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The Nature Schools Network is an exciting five-year project which is open to all twelve primary schools located within the National Park boundary.  Guided by teachers, the project aims to create a supportive network for schools taking part where staff and pupils will feel connected to their local nature and landscapes, but also with each other, able to share the commonalities of being a school within this protected area.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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The National Park Nature Schools Network - Here. Now. All of us.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is an iconic place with outstanding landscapes, habitats and communities. We work to ensure a sustainable future for this special place.

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Nature has a powerful effect on our wellbeing. It lifts our spirits, restores our energy, and inspires us to care. Through these self-led activities, you’ll explore not only the beauty of nature, but also why it matters.

The activity cards can be downloaded to your device for when you are out and about or you can print them out.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is an iconic place with outstanding landscapes, habitats and communities. We work to ensure a sustainable future for this special place.

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International Day of Forests 2025 – How Your Dinner Could Help Restore Temperate Rainforest

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International Day of Forests 2025 – How Your Dinner Could Help Restore Temperate Rainforest

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An article that highlighted the vital role sustainable, responsible deer management can play in restoring our temperate rainforest, as well as our health.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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International Day of Forests 2025 - How Your Dinner Could Help Restore Temperate Rainforest - Here. Now. All of us.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is an iconic place with outstanding landscapes, habitats and communities. We work to ensure a sustainable future for this special place.

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A great insight from our Peatland ACTION Officer Matt Dale on the challenges, and unique solutions our team have adopted to deliver significant peatland restoration on the remote Loch Lomond island of Inchmoan.

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Restoring the Land, Protecting the Future: 10 Years of Peatland ACTION in the National Park

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Restoring the Land, Protecting the Future: 10 Years of Peatland ACTION in the National Park

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Across Scotland, peatlands play an unsung but vital role in tackling the climate and nature crises. These ancient, waterlogged habitats act as powerful carbon stores, rich ecosystems, and are a key feature of our iconic landscape. Yet when damaged or degraded, they release carbon into the atmosphere, in fact given the current poor state of much of Scotland’s peatlands – they are Scotland’s second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions after transport

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Restoring the Land, Protecting the Future: 10 Years of Peatland ACTION in the National Park - Here. Now. All of us.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is an iconic place with outstanding landscapes, habitats and communities. We work to ensure a sustainable future for this special place.

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The National Park Partnership Plan 2024-2029

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The National Park Partnership Plan 2024-2029

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The National Park Partnership Plan 2024-2029 is different from previous Park Plans. This is because we are facing unprecedented challenges for our communities, economy, climate and nature.

This Plan sets out what these challenges are, why it’s so important to face up to them and how we will take action together over the next five years to set the National Park on course to a more positive future. National Park Plan - Here. Now. All of us. - Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park - Here. Now. All of Us.

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Upstream Battle Live Lesson - Marine Litter at Arrochar. 

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Upstream Battle Live Lesson - Marine Litter at Arrochar. 

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This Live Lesson focuses on Loch Long and the Arrochar community in Argyll and Bute. An area of just under 1,000 people with spectacular mountains and incredible beauty and wildlife, making it a very popular destination for outdoor sports and tourism. But which also sees around 62,000 items of marine litter every year. How is this possible? And what can we do to help?

With an input live from Arrochar, this online live lesson looks at the journey of litter from land to sea, how this is particularly affecting places like Arrochar, the negative effects of litter on the environment and what can we do about it. This was part of a project delivered by the GRAB Trust in partnership with KSB. Arrochar Primary school pupils participated in this Live lesson.

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Hear about the work communities, partners and landowners are undertaking to contribute to a resilient, nature-rich National Park.

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Hear about the work communities, partners and landowners are undertaking to contribute to a resilient, nature-rich National Park.

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There’s already been lots of amazing work taking place in the National Park to protect nature. From small changes by individuals that collectively make a significant impact, to larger community and landscape scale projects. However, we know that if we are to not only protect but restore nature, we need to work on a much larger scale.

And while taking on the challenge to reverse nature’s decline in a landscape of over 720sq miles may be daunting for some, we know that if we all work together, we can protect this special landscape for generations to come.

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The Route Map is the first step in a long-term strategy and commitment to restore Nature in the National Park.
It aims to:
- Define the problem and where we are now
- Define where we want to get to
- Map out a clear structure and initial actions by which we will get there

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Nature Based solutions to the Climate Emergency

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Nature Based solutions to the Climate Emergency

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As a place, the National Park is ideally suited to tackle the climate emergency at landscape scale.  With partners, we have delivered actions for a number of years which place nature-based solutions at the core of tackling climate emergency, such as peatland restoration works to sink carbon or supporting riparian habitat restoration to improve resilience to flooding.  Not only does this ‘net zero with nature’ approach strengthen the National Park’s resilience to climate change, it also delivers tangible benefits to nature and helps to divert the other ecological emergency we are facing: the nature crisis.

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Nature-based solutions for the Climate Emergency

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Our Future Nature programme aims to deliver a positive, exciting vision of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park as an exemplar where people can understand, experience and contribute towards a shared vision for restoring nature.

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What is the future for nature in our National Park? Despite its inspiring landscapes, historic places and protected status, the National Park is not immune to the global biodiversity crisis and nature is still in trouble here.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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What is the future for nature in our National Park? Despite its inspiring landscapes, historic places and protected status, the National Park is not immune to the global biodiversity crisis and nature is still in trouble here.

Our Future Nature programme aims to deliver a positive, exciting vision of this National Park as an exemplar where people can understand, experience and contribute towards a shared vision for restoring nature:

"A resilient nature-rich National Park, where abundant wildlife and a healthy natural environment provide a wealth of benefits through an extensive, well-connected living network."

The state of Nature in the Park

Pressures from over-grazing, pollution, invasive non-native species and a rapidly changing climate mean that many of our iconic habitats and species are in decline, and are in danger of becoming increasingly rare and therefore vulnerable.

Despite our collective best efforts to date:

We need to expand and regenerate our native woodlands

Up to 56,600 hectares of peatlands may currently be degraded and contributing towards climate warming

Invasive non-native species remain widespread

Approximately 20% of Designated Sites are in an unfavourable condition

Approximately 50% of water bodies may not be in good ecological condition

Efforts so far have been best intentioned and have created good examples, but their effectiveness has been limited due to insufficient resources and considerable challenges. We are failing to achieve the necessary impact in nature restoration that we need.

If we are to demonstrate real progress in reversing the decline in biodiversity in this National Park a systemic step change in action is required.

Our Commitment - Future Nature

School pupils plant trees for our Roots for the Future scheme

It is no longer sufficient to just work to protect what is here now, we must proactively and vigorously rebuild and restore a richer nature that will continue to yield us and our world benefits for long into the future. It is time to pay nature back. This needs to be our legacy.
We firmly believe the demonstration of an exciting, inspiring vision for nature is a crucial part of our mission. Our society, its wealth and its heritage is built largely upon the resources that our natural environment has provided us freely for hundreds of thousands of years.

We now know that the over-exploitation of these resources by humanity has devastated biodiversity at a global scale and fundamentally shifted the planetary life-support systems that have allowed us to move from the stone-age to a technologically advanced civilisation.

Our duty as stewards of this special place has therefore changed in the face of this crisis. Through nature-based solutions, we can achieve positive outcomes for both climate and biodiversity, such as restoring damaged peatlands that help capture carbon and other greenhouses gases, creating new woodlands and forests, and restoring rivers to allow natural flood management.

Future Nature is our commitment and call to action to work with partners to achieve an inspiring vision:

"A resilient nature-rich National Park, where abundant wildlife and a healthy natural environment provide a wealth of benefits through an extensive, well-connected living network."

How will we deliver this commitment?

Bluebells on Inchcailloch

We are committing to our long-term Future Nature vision. We will begin work now to build on the success of existing projects such as The Great Trossachs Forest and develop new programmes, with an emphasis on upscaling efforts for nature which means working at a landscape-scale, mainstreaming nature into decision making and providing clear calls to action.

We will collaborate with partners and stakeholders to publish a full Route Map which will describe in detail how the National Park Authority will work in partnership with others to deliver our Future Nature vision.

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What is the future for nature in our National Park? Despite its inspiring landscapes, historic places and protected status, the National Park is not immune to the global biodiversity crisis and nature is still in trouble here.

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We are facing a global biodiversity crisis and even in our most special landscapes, nature as a whole is still in real trouble. If we do not halt and reverse this decline, then our world and all of us will have a poorer and more uncertain future.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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We are facing a global biodiversity crisis and even in our most special landscapes, nature as a whole is still in real trouble. If we do not halt and reverse this decline, then our world and all of us will have a poorer and more uncertain future.

