Being a responsible visitor
Posted by Coll Maclean on September 03, 2011 0 Comments
The Trees of Scotland team love the outdoors – a good thing too since we are often out in all weathers planting trees and managing our woodland areas.
Of course we also encourage our customers – and indeed all members of the public! – to visit the Forest of the Glens. Just like any of Scotland’s outdoor areas however access to the Forest of the Glens must be responsibly managed, and in practice that means that visitors should adhere to a basic set of rules that will help to minimize their impact on a beautiful and dramatic part of the country.
Many of you will have heard of the Country Code, a piece of guidance once taught in schools and printed on leaflets the length and breadth of the country. These days there is a similar set of rules, slightly updated and perhaps more relevant, called the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
The basic points of the Code are that visitors take responsibility for their own actions, respect people’s privacy and peace of mind, help land managers and others to work safely and effectively, care for the environment, keep dogs under proper control and take extra care if you are organising a group outing or event.
Scottish Natural Heritage make available a useful guide which can explain this in more detail. There is an old adage which we love and which sums up the correct attitude nicely:
Working together, and by acting responsibly, we can keep Scotland’s remote areas beautiful for future generations to enjoy just as we enjoy them today.
Happy walking!
