The Adventure Syndicate recently produced an excellent video on girls’ and young women’s participation in outdoor activities called “Should” (see here). It should be required viewing for every member of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority Board and their ranger service.

Action 10 of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority’s draft vacuous Outdoor Recreation Plan (see here) proposed setting up a Lifestyle Partnership which:

“will particularly look at the culture change required for women and girls to have opportunities and feel empowered to be physically active throughout their life.”

Set aside the fact that the reasons why girls and women are less likely to participate than boys and men in outdoor recreation has been researched for forty years, that group will achieve nothing without resources.  So how about the LLTNPA using their Ranger Service for this purpose (and to support other groups to enjoy the great outdoors)  instead of as a quasi-police force to enforce the camping byelaws?

The LLTNPA has the power and resources to make a difference but there is no indication at present that it plans to do so.