We face a Nature Crisis - as well as a Climate Emergency

There is growing awareness, understanding and recognition that we face twin global crisis - we face a Nature Crisis as well as a Climate Emergency

The nature crisis is as crucial as the climate emergency. The two are closely interlinked but the nature crisis is a distinct and crucial challenge in its own right which requires a specific and targeted response

The causes of the global nature crisis are complex - they include issues ranging from an increasing loss of natural habitats due to agriculture and development, to over-exploitation of species, and multiple pressures from climate change, invasive non-native species and pollution

The detail of these pressures vary from species to species and from country to country but the difficult truth we have to face is that nationally and internationally our collective efforts to protect nature are not enough and the scientific evidence shows us that the decline continues. In reality, we have struggled to protect the habitats and species we have left, let alone achieve the large-scale restoration of nature to which we aspire - and which we need

Why Nature is so important to us all

Looking north up Loch Lomond

Nature is too often forgotten and undervalued - but it is absolutely critical to all human development, from health and wellbeing, to our economy and our climate. There are four key reasons why we must address the nature crisis.

For its intrinsic value - We believe that the world is a richer, more inspiring, better place if it is rich in nature

Natural capital - Nature is the bedrock of our economy and provides the critical resources on which our agriculture, forestry and many other industries rely. It is crucial to the fundamental services we need for clean air and water

Tourism, leisure, health and wellbeing - There is compelling evidence of the benefits of connection to nature, as well as those of being outdoors and active. Wildlife and nature tourism is a crucial component of people's leisure time so it is at the heart of many tourism and leisure industries

Net Zero - Both in terms of helping us to mitigate against the effects of climate change and adapting to it, nature-based solutions can help us capture carbon and mitigate flood risk

Nature in the National Park

National Parks are built upon the foundations of their nature and people. They play a crucial role in protecting these natural assets and supporting local communities whilst engaging and educating people in their dramatic landscapes and the wildlife that live there.

In Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park we are lucky to have a rich legacy of natural and cultural heritage left to us by environmental processes combined with the labour of previous generations.

The National Park encompasses around 720 sq miles (1,865 sq km) of some of the finest scenery in Scotland. There are 21 Munros in the Park, 22 large lochs and about 50 rivers. We have two Forest Parks and one of the UK's largest National Nature Reserves - The Great Trossachs Forest. Our National Park is home to over 30 National Priority habitats, over 300 National Priority Species and over 60 Sites Designated for their special habitats and species.

Perhaps most importantly and uniquely, 50% of Scotland's population lives within an hour's drive of the National Park. The National Park is on the doorstep for much of the Scottish population and is easily accessible for visitors from further afield. We therefore have a unique and vital opportunity to be an exemplar of what a nature-rich environment can be, looks like and the benefits it can deliver.

Future Nature is our ambitious and exciting vision for restoring nature in the National Park.

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We are facing a global biodiversity crisis and even in our most special landscapes, nature as a whole is still in real trouble. If we do not halt and reverse this decline, then our world and all of us will have a poorer and more uncertain future.

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Handy guide that links to all the National Park activity achieved during COP26

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Nature Based solutions for the Climate Emergency in the National Park 

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Nature Based solutions for the Climate Emergency in the National Park 

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Nature-based solutions for the Climate Emergency

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Case study about the waterbodies in the National Park

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Improving and restoring natural habitats in the National Park 

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Improving and restoring natural habitats in the National Park 

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Climate Change Priorities in the National Park 

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Climate Change Priorities in the National Park 

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A fun filled activity booklet to inspire the whole family to get on your wellies and explore the beasties & bugs of our wonderfully wild ponds & rivers produced by the Forth Fisheries Trust

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We know how crucial land management activities are to the delivery of National Park aims and the impact land management has on biodiversity, landscapes and water. We aim to establish and maintain positive and productive relationships with land managers in the National Park, helping them to deliver optimum public benefits from their use of land whilst achieving a viable economic return.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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We know how crucial land management activities are to the delivery of National Park aims and the impact land management has on biodiversity, landscapes and water. We aim to establish and maintain positive and productive relationships with land managers in the National Park, helping them to deliver optimum public benefits from their use of land whilst achieving a viable economic return.

We deliver a support service to land managers in accordance with state aid regulations (Articles 21, 22, 38 and 39 of European Commission Regulation 702/2014) as outlined in this Support Service to Land Managers guidance.

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We know how crucial land management activities are to the delivery of National Park aims and the impact land management has on biodiversity, landscapes and water. We aim to establish and maintain positive and productive relationships with land managers in the National Park, helping them to deliver optimum public benefits from their use of land whilst achieving a viable economic return.

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Scotland’s Outdoor Learning Directory aims to provide a portal to services supporting outdoor learning which are provided by Scottish Government funded Environmental Bodies.

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Scotland's Outdoor Learning Directory aims to provide a portal to services supporting outdoor learning which are provided by these Scottish organisations.

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Great resources available from Outdoor and Woodland (OWL) Scotland -

Developing and disseminating resources for outdoor and woodland learning

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National Park Scotland Act sets out the aims for both of Scotland's National Park -

We have four aims, each one designed to safeguard a sustainable future:

Conserve and enhance – we protect and promote the natural and cultural heritage of the area

Sustainability – we promote the sustainable use of the natural resources of the area

Understanding and enjoyment – we encourage people to enjoy the special qualities of the area

Social and economic development – we promote sustainable development of the communities in the area

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One of Scotland's National Parks has 22 lochs in which to swim, sail and paddle. The other contains 55 Munros - including five of the UK's six highest peaks.

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This 3 min film clip gives you a great introduction to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Explore Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park 2014

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It is a place of contrasts, from rolling lowland landscapes in the south to high mountains in the north, and has many lochs and rivers, forests and woodlands.
It is also a living, working landscape which has been influenced by people for generations and is visited and enjoyed by many for its recreational value.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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The National Park encompasses around 720 sq miles (1,865 sq km) of some of the finest scenery in Scotland and is split into four distinct areas.

It is a place of contrasts, from rolling lowland landscapes in the south to high mountains in the north, and has many lochs and rivers, forests and woodlands. It is also a living, working landscape which has been influenced by people for generations and is visited and enjoyed by many for its recreational value.

The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park became fully operational on 19 July 2002 and was officially opened by Princess Anne on 24 July 2002.

Key facts

The Park is 1,865 sq km (720 sq miles) and has a boundary length of 350km (220miles).

50% of Scotland's population lives within an hour's drive of the National Park.

There are 21 Munros (mountains above 3,000ft) in the Park and the highest is Ben More at 1,174m.

There are 19 Corbetts (mountains between 2,500ft and 3,000ft).

There are 22 larger lochs, with numerous smaller lochs and lochans, and about 50 rivers and large burns.

15,168 people live in the National Park (2011 census).

There are two Forest Parks - Queen Elizabeth in the Trossachs and Argyll in Cowal.

The National Park contains one of the UK's largest National Nature Reserves - The Great Trossachs Forest.

Ben Lomond National Memorial Park is Scotland's national memorial to those who have died in conflict.

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The National Park encompasses around 720 sq miles (1,865 sq km) of some of the finest scenery in Scotland and is split into four distinct areas. It is a place of contrasts, from rolling lowland landscapes in the south to high mountains in the north, and has many lochs and rivers, forests and woodlands.

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Outdoor Learning and Learning for Sustainability Wakelet from Education Scotland.

This Wakelet is a collection of links to online resources to support outdoor learning and Learning for Sustainability
These links could take you to the National Improvement Hub, Glow, Websites or YouTube

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Welcome to the Outdoor Learning and Learning for Sustainability Wakelet from Education Scotland. This Wakelet is a collection of links to online resources to support outdoor learning and Learning for Sustainability These links could take you to the National Improvement Hub, Glow, Websites or YouTube.

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NatureScot have this helpful webpage that explains how the unprecedented rate of human-induced climate change threatens plants and animals unable to adapt quickly enough to its effects.

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Climate change impacts in Scotland | Scottish Natural Heritage

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Climate influences the landform processes that shape Scotland's mountains, rivers and coasts, and maintain our habitats, ecosystems and landscapes. Thus climate change will affect the dynamics of these processes, and in turn the rocks, landforms and soils upon which plants, animals and humans live.

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Tips for reducing your waste when visiting the National Park

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Tips for reducing your waste when visiting the National Park

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If you’re planning a trip to the National Park, it’s important to consider the impact your visit could have on the landscape and wildlife in the area. Everyone has a role to play in protecting this special place, and the little things we do can make a big difference. What else do you think you could do?

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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If you're planning a trip to the National Park, it's important to consider the impact your visit could have on the landscape and wildlife in the area. Everyone has a role to play in protecting this special place, and the little things we do can make a big difference!

At Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, we support the Scottish Government's vision for a litter-free Scotland. That's why this #ScotClimateWeek, we've partnered with Zero Waste Scotland to provide you with some tips on how to reduce, reuse and recycle when visiting the National Park.

Following these simple tips will prevent unnecessary waste going to landfill and help to keep the National Park beautiful.

Ditch the disposables: If you're bringing a picnic or snacks for a day of exploring, use reusable containers and bottles so you don't need to discard of any waste when out in the wilderness.

Stand against throwaway culture: For camping trips and other outdoor pursuits, invest in tents and other gear that can be used over and over again, rather than leaving valuable materials in our natural environment. Leaving tents and other items behind is flytipping and you could be fined.

Be prepared: Before you set off on an adventure, remember to check local maps and signs to ensure you know where your nearest bins, toilets and recycling facilities are located. Our 'last chance loo stops' page offers a handy guide to public toilets in the National Park.

