Scottish Government announces Galloway as preferred site for Scotland’s next National Park

The Scottish Government has today announced that Galloway was the preferred site for Scotland’s next National Park. The announcement was made by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon in a meeting at Shambellie House attended by the GSA Biosphere’s Director and Chair, and Chair of the Galloway National Park Association (GNPA), which has been campaigning for a National Park for Galloway since 2016.

The joint bid, submitted by the Galloway National Park Association and the GSA Biosphere, was chosen from a shortlist of five locations across the country. The Scottish Government has committed to designating at least one new National Park before the end of the current term in 2026. If successful, Galloway will become Scotland’s third National Park, joining the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond & the Trossachs.

NatureScot will now carry out a consultation across the region which will run until the end of April 2025. As Reporter, NatureScot is tasked with consulting local residents, businesses, community groups and other stakeholders on whether Galloway should become a National Park and if so, where the boundary line should be drawn. NatureScot will provide advice to Ministers who will then decide whether to proceed by issuing a Draft Designation Order for further consultation before National Park status is approved by the Scottish Parliament.

John Thomson, Acting Chair of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership, said: “For more than a decade now, the magic of this wonderfully diverse region has been recognised internationally through its designation as a UNESCO Biosphere.

“We are delighted that this global appreciation of its qualities is now being matched closer to home through Galloway’s selection as Scotland’s proposed third National Park.

“We are convinced that in combination, the two accolades can not only put the area firmly ‘on the map’ but also enable it to demonstrate even more effectively how people and nature can thrive together and model the sustainable future that must be the goal for us all.”

Rob Lucas, Chair of the Galloway National Park Association, said: “This is superb news for Galloway, its people, its environment and its economy. We have been campaigning for almost eight years for Galloway to be designated as a National Park for Scotland and this is a huge step forward.  

“Today’s announcement is the result of the strong support we have received from thousands of members of the public along with businesses and from the local councils. We very much hope to see a new Galloway National Park come into being in 2026.

“Galloway has fantastic hills, mountains, moors and coastlines. What we don’t have have is the means to make the most of these fabulous assets and to reverse our economic decline by building a sustainable future which generates jobs, tourism and business opportunities.

“A National Park would bring major investment and boost Galloway’s international profile as a wonderful place to live, work and visit.”

The proposal for a Galloway National Park has the backing of the regional enterprise agency South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), as well as all three relevant local authorities: Dumfries and Galloway Council, South Ayrshire Council, and East Ayrshire Council. The range of landscapes and habitats covered by the Galloway National Park would make it a ‘Scotland in miniature’ and build on the success of the GSA Biosphere, which has led the way in working with local communities to protect and enhance the environment and promote a sustainable economy. The combined bid stresses that Galloway would achieve the Scottish Government’s ambitions for a new National Park to:

• play an important role in nature recovery
• assist in a just transition to net zero.
• be a model for the sort of sustainable development to which the whole country aspires.

A Galloway National Park would also achieve the ambitions set out in the South of Scotland Regional Economic Strategy for the region to be “Green, Fair and Flourishing”.

Galloway has taken significant strides forward through the internationally acclaimed work of the GSA Biosphere Partnership, a registered Scottish charity which covers the 9,700km² UNESCO-designated region, working in collaborative projects in conservation, education, enterprise and climate resilience in both terrestrial and marine areas. Among the lasting and widespread benefits which the Galloway National Park proposal could bring are:

• Making the most of our fabulous countryside and coastlines
• Generating sustainable tourism
• Creating business opportunities and jobs
• Providing a marketing brand that will put us on a world stage
• Attracting millions of pounds a year in investment and income
• Making space for nature to recover and flourish as a key part of the area’s response to climate change
• Improving health and wellbeing
• Offering opportunities for leisure and outdoor activities
• Encouraging young people and families to remain or return to the region.

More information about the process of designating Scotland’s next National Park, including the local consultation process, is available at: www.gov.scot/policies/landscape-and-outdoor-access/national-parks/

Also at:

www.nature.scot/doc/new-national-park-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

NatureScot’s National Park Reporter team can be contacted via nationalparkcommission@nature.scot

For any enquiries related to the GSA Biosphere Partnership’s joint bid for a Galloway National Park (including media requests), please contact info@gsabiosphere.org.uk.