BY BERT BURNETT

This is a picture put up by the Cairngorms National Park.

Beautiful isn’t it?

But what this photograph fails to reveal is that this is what the area looked like before the Park Authorities took over. It’s looked like this for decades if not longer, thanks to the management that was in place before not the management that we have now.

Such postcard scenes do not make themselves, you know.

The park was founded because of previous management making the land and its scenery etc. the way it is. The view has little to do with conservation as being promoted today.

Much of the Park, thanks to the (mis) management of recently owned parcels of land now managed by conservation bodies, is now almost devoid of upland species such as waders and mountain hares. Capercaillie and blackgame numbers on these conservation areas have halved as has their core area .. while on the traditionally managed areas that “made” the park what is is today they are holding their own in populations or, in the case of blackgame, numbers are increasing.

Those connected to the running of the Park are giving the impression that without their involvement the Park would not be as it is but that’s a false impression.

The reality is that the areas within the Park carrying most of the diverse wildlife etc. are the areas that for decades – long before the Park came into being – moulded the landscape into what it is today.

Alas, the Park Authorities’ plans, based on protectionism and PC conservation are slowly but surely threatening the wellbeing of the Park.

Species gain by reintroductions is being countered by the loss of species through mismanagement and there is now the very real threat of catastrophic wildfires as rewilding is promoted by the PC brigade in charge of the Park.

The beautiful scene shown in the photo could be quickly changed into a smouldering wilderness and with the increasing fuel loads it’ll only take one careless barbecue.

Then all we will have left is the photo and the postcard.

When will they ever learn?

Bert Burnett is a retired gamekeeper with more than fifty years involved in gamekeeping.