Bag and bin it: If you do need to get rid of items while you're out and there's no bin nearby, please keep hold of your waste. Don't leave rubbish behind, as this spoils the location for other visitors, can cause harm to wildlife and costs money to clean up.

Nik Turner, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Litter Prevention Manager, added: 'The National Park is one of Scotland's most iconic destinations and we're pleased to welcome anyone who wishes to come and explore this beautiful area. However, it is vitally important that we all play our part in ensuring that the wildlife and natural beauty of this area is protected. The key thing to remember when visiting the National Park is to leave no trace and take any waste home with you. To minimise your impact, try and bring reusable items such as water bottles, food boxes and good quality camping or hiking gear that doesn't need to be thrown away after one or two uses.'

We're committed to working with partners to reduce the amount of waste in the National Park and to encourage communities to take direct action.

Find out more about looking after the National Park.
This blog post was written in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, a not-for-profit environmental organisation that focuses on leading Scotland to use products and resources responsibly, in order to have the greatest impact on climate change. You can follow our activities for #ScotClimateWeek on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Tips for reducing your waste when visiting the National Park | News

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If you're planning a trip to the National Park, it's important to consider the impact your visit could have on the landscape and wildlife in the area. Everyone has a role to play in protecting this special place, and the little things we do can make a big difference!

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Reducing your impact on the National Park

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Reducing your impact on the National Park

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Whether you live or work in the National Park, are visiting for the day or exploring for longer, or here on a study visit, there are ways that we can all reduce our impact on the National Park and take action against the climate emergency

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Whether you live or work in the National Park, are visiting for the day or exploring for longer, or here on a study visit, there are ways that we can all reduce our impact on the National Park and take action against the climate emergency.

For visitors

Travel wisely

Reducing your impact on the National Park starts before you even arrive. By choosing public transport, such as the train or bus, you'll reduce your emissions significantly. There are two key train lines through the Park, with direct lines straight from Glasgow and a number of national coach and local bus links, which you can find more information on through our getting to the Park advice. You can even access some of our most iconic munros by public transport.

There is a growing number of electric vehicle charging points across the Park, which you can see mapped at ChargePlace Scotland so you don't have to worry if you're driving or have hired an electric car. If you have to come by car, then consider whether you can (assuming it's safe to do so in line with COVID-19 restrictions at the time) car share with a couple of friends.

Once you're here, consider the way you get around. There are a number of great walks that allow you to take in all of the scenery without your car. Or if you're feeling a bit more adventurous, bringing your bike or hiring one will allow you to travel even further round the National Park. The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Countryside Trust have mapped out a number of e-bike routes that you might like to explore on one of their e-bikes.

Ditch the disposables

Did you know that a massive four-fifths (80%) of Scotland's carbon footprint comes from all the goods, materials and services which we produce, use and often throw out after just one use?

The items that we choose to use (or reuse!) make a real difference, along with how we dispose of them. You'll already know that littering isn't acceptable in the National Park. There are a number of other ways to reduce the waste associated with your visit, from bringing and refilling a reusable water bottle to investing in a tent that will last you more than one night. Even better if it's made out of recycled single-use plastic!

Consider volunteering

If you enjoyed your visit to the National Park, why not consider volunteering with us or our partners? Our volunteers carry out a huge range of practical conservation work that directly improves the National Park's resilience to climate change. From tasks that help to mitigate climate change, such as tree planting, to actions that help the National Park's environment to adapt to changing weather, such as river conservation tasks, volunteers already have had a significant positive impact here in the Park.

For communities

Communities across the National Park are already taking action against the climate emergency, with a number recently gaining funding through the Community Climate Asset Fund to take forward food growing and waste reduction projects.

Through our grants scheme, we support a number of communities in the National Park active against the climate emergency. In 2020/21, our grants were awarded specifically to those who showed they were helping to deliver a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including an outdoor classroom, invasive species removal, path upgrades, community garden work & biomass heating system installation.

For learners

For an accessible, hands-on learning experience, check out our peatlands learning activity. With just a couple of items, you'll be able to make your own mini bog and learn about how bogs or peatlands are our friends in fighting climate change.

If you want to dive deeper, our Climate Change Education Pack has been designed to give a fuller overview of the impacts of climate change including the key environmental threats, and outlines the role of the National Park in mitigating the climate emergency. It includes case studies which can be used to aid learning, with one specifically exploring the importance of restoring peatlands, one of our most significant carbon sinks.

For anyone involved in delivering climate related education, please speak with us about how we can provide a wide range of other National Park support to you. From travel grants, to kit libraries, we can help - just get in touch.

For land managers

From advice on sustainable land management, through to grants on taking action on your land to mitigate the climate emergency, such as tree planting, our Land Management pages provides a summary of the support we provide to land managers across the National Park

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Reducing your impact on the National Park | Respect Your Park

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Whether you live or work in the National Park, are visiting for the day or exploring for longer, or here on a study visit, there are ways that we can all reduce our impact on the National Park and take action against the climate emergency.

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Learn about the importance of healthy peatlands with this simple experiment.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Learn about the importance of healthy peatlands with this simple experiment.

This education activity is a great way to learn about peatlands in the National Park and why they are so important for the climate emergency.

You'll need a few props, including:

Two 2-litre plastic bottles with the sides cut off.

A small watering can, or another plastic bottle with some holes carefully cut into the lid to let the water run out.

The bottom cut from a further two plastic bottles.

String.

Peat and sphagnum moss / grassy turf and soil.

Sphagnum moss © RJ Cooper

Our Ranger Adam demonstrates how to carry out this activity in the video below. For the full instructions and list of helpful links to further education resources, click to download the Blanket Bog in a Bottle activity sheet at the bottom of this page.

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Lochdown Learning: Peatlands | Lochdown Learning

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Learn about the importance of healthy peatlands with this simple experiment. This education activity is a great way to learn about peatlands in the National Park and why they are so important for the climate emergency. You'll need a few props, including: Two 2-litre plastic bottles with the sides cut off.

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Learning about the landscape with the help of chocolate - activity resource guide

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We take action to mitigate and adapt to the climate emergency across all of our work.  From the practical conservation work we carry out with partners, such as peatland restoration in our Wild Park biodiversity action plan and increasing tree cover by delivering our Trees and Woodlands Strategy, to the way we advise planning developments, climate and nature-based solutions are at the heart of what we do.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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We take action to mitigate and adapt to the climate emergency across all of our work. From the practical conservation work we carry out with partners, such as peatland restoration in our Wild Park biodiversity action plan and increasing tree cover by delivering our Trees and Woodlands Strategy, to the way we advise planning developments, climate and nature-based solutions are at the heart of what we do.

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Tackling the Climate Emergency | Respect Your Park

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We take action to mitigate and adapt to the climate emergency across all of our work. From the practical conservation work we carry out with partners, such as peatland restoration in our Wild Park biodiversity action plan and increasing tree cover by delivering our Trees and Woodlands Strategy, to the way we advise planning developments, climate and nature-based solutions are at the heart of what we do.

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The National Park has evolved over many thousands of years, creating a landscape that’s alive: home to wildlife, plants and people, and loved by many more. However, this precious place is at threat from one of the defining challenges of our time: the global climate emergency. The impacts of climate change are already being felt across the National Park.  Whilst we have very real challenges to overcome, tackling the climate emergency is possible.  But we all must act now.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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The National Park has evolved over many thousands of years, creating a landscape that's alive: home to wildlife, plants and people, and loved by many more. However, this precious place is at threat from one of the defining challenges of our time: the global climate emergency. The impacts of climate change are already being felt across the National Park. Whilst we have very real challenges to overcome, tackling the climate emergency is possible. But we all must act now.

The growing impacts of the climate emergency have been all too real to those living, working and visiting the National Park. There have been more frequent flooding and landslips, seriously damaging people's homes, communities and businesses. Our warmer and wetter climate also threatens nature, where ecosystems, once stable and able to support many species, are struggling to adapt to these quickly snowballing changes. It's clear that doing nothing is not an option: we must act now.

Landslide on A83 © BEAR Scotland

The Scottish Government declared a global climate emergency in 2019, and set out its ambition to become a ' Net Zero Nation' by 2045. Since then, the world has been seriously impacted by COVID-19. Whilst we are still in the midst of the pandemic, we know we must aim for a just and green recovery, which has formed a core theme in the latest Climate Change Plan update from the Scottish Government.

As a public body, we here at the National Park Authority have a moral and statutory obligation to play our part in helping Scotland achieve its ambitious plans. We believe we must lead by example in tackling the climate emergency and that's why we are weaving a net zero approach across the fabric of our entire organisation. This is our Mission Zero: our plan for transforming how our organisation operates and invests, with the ambition to be a net zero emitting organisation by 2030.

This will influence how we work as an organisation and the way that we work with our partners across the National Park.

Peatland restoration © RJ Cooper

As a place, the National Park is ideally suited to tackle the climate emergency at landscape scale. With partners, we have delivered actions for a number of years which place nature-based solutions at the core of tackling climate emergency, such as peatland restoration works to sink carbon or supporting riparian habitat restoration to improve resilience to flooding. Not only does this 'net zero with nature' approach strengthen the National Park's resilience to climate change, it also delivers tangible benefits to nature and helps to divert the other ecological emergency we are facing: the nature crisis.
You have a role to play too. Whether you're visiting the National Park for the day, or you live or work here, all of us can make choices that positively impact and protect this special place.

