Countryside
The development of the countryside for recreation in Scotland dates from 1967 and the establishment of the Countryside Commission for Scotland.[1] County councils, town councils and district councils were enabled to create country parks with support from the Countryside Commission for Scotland, to develop public paths and long-distance routes and to make access agreements with other landowners. As a result, 36 country parks were established and, after 1981, four regional parks were also created.[2] Local authorities were further allowed to provide camping sites for holiday or recreational purposes, make arrangements for other facilities such as parking places and make byelaws to take care of the countryside in matters such as litter and prohibiting fires. Also, local authorities were also empowered in 1967 to appoint wardens to advise and assist the public and ensure compliance with byelaws. These wardens became known as countryside rangers: their powers were extended in 1981 and as a profession they developed greater roles in environmental education and biodiversity initiatives.
In 1973, local authority countryside responsibilities were given to regional, district and islands council but in 1982 most countryside responsibilities were re-allocated to district and islands councils.[3] However, as water authorities, regional councils could provide and manage recreational facilities on reservoirs and inland waterways. In 1996 the unitary councils were given for local authority countryside responsibilities except for inland water and reservoirs which transferred to East of Scotland Water, West of Scotland Water and North of Scotland Water and then in 2002 to Scottish Water.
Records of the Countryside Commission for Scotland are held by National Records of Scotland (reference code CCS). Surviving local authority records are held by local authority archive services.
Compiler: Elspeth Reid (2021)
Related Knowledge Base entries
Bibliography and Links
Back, Phil, ‘Legislating for Landscapes’ Historic Gardens Review 35 (2017), pp. 22-25
Ferguson, Keith, An Introduction to Local Government in Scotland (The Planning Exchange, 1984)
Kelcey, John, ‘A Guide to Nature Conservation’ Built Environment 2.11 (1973) pp. 639-41
References
[1] Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 (c.86).
[2] Countryside (Scotland) Act 1981 (c.44).
[3] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c.65); Local Government and Planning (Scotland) Act 1982 (c.43).