THE Scottish Greens have unveiled plans to establish at least two new national parks in Scotland over the next five years.
The party said it was "shameful" Scotland has so few national parks given John Muir, the so-called Father of the National Parks, was a Scot.
A new report by the Greens builds on its manifesto commitments to expand Scotland’s national and regional park network.
This includes establishing at least two new national parks in the next parliamentary term as well as new regional parks.
The Greens also back giving park authorities greater powers over how land is used, increasing environmental protections, putting more land into public ownership and ensuring all parks benefit from ranger services.
The party highlighted plans to develop a commercial theme park in Loch Lomond as an example of why better protections are needed.
It said the Flamingo Land proposal was thrown out after it became "the most unpopular planning application in Scottish history" but Scottish Enterprise still supports development at the site.
Speaking ahead of a visit to Loch Lomond, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “A Scot invented the notion of a national park, so it’s shameful that we have so few here in Scotland, and those that we do have are in poor condition and under threat.
"Unlike the great American national parks, ours are not run for and by the people, but instead are dominated by grouse shooting and commercial developments that threaten vital wildlife habitats.
"The Scottish Greens will renew our national and regional parks as part of our bold, coordinated efforts to restore nature and tackle the climate and nature emergencies.
"That means at least doubling the number of national parks and creating regional parks to restore our natural environment, boost tourism and create rural jobs.
"This level of ambition is only possible if our national and regional parks ae invested in and have the protection of park authorities with real powers so that the public and local community interest can be put ahead of commercial interests like Flamingo Land. Our future depends on it."
Campaigners have long called for the creation of more national parks in Scotland.
The UK boasts 15 national parks but just two – Loch Lomond and The Trossachs and the Cairngorms – are located north of the border.
The Scottish Campaign for National Parks (SCNP) and the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland previously identified seven areas for future consideration.
These are Galloway, the Scottish Borders, the area around Ben Nevis and Glen Coe, a coastal and marine national park centred on Mull, Glen Affric, Harris and Wester Ross.
The Greens said the new sites should be selected "according to a range of criteria, including local support, the potential contribution to public access and enjoyment, and the potential for wildlife restoration and protection".
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