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The Climate Emergency | Respect Your Park

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The growing impacts of the climate emergency have been all too real to those living, working and visiting the National Park. There have been more frequent flooding and landslips, seriously damaging people's homes, communities and businesses. Our warmer and wetter climate also threatens nature, where ecosystems, once stable and able to support many species, are struggling to adapt to these quickly snowballing changes.

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Our Mission Zero Routemap is our guide along our ten year process to be a net zero emitting organisation

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We believe that as a National Park Authority we should be a leading organisation in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. By 2030, we will be a net zero emitting organisation.  This is our Mission Zero

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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We believe that as a National Park Authority, whose fundamental aim is to conserve and enhance the natural heritage of this special part of Scotland, we should be a leading organisation in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

We've made progress in the actions we've taken to date, but over the next decade we will make a real step change in how we operate - putting emissions reduction at the heart of our decision-making. With this goal in sight, we will dramatically reduce the emissions associated with the work we undertake, the services we deliver and those arising from across the land and buildings we manage.

By 2030, we will be a net zero emitting organisation. This is our Mission Zero.

Our greenhouse gas emissions reduction journey began six years and so far, we have lowered our emissions by 38% from our baseline figures in 2013/14. We have begun transitioning our fleet away from fossil fuels to electricity and use biomass instead of gas to heat our headquarters. We also have an active Climate Change Group who have championed sustainability across the organisation, leading on numerous projects that have 'greened' the way we work.

Emissions reduction journey from 2015/16 to 2018/19
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Emissions reduction journey from 2015/16 to 2018/19
Emissions (tC02e) 2015/16: Electricity 182.4, Heating 29.3, Transport 98.6. Total = 310.3.

Emissions (tC02e) 2016/17: Electricity 164.57, Heating 18.3, Transport 77.49. Total = 260.36.

Emissions (tC02e) 2017/18: Electricity 116.25, Heating 26.2, Transport 111.15. Total = 253.60.

Emissions (tC02e) 2018/19: Electricity 99.19, Heating 25.5, Transport 97.31. Total = 222.0.

But, since the Scottish Government's binding target was announced in 2019 to become a Net Zero nation by 2045, we questioned whether we could do more to stop the climate emergency. Whilst we have seen some real progress in reducing our emissions, we know that now is the time to redouble our efforts and recommit to Scotland's future. That's why we are making it part of our mission to become a net zero organisation by 2030.
To guide us along this ten year process, we have written our Mission Zero Route Map.
In the Route Map, which was approved by our Board in December 2020, we have grouped our core emissions into three themes: transport, electricity and heating, which we will continue to report upon. Taking the year 2018/19 as our Mission Zero baseline, we have 222tCO2e (tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent) to reduce to net zero. That's roughly equivalent to 42 return flights from Edinburgh to New Zealand.

Mission Zero Baseline
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Baseline emissions chart:

Electricity 99.2 tC02e

Transport 97.3 tC02e

Heating 25.5 tC02e

Total = 222.0 tC02e

The Route Map outlines how we transform the land and buildings we manage by investing in green infrastructure such as air source heat pumps to heat our visitor centre and toilets, solar panels to power our headquarters and Duncan Mills Memorial Slipway and even more efficient LED lightbulbs and sensors across all our buildings.

We will continue our shift towards an electric fleet so we can travel round the National Park as sustainably as possible, starting with our cars and vans but with longer term goals, as innovative technology emerges, to have high-power, long-range electric boats for our Ranger Service.

Just as importantly, we will continue to support everyone here at the National Park Authority, including our staff and Board, our volunteers and our Youth Committee, to champion emissions reduction in their behaviour and the actions we all take, ensuring that Mission Zero is, put simply, everyone's responsibility (and opportunity) to achieve.

Our principles

All of our Mission Zero work will be guided by a set of principles:

We will drive down our organisation's emissions as much as possible, aiming towards direct zero. We will also focus on nature-based solutions to tackling the climate emergency, investing in the National Park to deliver carbon sequestration projects which deliver multiple benefits for climate, people and nature.

We have been ambitious with our date, but through regular review and continued investment in our Mission Zero, we will seek to bring our net zero date closer than 2030 if practicable.

Protecting the environment is already at the core of what we do, but we will ensure that climate thinking and our emissions reduction work is embedded in the culture of all our teams and our Board.

Our actions are grounded in data and insights and we will continuously measure interventions to track our impact and learn from these as we seek to improve further. We will share our evidence and learning with others to drive more effective emissions reductions.

We will make changes to reduce emissions associated with all of the activities we carry out, even if these are indirect and beyond the immediate boundary of our Mission Zero.

From our own individual behaviours and organisational culture to developing partnerships, we will collectively build motivation and momentum to drive positive and coordinated climate action across the National Park.

The journey ahead is not straight forward, but we will monitor and share our progress as we go, in the hope that we can inspire everyone to start reducing their emissions and so we can all learn from each other.

Our Mission Zero starts now.

Download our Mission Zero Route Map

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We believe that as a National Park Authority, whose fundamental aim is to conserve and enhance the natural heritage of this special part of Scotland, we should be a leading organisation in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

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This education activity is a great way to learn about how the beautiful landscape of the National Park was formed over 400 million years ago… through the medium of chocolate

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Learning about the landscape with the help of chocolate!

This education activity is a great way to learn about how the beautiful landscape of the National Park was formed over 400 million years ago... through the medium of chocolate.

You'll need a few props, including:

A selection of chocolate including, if possible, Mars Bars, Lion Bars, Crunchies, Curly Wurlies (cut into small pieces and kept cold if possible) and Crème Eggs - don't eat them all at once! (Remember to make sure no one has allergies to the ingredients in the chocolate bars).

A globe- or try Google Earth as a virtual resource.

Cross section diagram of Earth.

A small zip-lock or freezer bag

Rock samples if you can find any in your garden or local walk. If not, use pictures of sandstone, slate, granite, pumice, gneiss, quartzite.

Our Ranger Adam deomstrates how to carry out the first part of this activity in the video below. For the full instructions and list of helpful links to further education resources, click to download the Chocolate Geology Education Activity Sheet at the bottom of this page.

Download our Chocolate Geology Activity Sheet

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Lochdown Learning: Chocolate Geology | Respect Your Park

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Learning about the landscape with the help of chocolate! This education activity is a great way to learn about how the beautiful landscape of the National Park was formed over 400 million years ago... through the medium of chocolate.

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Cool Seas Explorers - teach on the beach

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Cool Seas Explorers - teach on the beach

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Excellent variety of resources produced by Marine Conservation Society (MCS) for teachers, families and young people.

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Welcome to our fun and learning section. We have a vast library of resources on marine conservation that you can tap into, take a look here...

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If we invest in nature now, it will look after us forever. 

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If we invest in nature now, it will look after us forever. 

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As part of #ScotClimateWeek in 2019, Simon Jones, our Director of Conservation & Visitor Operations blogs on why nature must be at the heart of our efforts to combat the global climate emergency.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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As part of #ScotClimateWeek, Simon Jones, our Director of Conservation & Visitor Operations blogs on why nature must be at the heart of our efforts to combat the global climate emergency.
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is more than just a beautiful place to visit. It contains vital natural tools we can use to tackle the global climate emergency and now nature conservation's time has come. If we invest in nature now, it will look after us forever.

Forests, peatlands and water are the big ones. These are the things that can soak up carbon, not just now but if looked after they will continue to do so for generations.

Around 30% of the National Park (52,300ha) is covered with trees. 1ha is roughly the size of an international rugby pitch, so that's over 50,000 rugby pitches.

These trees hold approximately 2.5 million tonnes of carbon, making our woodlands a fantastic resource in the fight against climate change. And there's room for more. We work closely with landowners and are developing our new Trees and Woodland Strategy that will guide how woodlands and forests are planted and maintained in the National Park for the next twenty years. This will not only help make the National Park, and Scotland, more climate resilient but it will bring many other benefits such as biodiversity and providing a home for more native species so it's a win-win for climate and nature.

Peatlands are the Cinderella story of climate change. To most people they're not beautiful or majestic to look at but they are the often unsung hero. The peatlands of the National Park hold an estimated 20 million tonnes of carbon - nearly 10 times the amount held by the extensive forests and woodlands of the area and about 4% of the Scottish total.

Keeping peatlands healthy is important because if they are damaged, they release greenhouse gases, including carbon back in to the atmosphere. Therefore repairing damaged peatlands is crucial work in fighting climate change as they help fight both the causes and effects of climate change. As well as storing carbon they store and slowly release water helping to reduce flood risks. Basically they act like giant, upland sponges.

Through our partnership with Peatland Action and working with landowners we're aiming to restore 2000ha of peatland by 2023 - that's equivalent to about 2000 rugby pitches (or 810 football pitches if you prefer).

The value of 'blue carbon' is also being recognised more and more too. The plant communities on Scotland's coasts hold vast amounts of carbon and we have sea lochs in the National Park that we know are important to protect, both to store carbon but to make sure they are resilient to climate change.

