Mountaineers' survey to help shape conservation activities

Mountaineering Scotland is asking its members to help prioritise conservation and landscape campaigning activities.

The organisation wants to direct its energies towards the issues that matter most to its nearly 14,000 members and, in a 2016 survey, campaigning to protect Scotland’s mountain landscapes was the single biggest reason members gave for supporting Mountaineering Scotland. In fact 90 per cent of members who responded said it was important and 60 per cent gave it high importance.

Mountaineering Scotland President Mike Watson said: “While we do not claim to rival Scotland’s conservation bodies or landowners in technical expertise, we want to reflect the significance our members place on mountain landscape and nature conservation matters by setting out our position and actions on the key themes necessary to safeguard, and indeed improve, these cherished spaces.

“And we want to identify how we, as a campaigning organisation with a passionate membership and a range of partners, can achieve our vision.”

To get the answers which will shape future activities, the organisation has launched a survey for its members, taking a detailed look at a range of conservation and landscape issues which affect hill-walkers, climbers, mountaineers and mountain lovers, to determine what the areas of priority will be.

The survey covers a range of conservation themes, including developments in wild land, biodiversity and land management issues such as deer numbers and grouse moors, forestry, public finance cuts, access impacts and how mountaineers can help protect the landscapes we all value.

A link to the online survey has been sent out to members, with paper copies available to members without online access. As an added encouragement, participating members can enter a free draw to win some great mountain gear. For details call our team at 01738 493942