More than a dozen rangers are to be employed along the route of the NC500 to protect the environment and tackle irresponsible tourists.
The posts are part of £1m tp be spent employing seasonal support workers across Scotland, with a number of jobs created along the famous tourist route.
A similar scheme funded 109 seasonal staff last year, and made a significant difference to issues such as bad parking, camping, fires, toileting and litter issues in many rural and coastal areas.
Other roles will be scattered around Scotland’s most popular natural sites, including the islands of Mull, Islay, Arran and Shetland.
The NatureScot Better Places funding will go directly to 24 countryside, coast and island projects, enabling a total of 62 staff to be employed this summer.
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The extra ‘boots on the ground’ will promote the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) and help manage visitor pressure in Shetland, Glencoe, the Pentlands, Loch Lomond, Arran, NC500, and various locations around East Lothian, North Perthshire, Islay and many more.
Funding has been awarded to 18 organisations – seven countryside trusts, five local authorities, four charities, one community group, one not-for-profit organisation and one private company
This complements additional investment in rangers and visitor operations made this year by NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland, the National Park Authorities and Scottish Water to support the management of busy outdoor places such as the National Nature Reserves, Parks, reservoirs and forests.
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Bridget Jones, NatureScot's Recreation and Paths Manager, said: “We want to help people have positive and memorable experiences as they visit and enjoy Scotland’s dramatic landscapes of beaches, mountains, lochs and woodlands.
“But as we tackle the climate and biodiversity crises, we have to ensure that the country’s most spectacular locations are valued and cared for, so that they are there for future generations.”
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