We have areas of the National Park which are particularly vulnerable to flooding and with the changing climate, these threats are increasing. For example we've seen incidents of heavy rainfall causing flooding or landslips within the National Park this summer and we can expect these to continue to occur more often due to the warmer, wetter weather. We support communities and landowners to develop natural solutions to make them more resilient to these risks.

Of course, at the same time we have to be mindful of the fact that the National Park is a place that emits a huge amount of carbon through the volume of visitors travelling to, from and through the area by petrol and diesel vehicles.

That's a huge challenge, but as an organisation we don't shy away from encouraging responsible visitor behaviour when it has a significant impact on the environment. And it's not just about the climate, the increasing number of vehicles has an impact on roads, local communities and the visitor experience.

But making a shift to fewer car journeys is a long road. While we encourage people to use more sustainable ways to travel such as public transport or choosing active travel like cycling, we know that the options need to be available for people to make those positive choices. Working with partners to improve infrastructure and public transport links as well as providing the right information and access to active travel options will be a key part of our work in the next few years.

And it's not just about telling others what they can do, as a public body we have a responsibility to lead by example and be a climate ready organisation. We're doing that by reducing our carbon footprint and waste levels. For example we have so far switched 25% of our vehicle fleet to being electric or hybrid, replaced old inefficient lighting with LED bulbs, use renewable heat sources and engaging our workforce in ways they can help tackle climate change both at work and at home.

We don't have all the answers but we do have many tools at our fingertips (or in some cases under our feet) to tackle the global climate emergency. Now is the time and the National Park as a place and an organisation is ideally placed to be at the forefront of taking on this challenge. But we can't do it alone. Together everyone can and must help fight climate change.
#ScotClimateWeek: Scotland's Climate Week 2019 takes place from Monday 7th to Sunday 13th October. Together, we can do more to tackle the climate emergency and save our planet. Follow @lomondtrossachs and #ScotClimateWeek on Twitter for more updates on how we are helping tackle the global climate emergency, and what you can do to help.

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If we invest in nature now, it will look after us forever | Respect Your Park

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As part of #ScotClimateWeek, Simon Jones, our Director of Conservation & Visitor Operations blogs on why nature must be at the heart of our efforts to combat the global climate emergency. Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is more than just a beautiful place to visit.

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Learn about invasive non-native (Alien) species with this educational resource developed by
The Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI)
– ‘Alien Detectives’.  It is full of exciting, challenging and fun activities.

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Alien Detectives | Scottish Invasive Species Initiative

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You'll find presentations, activities, worksheets, quizzes, crafts, puzzles and games, all themed around invasive alien species and the river environment which can all be downloaded and shared. There is an introductory presentation to start you off and all activities have notes and answer sheets to help you along - so you don't need any prior knowledge to use and enjoy them.

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Maps, data, resources and useful links about Scotland’s environment, for use in the classroom – all of which have been carefully matched with Curriculum for Excellence levels and National Qualifications

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Maps, data, resources and useful links about Scotland's environment, for use in the classroom - all of which have been carefully matched with Curriculum for Excellence levels and National Qualifications.

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Maps, data, resources and useful links about Scotland's environment, for use in the classroom - all of which have been carefully matched with Curriculum for Excellence levels and National Qualifications.

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Education resources — Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest

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A search and find activity booklet to identify and learn more about some of Scotland’s native tree species produced by the Forth Fisheries Trust.

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Learn to become a skilled otter spotter with this handy booklet developed by the Forth Fisheries Trust.

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Make your own Red Squirrel activity Calendar

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Make your own Red Squirrel activity Calendar

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Make this fun calendar to show how the changing seasons affect the red squirrel population.

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Deadwood is a tree or part of a tree that has died and is in a state of decomposition. Use this TCV survey to learn more.

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Deadwood is a tree or part of a tree that has died and is in a state of decomposition. Is the deadwood in your wood dead good?

Deadwood plays a big part in nutrient recycling, slowly releasing nitrogen into the soil for other plants to use. It acts as a carbon storage system, capturing carbon and locking it into the ground. Fallen deadwood also helps the stability of woodland soil and helps prevent soil erosion.

Deadwood is an important micro habitat for birds, mammals, fungi, plants, amphibians, reptiles, insects and even fish!
Find out more about deadwood here

The Deadwood Survey

Is the deadwood in your wood dead good? Find out for yourself with this simple survey. It should take no more than an hour to complete.

Any piece of woodland will do, as long as it is at least 100 square metres in area. Ancient woodland, forestry plantations, trees growing on urban wasteland, wood pasture and scrub are all fine.
Complete the survey online

What you will need

Here's a list of what you'll need to complete a survey (download them or request that we send them to you):

Other useful equipment:

Pencil

Camera (or smartphone)

Collection pots and magnifier

Plastic spoons or trowel

Light coloured collection tray

Coloured ribbon

Calculator (or mobile phone with calculator)

Send me the resources above by post

Carrying out the Deadwood Survey

You can do the Deadwood Survey as a group or by yourself. You can complete it online or on paper and send it to us.

Before you go out to the woodland, answer questions 1-8 (page 4 of the survey booklet). Once you get outside, there are two parts to the survey:

How much deadwood can you see? (pages 5-6)
The 100 pace transect

How old is the deadwood? (pages 7-14)
Estimating the age of each piece

We would love to hear what you found on the survey including what wildlife and insects you discovered. You can submit your survey online or:

Email us a scanned copy or photograph of your results to deadwood@tcv.org.uk

Or send your paper copy (or photocopy) to us at:

The Conservation Volunteers,
Unit M1,
143 Charles Street,
Glasgow,
G21 2QA.
Thank you for taking part in the dead good Deadwood Survey! Complete the survey online

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The dead good Deadwood Survey from TCV Scotland

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Deadwood plays a big part in nutrient recycling, slowly releasing nitrogen into the soil for other plants to use. It acts as a carbon storage system, capturing carbon and locking it into the ground. Fallen deadwood also helps the stability of woodland soil and helps prevent soil erosion.

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Citizen Science is a really useful and fun way of helping the environment and expanding our scientific knowledge. Use this link to the NatureScot webpage summary.

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Why Citizen Science?

Taking part in Citizen Science is a really useful way of helping the environment and expanding our scientific knowledge. Information gathered by Citizen Scientists is vital to scientists across Scotland in understanding how the environment is doing and where more action is needed. By getting involved you really can make a difference!

There are different surveys to take part in depending on how much time you have to spend, and many of them don't require any previous knowledge. Check out these great resources spanning a range of areas, habitats and species.

Surveys

Birds

BTO Garden BirdWatch. A weekly wildlife survey where participants contribute sightings of species they have seen in their gardens. Through this we are able to monitor the fortune of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates in gardens contributing to our understanding of urban wildlife.

If you are lucky enough to have birds nesting in your garden this spring, please take part in BTO's Nesting Neighbours.

RSPB Breakfast Birdwatch. The daily Breakfast Birdwatch takes place between 8-9am - helping people to share their wildlife encounters and provide ideas for things you can do for wildlife close to home. Include #BreakfastBirdwatch when sharing updates, photos, videos, questions and comments.

Swift Surveyors in Tayside. Sightings of flying swifts and knowledge of actual nest sites. This task can be undertaken from your own garden or front door - counting the number of swifts that fly over (and repeating the survey as often as you wish between May and August). Not sure of the difference between a swift, house marten or swallow? Download the survey form and ID chart.

Amphibians and Reptiles

Recordpool. The Record Pool collects data on reptiles and amphibians in the UK and makes them available, locally and nationally, for conservation purposes. The site welcomes garden records, as well as observations made whilst out exercising locally.

Garden Dragon Watch. Gardens can provide important habitats for reptiles and amphibians. The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation's survey of these recommends spending a few minutes carefully looking in your garden and then telling them about what you find by filling in a form on your device.

Invertebrates

Cellar Spider Survey. There are only three Cellar Spider species in Britain, of which two are mostly found in homes (and not just in cellars!), making them ideal for a national survey. They are relatively easy to tell apart and often easy to find. Download details of the survey.

RHS Cellar Slug Survey. Our survey asks members of the public to submit records of Yellow Cellar Slug and Green Cellar Slug in UK gardens, along with information about your garden so we can establish any links between habitat features and where these species occur.

Beewatch is a collaborative research project between Aberdeen University and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. This online tool uses technology to assist participants in improving their bumblebee identification skills and provides computer-generated feedback. It also uses crowd sourcing by allowing competent users to help in identifying other users' bumblebee photographs.

The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (FIT Count) aims to establish how insect pollinator populations are changing across Great Britain. Carry out a FIT Count (Flower-Insect Timed Count) by taking ten minutes to sit and collect data on the total number of insects that visit a particular flower, ideally chosen from our list of 14 target flowers in your garden during warm, dry weather any time from April to September.

Garden Butterfly Survey. Record the butterflies that visit your garden over the course of a year. Create a free account, submit your sightings and help Butterfly Conservation learn more about how butterflies are faring in UK gardens.

Garden Moth Scheme. Sign up and add to the national knowledge of moth populations.

