Training

The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority is offering land managers in the National Park area a programme of free training events during 2009 to address some of the key issues and opportunities facing land managers. Being delivered by specialist consultants from SAC, the programme starts in late March.

This is a one day course looking at the some techniques for managing access on private land and support mechanisms including RDC.

Topics to be covered.

• Legal framework, including Land Reform Act - Access for all
• Policy framework, including access  & tourism strategies
• Funding framework including SRDP/NPA etc
• Sources of advice and support e.g. PA, paths for all, FCS  SNH
• Extent of recreational demand
• Liability and safety issues
• Types of access use and its provision
• Visitor management techniques/strategies

The course will provide landowners and interested parties with the necessary information to allow them to plan and manage appropriate recreation provision to their individual land holdings.

The course will introduce the legal right of reasonable access and outline the requirements of both landowners and users in relation to the law.

The importance of the National Park as a destination and the importance of recreation as part of peoples reason for visiting will be outlined. The balance of allowing responsible access whilst ensuring that land management operations proceed unhindered will be stressed and techniques discussed as how best to achieve this win-win situation.

Funding and support mechanisms will be evaluated as will the health and safety and liability aspects of access provision from the landowners perspective.

Recent training work in this topic area has involved  developing and delivering training courses for the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and the Scottish Countryside Rangers Association. These included storytelling for countryside staff, managing volunteers, evaluation and monitoring.

SAC Delivery: Mr Iain Cornforth

For further information on any of these events or to register please contact Linda Winskill on 01389 722043 or at linda.winskill@lochlomond-trossachs.org