Remember the main way the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority sold the byelaws as being necessary? Multiple photos of abandoned campsites which on closer examination turned out to be the same few campsites photographed from different angles. I will only post 1 photo of the abandoned tent here but there was other detritus which may or may not have been associated with this tent along the shore. The camping byelaws were meant to have stopped this sort of thing happening and clearly haven’t and have therefore, according to their original justification failed.
The more important point is that the byelaws have punished the vast majority of campers who are responsible, with the threat to criminalise them if they come here to enjoy the loch shores, while doing very little to change how irresponsible people behave. They either ignore the rules and get away with it as here or just go elsewhere outside the camping management zones and carry on as they always did.
Its important to get abandoned tents and litter left by some campers in perspective. It would have taken me 10 minutes to clear the whole lot up. I didn’t because I have stopped picking up litter in camping management zones. If the LLTNPA does not respect the rights of people who behave responsibly than I am not going to help them in any way solve a problem which is of their own making. Instead I will criticise them for the fact that their Ranger Service, who is meant to drive past here on patrol every day, has done nothing to clear this mess up. They probably don’t have the time – not their fault but that of their senior management. The LLTNPA should have enlisted the support of responsible campers and everyone else who cares about the countryside but instead has alienated them.
Everyone who cares about access rights and the countryside should welcome the evidence that the camping byelaws are not working as this will hasten their collapse. Until then there is no chance of developing an approach to managing visitors in the National Park which works with people rather than against them.
I could not agree more, the situation is no at such a bad state that out side contractor are now being brought in to clear up the human waste left behind, behind, loch Earn is a prime example of this and NP are trying to cover this up rather than admit their bylaws are Failing
Thanks Steven toilets were supposed to have beeb installed south loch earn but those plans appear to have been a a abandoned. There is a simple short term solution portaloos as used o er summer months in other UK national parks
Sad but true. I’ve never felt the need to welcome litter before, but in the grand scheme of things this evidence for a failing scheme is welcome.
I note several places along Loch Ard and up to Chon that never suffered from an issue before, now showing signs of litter and excess wear and tear. I also note rangers driving past on a daily basis paying no heed to these issues, but as you said, this is unlikely to be their fault but the fault of the ‘higher ups’.
I agree with all of this except your un-evidenced pop at ‘senior management’. It’s always easy to blame senior managers whilst suggesting that those at the coal face do nothing or little wrong! This moan of mine relates to all public sector organisations.
I must stress though I agree completely with the thrust of your article.
I find this site informative and it’s good to have a forum BUT it’s easy to critise and what’s needed is positive solutions to issues.
I’ve cycled around Loch Earn and the waste and mess are utterly disgusting, never mind the disturbance to local residents who must dread this good weather.
There is no doubt the pressures on the coutryside are increasing so what’s the answer?
Education and policing are usually the answer BUT they cost money and the public sectot is pretty useless at policing because they aren’t paid enough and frankly we’d all struggle to confront some offenders.
The quoted answer of developing an approach to managing visitors in the National Park which works with people rather than against them…..is just utter wishlist tosh…..
The byelaws are a start but what else can be done?
I personally can’t see there being a different approach unless funds are in place to police those causing a disturbance and that they are dealt with by existing laws, and that costs money….
The other point I’d make is that experienced campers and moutain folk would never think of camping in these areas, the elite know better quieter places….
I seen more litter bins in botanical gardens, than round loch lomond .Management make a grand living from the taxpayer ,surely they could donate a few litter bins.would definitely help at balmah were they block the public Slipway
No need for bins .take your crap home
Perth and Kinross council have a large amount of bins round loch earn…but these are now filling up quickly due to the camping management zones .so the parks get the money for camping permits but the council has to pay to take the rubbish away . surely the parks should be paying their way and helping the council to pay for this
Wouldn’t it be great if LLTNPA researched best practice from other parks and considered innovations to test and exploit them. For example one Park had a free app that visitors can use for (amongst other things) reporting litter… see http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/visiting/help-care-for-the-forest/littering/
Many public bodies are trialling the giving of rewards for rubbish, rather than charging tax payers to collect it.
In some US parks they’re experimenting with GPS tagged recycling bins that report when they’re filling up… Particularly useful for out of the way places so you don’t have to keep checking them. In fact LLTNPA have also trialled this sort of thing… http://linkedmagazine.co.uk/innovation-tackle-litter-within-loch-lomond-trossachs-national-park/ so why dont we see these ideas applied in the permit areas – where the Authority has effectively created ‘high use zones’ like this it should surely be easier to deal with litter, as they’ve forced its generation into a smaller space.
It’s nothing short of complete and utter incompetence and it is clearly senior managements fault along with Scottish government for allowing such garbage solutions in the first place .