The UK Ladybird Survey aims to encourage the recording of all species of ladybird found within the UK - including the invasive harlequin ladybird. On their great website, you will find lots of information to help you find and identify species, and online forms so that you can record your observations.

Bee-fly Watch 2020. Join in with Bee-fly Watch 2020. Bee-fly Watch is now into its fifth year. These distinctive furry flies are usually on the wing from March to June, often hovering over flowers and using their long 'nose' (proboscis) to feed on nectar. Once again we are asking people to look out for bee-flies and add your records.

Plants

BSBI activities to enjoy while under lockdown, including the Garden Wildflower Hunt. A citizen science project set up by the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland with two aims: to help us find out more about the wild plants growing in our gardens, and to give people a way to improve their plant identification skills under lockdown.

BSBI's Plant Alert is a new project aimed at discovering which garden plants have the potential to become invasive and problematic in future.

Identify the mosses in your garden with the British Bryological Society.

The Urban Flora of Scotland is a long-term survey run by the Botanical Society of Scotland. Beginners and experts in plant identification are invited to record flowering plants, ferns, mosses, liverworts, lichens, fungi and algae in towns and cities with over 1,000 inhabitants. The survey uses iRecord to capture data, or you can simply use record sheets provided. This survey aims to fill data gaps, help us understand the history of settlements, monitor impacts of climate change, and possibly identify the arrival of new invasive species.

Mammals

Mammal Web. This citizen science project enlists members of the public to upload camera trap data they capture, to help with classifying the animals pictured in camera trap footage, or both. You don't need a camera trap to take part, and you can help to build up a picture of the state of our wild mammals in the UK and beyond. Quick-start guide.

People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is calling for volunteers to take part in its annual Living with Mammals survey, which started on 30th March, asking for people in Scotland and northern England in particular, to help. Volunteers across the country are needed to record sightings of wild mammals (or the signs they leave behind, such as footprints or droppings) they see in their gardens, or from their balconies or windows, to help conservationists understand how their numbers are changing.

Marine

Social media is changing the way we learn about cetaceans in remote locations and making it much easier to submit your sightings. Sightings of whales and dolphins around our shores are very useful because data are currently extremely poor and we have to rely on infrequent surveys that can only provide a snapshot of what is really going on. So, if you are lucky enough to live by the sea you can keep a watch out and then report your sightings online to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust's Whaletrack sightings map or to the SeaWatch Foundation.

Miscellaneous

The Biological Records Centre maintains a list and links to the UK's many wildlife recording and monitoring schemes, and the National Biodiversity Network provides an online searchable database.

Nature's Calendar. What effect has recent weather had on wildlife? Does climate change affect timings in nature? Take part in the Nature's Calendar citizen science project and help scientists discover answers to these questions. Simply record the signs of spring that you can see from your window or garden.

Report non-native species to Scotland's Environment Web.

Citizen Science indoors

Zooniverse is a fantastic citizen science website where you can help researchers analyse data from real projects around the world. You might get involved with deciphering herbarium samples, watching nest box cameras or counting seabirds from photographs.

Seabird Watch is a citizen science project set up by Oxford University to find solutions to the present research gaps using cameras as a monitoring network for Arctic seabird conservation. We need your help counting birds, nests and eggs in our thousands of photos to turn them into data.

Penguin Watch is a citizen science project set up by Oxford University to find solutions to the present research gaps using cameras as a monitoring network for penguin conservation. We need your help counting penguins, chicks, nests and eggs in our thousands of photos to turn them into data.

Rainfall Rescue. Before 1961 there were actually thousands of rain gauges but the rainfall data has not been transferred from the original hand-written paper records to something digital so that it can be used in data sets. Aiming to fill in the gaps Zooniverse show you images of rainfall data and ask you to transcribe the values.

[email protected] is an online citizen science project. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, they digitise the information from the collections of wild plants held by museums and universities in the UK and beyond including the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

The Scottish Natural Heritage grassland project helps locate and protect Scotland's remaining fragments of meadow. Read more about grasslands in the interactive story map and click the button at the end to submit records of sites that you know about.

Rainfall Observers. SEPA is looking for volunteer rainfall observers to collect data daily at around 9:00 am and submit the information online. There are currently 134 rainfall observers across Scotland who play an important part in collecting this valuable data for SEPA.

Help Forest Research to build an Urban Tree Canopy Cover map for the UK. Tree cover can vary greatly, and many towns across the world have created canopy cover targets to encourage planting and improved care of trees. It is important for us to know where we do and don't have this resource. The Canopy Cover webmap makes it quick to assess any UK ward in three simple desk-based steps. Download the detailed User Guide on how you can help.

London Bird Records. Help recover 20th century bird observations collected by the London Natural History Society.

Citizen Science in your garden

Learn how to manage our gardens to benefit wildlife from The Wildlife Trusts so that whether it is large or small, a ledge or a yard, your garden can be part of a mosaic in a wider network of natural havens linking urban greenspaces with nature reserves and the wider countryside.

SNH Making Space for Nature activities to give nature a helping hand, including being a lazy gardener!

The Butterfly Conservation free downloadable gardening guide.

Creating garden ponds is one of the best ways to encourage nature near your home and is fully explained in this downloadable guide.

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has produced six activity sheets contain interesting facts about bumblebees plus a fun activity at the end for children and adults to enjoy doing together, including building bee and insect 'homes'.

Naturehood is a citizen science project focused on taking action for wildlife in private gardens including guidance on how balconies and gardens can help to combat habitat loss.

Hoverfly Lagoons. Create small homemade hoverfly havens from discarded milk bottles and fallen leaves. Taking part requires no extra knowledge or experience, just a few minutes each month to count larvae and collect pupae, once the lagoon is set up.

Pop-up Pocket Garden is a great project from Keep Scotland Beautiful for children and young people aged 3 - 18 years to design and grow a small garden at home and take photos and share progress.

Bringing the Outdoors In! An Activity Resource Pack from TCV Scotland of nature activities that can be done indoors or in a garden.

HogWatch at Home. A simple guide to encourage hedgehogs and report sightings from TCV Scotland and the HogWatch project.

Recording apps, data and technology

BRC Apps - make casual records from a window or garden using apps from the Biological Records Centre.

iRecord Butterflies is completely free and is available for iOS and Android devices. It will guide you through the identification of any butterfly than you see in the UK. You can compare you own photo with those from the app's extensive image library, filter species by colour, pattern and size, and see distribution maps and identification tips for each butterfly species.

If you are confident in your identification then you can submit sightings to the NBN Atlas Scotland to help build up a complete picture of Scotland's wildlife.

Want to learn more before you get started?

Check out these great resources for discovering more about our wildlife without having to leave the house!

Virtual tours, online visits and webcams

Visit and explore the Natural History Museum on Google. Delve into the Museum from home with a virtual self-guided tour of the galleries, an interactive experience about Hope the blue whale and audio guides narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

Watch the Wild in Action with the webcams provided by Wildlife Trusts across the British Isles.

A number of UK nest webcams can be watched live from CJ Wildlife Live Webcams.

A selection of webcams at key sites across Scotland can be watched from VisitScotland wildlife webcams.

If you are stuck indoors then follow these RSPB links to hear refreshing bird song on Birdsong Radio and you can also find individual bird calls.

Listen to recordings of bird calls from around the world at www.xeno-canto.org - a website for sharing recordings of sounds of wild birds.

Learning

ChatterPack is a voluntary-run, special educational needs and disabilities hub which has created a fantastic list of hundreds of online resources including some great wildlife podcasts, museums around the world, NASA Live - watch the earth from space, underwater cameras, music, languages, and learning.

The John Muir Trust and Field Studies Council have compiled a " padlet " of resources to support the STEM agenda in Scotland focussing on learning about nature.

The Field Studies Council has produced guidance for the community of educators, parents, students, explorers, and scientists during school closures.

OpenLearn online course on Citizen Science and global biodiversity. OpenLearn works with other organisations by providing free courses and resources that support their mission of opening up educational opportunities to more people in more places.

Handy websites

Discover wildlife on your doorstep, this CEH blog highlights some activities.

The Outdoor Learning Directory, supported by Scotland's forestry, environment and heritage agencies, is a great source of information on everything to do with learning outdoors, including citizen science resources aimed at young people. The News page supports home schooling and signposts new resources.

The TCV Nature Activities and Citizen Science webpages have loads of Nature Activities to do at home.

The Countryside Jobs Service has collected ideas on CJS Citizen Science, Surveys and Fieldwork

What happens to the results?

The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) is a valuable resource with maps showing the results of thousands of sightings from across the UK. Many organisations and individuals who collate species records send them to the NBN which acts as a national repository.

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Taking part in Citizen Science is a really useful way of helping the environment and expanding our scientific knowledge. Information gathered by Citizen Scientists is vital to scientists across Scotland in understanding how the environment is doing and where more action is needed. By getting involved you really can make a difference!

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There are many ways the landscapes and wildlife of our National Parks in the UK will be affected by Climate Change.

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Climate change is happening and is due to human activity. It includes global warming and greater risk of flooding, droughts and heat waves.
There are many ways the landscapes and wildlife of our National Parks will be affected.
However, our range of habitats, including mountains, moorlands, forests, grasslands and wetlands, can help combat climate change if managed correctly.

