Additional funding has been put in place to provide more countryside rangers for the summer months.
Though never shut by lockdowns the rangers’ service is anticipating a wave of visitors to the great outdoors as things open up officially this summer.
NatureScot, formerly Scottish Natural Heritage, has launched the second round of its Better Places green recovery fund and West Lothian Council hopes to hire four assistant rangers and two additional staff to help deal with the increased visitor numbers expected over the next few months at the county’s county parks and other hotspots.
In her report to the Whitburn and Blackburn Local Area Committee, parks manager Eirwen Hopwood, said: “The country parks have been very busy, with car parks filling up by mid-morning on the nicer weekends. Rangers had to log a call to Police Scotland about the irresponsible parking at Balvormie (Beecraigs).
“Covid restrictions eased on April 26, and visitor centres and other facilities at the country parks all reopened. Rangers have been inspecting facilities prior to reopening at the three parks, and assisting with duties at Beecraigs reception and caravan and camping site.”
The Ranger Service put out two ‘Responsible Access’ posts on the council Facebook page in advance of the good weather weekends, and both were well received, with a massive on-line reach of around 60,000 users per post. Educational posters encouraging responsible access in West Lothian to help avoid conflict with land management operations, have been completed in partnership with local landowners/residents.
The Ranger Service is getting the first tentative enquiries from schools in regards to a resumption of outdoor education sessions.
Eirwin added: “But given the current surge in access work/enquiries and the doubling of visitor numbers to Parks & Woodlands sites since Covid, (especially the country parks), we don’t expect to be able to offer such visits this side of the summer holidays. The Ranger Service met with some school representatives from the Skills Centre and Connolly School to advise on how to better integrate outdoor education into their day-to-day learning.”
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