Tell us what you want from the Great Outdoors
Tuesday, October 31 2006
A major meeting is being held in Galashiels on Wednesday 1 November on how best to make the countryside available for sport and leisure.
Scottish Borders Council is inviting anyone with an interest in outdoor life, including walkers, cyclists, horse riders, water-sports enthusiasts, to attend its annual Scottish Borders Access Forum at Galashiels Rugby Club, Netherdale. The event starts at 1:00pm and is expected to finish around 4:30pm.
Speakers will include Walk it (Paths to Health), Disability Awareness, NFUS, Scottish Borders Council and Community Paths Groups. They will cover topics such as countryside access for health improvement, for people with disabilities, for farm management and access on water. The afternoon will also include two presentation walks and a Core Planning Workshop Session.
The event will close with a general discussion where participants can talk to organisations involved in outdoor access and gain further information on promoted routes throughout the Borders.
Those wishing to attend the event should register with Neil Mackay, Senior Access Officer (01835 825060) or online.
Outdoor access in the Scottish Borders contributes to the health and wellbeing, strengthens local communities, supports economic development and assists towards achieving sustainable transport targets in the Borders.
A report published by Scottish Natural Heritage indicated that around 214 million visits to the outdoors in Scotland were undertaken last year for leisure and recreational purposes, estimating the total value of all trips worth around £3.6 billion to the Scottish economy each year.
The Borders countryside attracts many visitors and local people who enjoy the countryside as part of many different outdoor activities. Managing and developing our outdoor resources is paramount to ensuring that our communities and visitors to the Borders enjoy the great opportunities that the countryside offers.
Since February 2005 local authorities throughout Scotland have a variety of statutory obligations under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act. These include upholding access rights, developing a core path network plan and forming a local access forum.
Scottish Borders Council set up the Scottish Borders Access Forum in 2001. The Forum brings together all parties with an interest in developing and managing access and makes it possible for a wide range of organisations to work alongside Scottish Borders Council and other partners to plan, prioritise and carry out effective outdoor access work across the area. In particular, it helps to promote dialogue and understanding, develop consensus and promotes a co-operative approach to outdoor access in the Scottish Borders.
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