The impacts of climate change

There are many changes associated with the changing climate, some of these are:

Too much rainfall causes flooding that can damage habitats, disrupt wildlife and erode peatlands. Unpredictable weather, such as storms, can cause severe erosion of coastal areas.

Drought conditions can dry out our woodland and moorland, so that fires are easily started. These fires can spread and damage large areas of peatland, moorland and woodland habitats.

Increased periods of warmer weather have the effect of increasing the number of visitors to our National Parks. This can result in more pollution and litter, traffic congestion, accidental fires and more carbon dioxide emissions.

Many species living in our National Parks may struggle to adapt to the rapid change in temperatures and weather conditions.

Did you know?

Climate change is the long-term shift in average weather patterns and temperatures across the world.

Create pollination corridors in the South Downs

Restore damaged habitat in the Cairngorms.

Secure the future of woodlands in Snowdonia

Helpful habitats

Peatlands such as bogs, fens and marshes act as sponges that soak up and store carbon dioxide that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Trees in our woodlands and forests absorb carbon dioxide and other harmful gases and create oxygen.

Manage flooding

Our Parks provide both natural and man-made areas intended to become flooded, helping to prevent residential areas being flooded and land, lakes, rivers and wetlands being damaged. Some also have lakes and reservoirs that allow water to be conserved and supply managed.

Responsible tourism

National Park Authorities help minimise the impact of climate change through the promotion of green tourism and sustainable travel, and we educate the public on the negative impacts of climate change.

#nationalparksuk

National Parks are stunning. Instagram is a great way to follow us. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Climate change is happening and is due to human activity. It includes global warming and greater risk of flooding, droughts and heat waves. There are many ways the landscapes and wildlife of our National Parks will be affected. However, our range of habitats, including mountains, moorlands, forests, grasslands and wetlands, can help combat climate change if managed correctly.

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Reducing your Carbon Footprint in the National Park 

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Reducing your Carbon Footprint in the National Park 

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Sustainable transport, reducing your waste and signing up to volunteer on conservation projects, there are lots of ways you can reduce your carbon footprint when visiting the National Park - watch this short clip for more details.

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Reducing your carbon footprint in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Despite decline elsewhere, we're pleased to say that black grouse numbers remain steady in the National Park.

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Eroding peatlands release carbon and other greenhouse gasses. Repairing them is vital for the climate emergency and nature crisis.

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Peatland Restoration in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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The Local Development Plan’s renewable energy policies set out criteria for wind, hydro energy projects and biomass and biogas energy (heat and power) within the National Park

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The impacts of climate change present very real challenges to our native habitats and species and to our communities and economy in the National Park, particularly in relation to the increasing frequency of flood events and loss of biodiversity.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Priority 3.1 - Climate Change

Our focus will be working with partners and communities to better adapt to, and mitigate against the impacts of climate change by building resilience and collaborating on land use and water management initiatives which capture carbon and reduce flooding impacts.

These will include supporting:

natural flood management projects.

Sensitively sited woodland enhancement and expansion.

Building resilient habitat networks.

Peatland restoration projects upstream of flood risk communities, including Aberfoyle
and Callander.

Implementation of the Clyde and Loch Lomond, Forth, and Tay Flood Risk Management Plans that cover the Park.

Map 4

The peatlands of the National Park store more than 20 million tonnes of carbon. They are the best carbon store we have, so it's vitally important we work with land managers to protect and restore them.

Natural Carbon Store

Who can help deliver Outcome 3?

Listed below are partners who have committed to helping deliver these outcomes (Lead Delivery Partners) and those who could provide further support (Support Delivery Partners).

Lead delivery partners:

Scottish Natural Heritage

Forest Enterprise Scotland

Forestry Commission Scotland

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID)

Confederation of Forest Industries

Support delivery partners:

Private and NGO Land Managers

Clyde Marine Planning Partnership

Local Authorities

Scottish Land and Estates

National Farmers Union Scotland

Scottish Water

John Muir Trust

Community Partnership and local communities

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Outcome 3: Climate Change | Respect Your Park

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Our focus will be working with partners and communities to better adapt to, and mitigate against the impacts of climate change by building resilience and collaborating on land use and water management initiatives which capture carbon and reduce flooding impacts. These will include supporting: natural flood management projects.

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Learn about the importance of healthy peatlands with this simple experiment - activity resource guide

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Table shows:

Indicator of success - Area and condition of restored peatland

Target - 2000 hectares of peatland expansion by 2023

2018/19 figure - 166 ha

Performance - In line with target

What does this tell us?

Peatland restoration is performing as expected against the target, taking into account projects developed in 2018-19 for delivery in subsequent years. 166 hectares were delivered this year and the five projects currently in the pipeline cover a further 718 hectares.

Peatland restoration projects delivered and in the pipeline
Roll over the icons on the map to read more about the projects.
Three projects were delivered in 2018-19, two on privately-owned land and one on public land. Progress on delivery and development of projects is reflective of the positive working relationships across the programme. In reaching the target there is an assumption of continued, secured funding for peatland restoration and availability of contractors to carry out the work. It is also important to note that the year-on-year nature of the current funding model constrains delivery. For example, the impact of the severe winter weather in 2017-18 on contractors' ability to deliver in 2018-19 would have been mitigated if contracts could span financial years. Overall, effort is made to minimise the constraints of annual funding and maximise the number and reach of projects, but a multi-year funding model has the potential to increase both the security and amount of delivery.

Peatland is a vital habitat, supporting many unusual plants and insects, and it is also our most important carbon sink and a natural regulator of water flows (as shown in the video below). In October 2018 the National Park Authority hosted the International Union for Conservation of Nature Peatland Conference with delegates coming from all across the UK and beyond to hear about the need to protect and restore peatlands.

Contribution to National Outcomes

Progress on this indicator contributes to the following National Outcomes:

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Progress on this indicator contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

Significant contribution

Minor contribution

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Indicator 2: Peatland Restoration | Respect Your Park

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Table shows: Indicator of success - Area and condition of restored peatland Target - 2000 hectares of peatland expansion by 2023 2018/19 figure - 166 ha Performance - In line with target Peatland restoration is performing as expected against the target, taking into account projects developed in 2018-19 for delivery in subsequent years.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Deer Management Groups

Liaison between neighbours is essential to the efficient implementation of deer management objectives and occurs through local Deer Management Groups (DMGs). These groups provide a forum for explaining deer policy and for considering mutually beneficial co-operation on deer management matters.

The National Park's aim in working with Deer Management Groups is to achieve the following:

A mosaic of deer densities allowing different deer management objectives to be achieved in different parts of the Park

A deer management planning process which seeks agreement from all interested parties on what deer densities should be

Good communications between all involved in deer management

Deer recognised as a valuable asset throughout the Park

Deer impacts viewed as being in balance with habitats

Deer management carried out to high professional standards and respected by all

In order to achieve all this, we are working with Deer Management Groups in the Park to support the work that they do. The desired outcome is that land managers have the density of deer on their holding that allows them to achieve their land management objectives whilst protecting and enhancing the important habitats found within the National Park.

Deer management is an integral part to delivering the outcomes set out in the National Park Partnership Plan. By supporting Deer Management Groups, we will help to deliver multiple benefits such as improving the condition of our woodlands and uplands, through projects such as our Habitat Impact Assessment monitoring and peatland restoration. It is provides employment in remote communities.

Currently many of our habitats in the National Park are over-grazed by herbivores, both domestic and wild and by working in partnership with other partner agencies, such as SNH, and with land managers we can work to reducing these pressures.

Deer and the local economy

Deer management is an established way of life in Highland Scotland, which generates income for sporting estates, helps maintain healthy deer populations, contributes to sustainable management of the environment, and supports local employment. The participation of visitors in deer stalking can be a significant part of the income of the estates.

The Deer Commission for Scotland estimates there are around 320 permanent and 460 part time stalkers directly employed in open hill red deer management, as well as 109 Forestry Commission rangers. There are also private forestry company stalkers and others involved in managing woodland deer. These jobs tend to be concentrated in relatively remote rural areas where alternative employment opportunities are scarce.

Stalking creates a number of 'spin-off' jobs in rural communities. It generates income for other parts of the rural economy such as hotels and shops, fencing suppliers and craft businesses, and supports a significant wild venison industry. The Association of Deer Management Groups estimates the annual value of deer stalking lets in Scotland at between £5 million and £7 million, with venison sales averaging the same.

Wider policy

Scotland's Wild Deer: A National Approach is the strategic vision for deer management in Scotland. It has 5 themes that set out how private and public bodies can work together to deliver outcomes. These are:

Collaboration and Effective Deer Management Planning and Implementation

Healthy Ecosystems

Lowland and Urban Deer

Economic and Community Development

Training and Wild Deer Welfare

The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 introduced the Code of Practice on Deer Management ( Deer Code), which came into effect in 2012. WDNA provides a forward looking perspective, whilst the Deer Code is about delivery and lays out the deer management responsibilities and recognises the public interest in deer management.

