Isle of Harris votes to become National Park

Harris looking forwards to change of fortune

February 2009. The John Muir Trust welcomed the decision by the people of Harris to pursue National Park status. The Trust will be strongly supporting efforts by the residents of Harris to get national recognition for the island's spectacular natural beauty.

"This has been a remarkable grass roots initiative and marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of National Parks in Scotland," commented Mick Blunt, Area Manager for the Western Isles. "For the first time a community has taken the initiative rather than the Government deciding which area deserves greater protection."

Opportunity for the island
Residents voted overwhelmingly in favour of a proposal to seek National Park designation from the Scottish Government after an exhaustive year long study into the benefits and drawbacks that this might bring. The conclusion of the steering group, endorsed by over 70% of voters, was that a National Park could bring major employment and economic benefits to the island. Harris has suffered from years of depopulation, falling school rolls and limited job opportunities.

"The careful, impartial and balanced way the whole process has been handled by the people of Harris - including the North Harris Trust -- has been an object lesson in how community consultation should be done. Government agencies, local authorities and organisations working is the Highlands and Islands could learn much about working with communities by studying the approach taken in Harris."