Following on from BBC Scotland’s interesting Making Scotland’s Landscape TV series BBC Radio Scotland’s Out of Doors programme held a debate on Scotland’s landscape that will be broadcast this weekend. I was in the audience on behalf of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and asked a question though this may not be broadcast as far more material was recorded than will be used. Overall I found the debate disappointing as the voice of outdoor and conservation bodies was barely heard. There was no-one representing these interests on the panel, which was dominated by the National Farmers Union and the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association, whose general line was that all was well with the landscape, which was cared for well by farmers and landowners, and that developments like bulldozed roads, pylons and wind turbines were acceptable. And anyway people would get used to them.
I will be interested to hear which parts of the debate make it to the final broadcast.
Note. The date of the broadcast has changed and it will now be the coming weekend, Sat 27 and Sun 28th November.
Photo info: Acceptable development? Pylons in Corrieyairick Pass. Canon EOS 350D, Canon EF-S 18-55@47mm, 1/640 @ f8, ISO 200, raw file converted to JPEG in Lightroom 3.
Chris, were the JMT not there? I was told they would be on the panel.
ReplyDeleteBTW I believe it's due to broadcast on the 27th.
ReplyDeleteNo one from the JMT was on the panel. One person from the JMT asked a question. As well as the NFU and SRPBA there were representatives from the North Harris Trust, the Centre for Mountain Studies and SNH.
ReplyDeleteAt the recording they said it would be broadcast on the 20th and 21st.
ReplyDeleteThanks for clarification - someone must be wrong about the date SNH says 27th -
ReplyDelete"Great turnout for BBC Scotland landscape debate yesterday at SNH Battleby. It will be broadcast on 27th Nov on BBC Out of Doors programme."
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I think my clarification is wrong! The debate isn't listed in the contents for this week's programme. I guess it's been put back since the recording.
ReplyDeleteThe final part of 'Making Scotland's Landscape' was like a promotional video for wind farms. A more uncritical assessment would be difficult to imagine. Appalling.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris,
ReplyDeleteIf you ask the general population are they indifferent to pylons and bulldozed tracks , I believe a BIG majority would say that they are not indifferent to them and that they would prefer to see lanscape unspoiled by human structures be they roads or buildings. This, I believe applies to those people living in cities as well as in the countryside. Everyone loves nature. Let's therefore consider those people who seek permission to build these unwanted structures as our allies. We have to provide them with alternatives that everyone is happy with and that is affordable to them. Government subsidies may be necessary to make these alternative solutions possible. Alastair