The next tier down in the tool box for deer managers are the Wild Deer Best Practice Guides, which provide specific technical and practical skills for practioners and people on the ground.

This diagram shows the broad relationship between integrated land use, WDNA, Deer Code, Wild Deer Best Practice and people who work to deliver collaborative deer management in Scotland (source: Scotland's Wild Deer: A National Approach document).

How we can help

The Park Authority will support delivery through deer management groups by:

Providing clarity on the public interest priorities

Supporting the use of herbivore impact assessments and habitat monitoring to inform management

Supporting peatland restoration projects and woodland improvement & creation projects

Supporting training opportunities to ensure high standards of competence in deer management

Supporting deer management groups and facilitating communication and joint action across deer management group boundaries where necessary

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Liaison between neighbours is essential to the efficient implementation of deer management objectives and occurs through local Deer Management Groups (DMGs). These groups provide a forum for explaining deer policy and for considering mutually beneficial co-operation on deer management matters.

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Deer are an important part of the National Park’s biodiversity and to ensure that the balance is right, they require a careful and  sustainable management.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Africa has the "King of the Jungle" and Scotland - the "Monarchs of the Glen". Deer are an important part of the National Park's biodiversity and to ensure that the balance is right, they require a careful and sustainable management.

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Deer in the National Park | Respect Your Park

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Africa has the "King of the Jungle" and Scotland - the "Monarchs of the Glen". Deer are an important part of the National Park's biodiversity and to ensure that the balance is right, they require a careful and sustainable management.

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The Edinburgh Declaration & FutureNature

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The Edinburgh Declaration & FutureNature

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The statement of intent outlines how signatories and supporters commit to two main elements of reversing biodiversity loss.

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We propose to use the Edinburgh Declaration as a platform to help create a stronger identity and common purpose for all those with a stake in nature in the Park to achieve over time, more and bigger outcomes that help reverse biodiversity loss – our ‘FutureNature’

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority and Cairngorms National Park Authority have officially become signatories of the Edinburgh Declaration.

The Declaration, which the Scottish Government published in August 2019, is a statement of intent outlining how subnational governments and local authorities will work together to take bold action on tackling loss of biodiversity.

The commitment demonstrates the two National Park Authorities' ambitions around nature as leading environment bodies in Scotland. It commits to standing with other public bodies to deliver transformative actions on nature by increasing resources and building capacity for nature-based solutions, raising public awareness, working locally with partner bodies and private businesses, and aligning with national plans and strategies. Both Parks have ambitious plans for large scale expansion of native woodlands and restoring damaged peatlands, two actions that help tackle both the loss of nature and climate change.

Environment and Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: "Tackling the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change is a national and international imperative and must be central to our green recovery from Covid-19.

"The Scottish Government recognises the key role that peatland restoration and tree planting can play in this recovery and their ability to enhance biodiversity, sequester carbon and create good, green jobs in our communities. I am pleased to see that our National Parks already have ambitious plans to increase this work.

"The Edinburgh Declaration makes it clear that, together with governments, cities and local authorities across the world, the Scottish Government and partners such as our National Park authorities are ready to meet the challenge of delivering the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and play a strong role in its implementation.

"Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority Board agreed to sign up to the declaration and to use the commitment as a platform for building on the Authority's Conservation and Land Management work and to create a stronger identity and common purpose for all those with a stake in nature in the National Park, through a shared 'FutureNature' routemap.

James Stuart, Convener of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, said: "At a time of global crises, the nature crisis can sometimes be blurred with the climate emergency but it's important to recognise this global issue in its own right. The Edinburgh Declaration provides an opportunity to step up our ambitions and our commitment to tackling global biodiversity loss. We will use this as a platform to build on the successes we've had so far through our Wild Park programme and other nature conservation initiatives, and to work on a regional scale with partners, including communities and businesses, to achieve greater outcomes for this special place and precious natural resource."

The Cairngorms National Park Authority is committed to tackling biodiversity loss through the Cairngorms Nature partnership, which delivers landscape scale conservation projects alongside priority species work through five year action plans. The key aim of Cairngorms Nature is to create more diversity and an even greater abundance of distinctive habitats and species in the National Park.

Xander McDade, Convener of the Cairngorms National Park Authority explains: "Biodiversity loss in Scotland cannot be ignored and we all have a part to play in making the changes needed. The Edinburgh Declaration is an important milestone in the fight to make those changes. It will allow us to focus our work through Cairngorms Nature, as we partner with the landowners, communities and businesses of the National Park, to create a sustainable future for people and nature."
Ends Notes to editors
More information about the Edinburgh Declaration.

The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority Board approved this report on the Edinburgh Declaration and 'FutureNature' proposal at a meeting on Monday 7 th December 2020.

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Scotland's National Parks sign up to global commitment to tackling nature loss | Respect Your Park

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority and Cairngorms National Park Authority have officially become signatories of the Edinburgh Declaration. The Declaration, which the Scottish Government published in August 2019, is a statement of intent outlining how subnational governments and local authorities will work together to take bold action on tackling loss of biodiversity.

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We need to ensure that ecosystems in the National Park are resilient to the effects that climate change is bringing to our native biodiversity and wider environment.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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We need to ensure that ecosystems in the National Park are resilient to the effects that climate change is bringing to our native biodiversity and wider environment. These ecosystems can also help mitigate climate change by maintaining carbon stores, sequestering carbon, and storing surface water. The National Park's peatlands hold an estimated 20 million tonnes of carbon and our forests hold another 2.5 million tonnes.

Local land managers will need to adapt to a changing climate and can help mitigate against it by embracing technologies and practises that capture carbon. By taking a more integrated approach to land use planning, we can also help deliver significant adaptation to and resilience against climate change for our communities and wildlife.

The National Park is seen as a place to demonstrate and pilot innovative approaches to managing these habitats with partnerships between private and public land interests, industry, public bodies, third sector organisations, and local communities. Over decades our moorlands have been drained and eroded. We need to block those drainage systems, halt the erosion, and cover bare peat to retain water in the hills for longer. This can reduce the risk of flooding in the lowlands and move towards restoring healthy peatlands that are capturing, rather than emitting, carbon-based greenhouse gases. Our woodlands and forests are important stores of carbon, timber, and biodiversity and an expansion of woodlands will increase the value of these natural resources. These habitats provide multiple public benefits. Investment in this natural capital is a key target at a local, regional and national level. We need to focus on creating areas of native woodland and improving existing native woodland condition by reducing grazing or removing INNS, to enable a wider and more resilient woodland habitat network.

The objectives detailed below link to the indicators of success as detailed within the National Park Partnership Plan and aim to support delivery on the ground to help achieve these key indicators.
Objectives by 2023

Woodland creation:
Implement the Trees & Woodland Strategy for the National Park leading to increased woodland creation and carbon capture.

Peatland restoration:

Reduce carbon and water flows through restoration of peat bogs and raise awareness of the value of peatlands in the climate emergency.

Increase the public's understanding and appreciation of the value of peatland habitats by working in partnership to host public events and talks, visitor centre displays and increasing volunteering opportunities to get involved in improving peatland habitats e.g. constructing peat dams, removal of INNS, surveys and the Mountains and the People project.

Resilience:

Pilot the use and management of trees, woodlands, peatlands and waterways upstream to reduce the risk of downstream flooding.

Work with land managers to protect and enhance soils, and remove INNS in order to increase resilience to climate change impacts.

Investigate natural flood management options to alleviate flooding in Aberfoyle, Callander and in the Loch Lomond catchment.

Promote the management of designated sites which move these protected areas towards favourable condition.

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Climate change pressures | Respect Your Park

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We need to ensure that ecosystems in the National Park are resilient to the effects that climate change is bringing to our native biodiversity and wider environment. These ecosystems can also help mitigate climate change by maintaining carbon stores, sequestering carbon, and storing surface water.

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Our mountain bogs are areas of peatland. Simply put, peatlands are areas where peat is found.

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Biodiversity & Climate Change Education Pack

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Biodiversity & Climate Change Education Pack

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This resource has background information on the National Park, its special qualities, the main land uses, and provides examples of habitats and biodiversity, highlighting the role of the National Park Authority in mitigating the impacts of climate change.

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Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

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This new resource contains background information on Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, its special qualities, the main land uses, and provides examples of habitats and biodiversity, highlighting the role of the National Park Authority in mitigating the impacts of climate change.

'Biodiversity & Climate Change in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park' has been developed to support the Environmental Science curriculum - National 4/5 and Higher: Living Environment, Earths resources and Sustainability.

It contains background information on Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, its special qualities, the main land uses, and provides examples of habitats and biodiversity, highlighting the role of the National Park Authority in mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Through using this resource students will learn about the effects of climate change on a National Park and the important habitats and biodiversity these special places provide. Each case study provides additional references and web links to encourage further reading and research, and makes suggestions for field visits to the National Park. The final section highlights other resources available to support learning and visits to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. The resource can be used by both educators and by students.

Download the Biodiversity & Climate Change Education Pack

Case Studies

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Biodiversity & Climate Change Education Pack | Resources

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This new resource contains background information on Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, its special qualities, the main land uses, and provides examples of habitats and biodiversity, highlighting the role of the National Park Authority in mitigating the impacts of climate change.