated.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said the proposal is starting as “a blank piece of paper” – and if approved would have the final boundary, powers and governance shaped by the people who live here.
And she encouraged everyone to have their say at various events in the upcoming NatureScot-led consultation, which opens in November.
Ms Gougeon gave the pledge in the Scottish Parliament in response to a call from South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth that any national park should have “made in Galloway” provenance.
He asked: “Does the cabinet secretary agree that, in many ways, we have a blank sheet of paper here and that there is no single model of a national park?
“That local people should take part in the consultation not only to give their view on whether they support it, but to shape the powers, boundary and vision of any proposed Galloway national park?
“If the Government decides to go ahead with the proposal, will she give an assurance that any national park will be made in Galloway, for the people of Galloway?”
Ms Gougeon replied: “Yes. I absolutely give that assurance and I thank Colin Smyth for raising that hugely important point.
“Our current national parks are very different from each other.
“Again, the proposal would be starting from a blank sheet of paper in relation to the overall powers that the park would have, such as those over planning.
“There are issues around what the boundary looks like that could be discussed.
“Galloway is obviously of a very different nature from our other national park areas, as agriculture is so vital to the area as a whole. It is vital that all that is recognised.”
Ms Gougeon added: “I absolutely encourage everyone who lives in the proposed area in Galloway to have their say through the events that I mentioned.
“All that information will be published and circulated to them.”
Speaking after the question session, Mr Smyth said: “It is absolutely vital that we now have a consultation which is thorough and detailed, with a particular emphasis on NatureScot meeting and listening to people who may work or live in, or near any possible, Galloway National Park.
“What any proposal looks like has to be a key part of the consultation and I’d encourage everyone to get involved in that process.”