People like wildlife – but wildlife doesn’t always like people. Increasing demand for access to wild places means that site managers need to welcome visitors and offer them a meaningful, high quality experience, while at the same time ensuring that the environment is protected. Planning is an essential tool in achieving this.
Working in partnership with Aaron Lawton Associates, I developed plans for some of Scotland’s most significant National Nature Reserves: Muir of Dinnet, the Isle of May, Rum, Beinn Eighe, Forvie and Caerlaverock. Each plan depends on spending lots of time talking to the people who manage the reserve, getting to know its unique qualities and character, and researching the profile of the people who might visit.
The plans make imaginative proposals for future management and projects. Our goal was to help make the reserves into places where visitors will find something remarkable, as well as flagship examples of conservation practice.