Plans for any new National Parks must ensure they balance the environmental, social and economic goals within national parks – and listen to the view of local people when doing so.

Responding to the NatureScot consultation on the future of National Parks in Scotland, lobby group Scottish Land and Estates called on the Scottish Government to follow a ‘bottom up’ approach where those who live and work in the park were able to identify priorities and have a say on future plans.

It also wanted to ensure such parks were recognised as 'living, working landscapes' and sought greater recognition that land managers in many instances were already delivering for nature and climate, both within and outwith national parks.

Karen Ramoo, policy adviser on forestry, conservation and wildlife management for SLaE, said: “We recognise how important it is for National Parks to play an active role in nature recovery and the pursuit of net zero. However, it is imperative that they strike a balance between objectives for the climate and biodiversity crises while giving due consideration to social and economic objectives, ensuring that these living and working environments continue to support the fragile rural communities within them.

“Scotland’s two existing National Parks serve as models of sustainable development and are central to rural economic development and recreation, sustainability and conservation efforts. They provide an integrated approach to management and sustainable development, ensuring that the special qualities of these areas are safe guarded for the long term.

"We believe this commitment should be maintained and sit at the core of any new national park. Rather than reinvent the wheel, it seems sensible that the approach the two existing parks have taken is built upon.”

There are moves to create a Kingdom of Galloway national park, however local landowner, Jamie Blackett, from Arbigland Estate, said there were better ways to achieve similar outcomes. He told The SF: “When it was first mooted there could be a National Park here, I asked around the impact they had in the Trossachs, Cairngorms, Dales and the Lake district and found those who manage the land tend to find them overly restrictive.

"They have been misused for political purposes. For instance, the Lake District National Park banned hunting without reference to anybody. The boards of these parks tend to be dominated by retired people and incomers, people who don’t have a lasting stake in the rural economy.

"I passionately believe in nature regeneration and preserving the landscape, but I believe there is a better way. Here in Dumfries and Galloway, along the Criffel coast, we are initiating a nature park around the Nith estuary.

"This is farmer-led from the bottom up, and its all about creating opportunities for nature regeneration. It allows us to access private and public sector natural capital funding.

“We already have restrictions here as government has designated us as an official natural scenic area, which brought a taste of the restrictions but not as onerous as a National Park might. We were refused planning permission for affordable housing under the pretext we were in a natural scenic area.

Read more: Scotland will have 'at least one' new National Park by 2026

"This is at a time when there is a desperate need for more housing to keep young people in the countryside and I fear the national park would exacerbate the situation as it has done around in other parts of the country. They don’t always manage to achieve their outcomes, up in the Cairngorms, despite millions spent, I worry we are about to see a second extinction of the capercaillie.

"I think we should continue with our current plans down here on the Solway, where we have an organisation led by farmers with greater experience of managing the land. This way we are more likely to achieve the objectives of enhancing the landscape and regenerating the ecosystem,” he said.