Conservatives call for more national parks in Scotland

Scotland currently has two national parks, in the Cairngorms at at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

More national parks should be created in Scotland in a bid to boost tourism, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

Scotland currently has two national parks, in the Cairngorms and at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.

The Conservatives said the estimated £7m cost of setting up a new national park would be outweighed by the potential economic benefits.

The party is to include a pledge to create more national parks in its 2016 election manifesto.

Campaigners including the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland have called for an expansion of the national parks programme, saying they provide better protection for heritage and the environment.

Parks can be created either inland or in a marine setting, and the Conservatives said there could be "extensive consultation" with local communities before any formal moves were made.

'Great wilderness'

Tourism spokesman Murdo Fraser said the "great success" of the two existing national parks should see more created.

He said: "All over the world national parks have a huge significance for tourism and the environment, and considering Scotland's reputation as an outdoors destination, it would be foolish not to capitalise on that.

"It would provide great economic benefits for the areas involved, and help protect some of Europe's great wilderness areas.

"Designating certain areas as national parks would not only allow local people to become more involved with the landscape on their doorstep, but it would help conserve it for future generations too."

However, there has been some criticism of how the existing national parks are managed, with claims of "failures of governance" at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs over new rules cracking down on camping in some popular areas.

There was also a row over plans to establish a gold mine at Cononish, within the boundaries of the park.