Press Release 20 March 2015 For immediate release
Party leaders challenged on mountain and wild land protection
As General Election approaches, public need to be able to decide which party deserves their vote
As the General Election draws closer, party leaders at Westminster and Holyrood have been challenged to say where they stand on the protection of Scotland’s mountains and wild land.
Thousands of people have already signed a petition calling for protection for these nationally important assets to be strengthened. Now the Mountaineering Council of Scotland is asking party leaders to state their position and help people to decide which way to vote.
A month ago the MCofS, which represents mountaineers, climbers and hill walkers, published and sent to MPs for Scottish seats and MSPs its vision for the future of mountains and wild land, ‘Respecting Scotland’s Mountains’.
The organisation also launched a petition to the Scottish Government urging it:
- To ensure that Scotland’s precious remaining areas of wild land, as identified by Scottish Natural Heritage’s wild land map, are fully protected from large scale development.
- To change current Scottish planning policy to clarify that planning applications for industrial developments in mapped areas of wild land will be unacceptable.
4,000 people have signed the petition – at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/wild-land – and numbers are still rising.
David Gibson, MCofS Chief Officer, said: “‘Respecting Scotland’s Mountains’ emphasises the importance of stronger protection for our mountains and wild land in environmental and economic terms, and for the benefit of public health.
“There is a real need for people to know how the parties view the protection of these rapidly diminishing, nationally important assets and how they propose to provide stronger future protection. We are asking for a statement of intent – one which we can share with our members and the public prior to the general election, so that they can make an informed decision when they vote.”
Ends
Notes for editors
The MCofS letter to party leaders can be viewed here:
http://www.mcofs.org.uk/assets/media/rsm_letter_example.pdf
The MCofS document Respecting Scotland’s Mountains is downloadable here:
http://www.mcofs.org.uk/assets/media/respecting_scotlands_mountains_booklet.pdf
The MCofS petition urging better protection for mountains and wild land can be viewed here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/wild-land
Images for this press release are downloadable here:
David Gibson, Chief Officer of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland
www.mcofs.org.uk/assets/david gibson. mcofs chief officer.jpg
The cover of Respecting Scotland’s Mountains can be downloaded here:
http://www.mcofs.org.uk/assets/media/Respecting_Scotland’s_Mountains_-_cover_image.jpg
Further information
Contact Neil Reid, Communications Officer, on 01738 493941 or 07788871803 or neil@mcofs.org.uk
About the MCofS
- The MCofS acts to represent, support and promote Scottish mountaineering.
- The MCofS is the only recognised representative organisation for hill walkers, climbers and ski-tourers who live in Scotland or who enjoy Scotland’s mountains.
- The MCofS is a membership organisation with over 12,000 members representing hill walkers, climbers and mountaineers.
- The MCofS also acts for 75,000 members of the BMC or British Mountaineering Council on matters related to Landscape and Access in Scotland.
- MCofS landscape and access work is supported financially by the Scottish Mountaineering Trust and the BMC
- The MCofS is a not for profit company limited by guarantee and incorporated in Scotland. Company number SC322717.
- The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, The Old Granary, West Mill Street, Perth PH1 5QP