The Cairngorms Campaign was founded in 1997, growing out of the Save The Cairngorms Campaign, a coalition of voluntary conservation and outdoor recreation groups that had, since 1992, been presenting the case for better management of the whole.

Cairngorms area and campaigning for the establishment of a National Park for the Cairngorms as a means of achieving this. It currently

has some 400 individual members.

The National Parks (Scotland) Act was passed in 2000 and subsequently the Cairngorms National Park was created in 2003. Map 1 shows the area of the Cairngorms and, within this, the present boundary of the Cairngorms National Park. The southern limit of this boundary will shortly be expanded to include Blair Athol and some other parts of Highland Perthshire.

All similarly constituted areas in the UK have a “watchdog” type membership organisation to act as a “critical friend” of the Park and harness voluntary interest and effort. The National Park does not cover the whole of the Cairngorms but the whole of the wider Cairngorms area falls within the remit of the Cairngorms Campaign which is uniquely placed among voluntary organisations to lead on solving problems in the Cairngorms through its geographic focus, breadth of remit, and the long experience of its members. The Cairngorms Campaign continues to promote best practice in management of the Cairngorms, recognising and addressing issues current to the 21st century.

The Cairngorms Campaign is a member of Scottish Environment Link, the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environmental and outdoor recreational organisations in Scotland and through it helps to formulate views on issues to the Scottish government as well as addressing that government on relevant issues. It also sustains the Cairngorms Liaison Group, which helps similar groups with an interest in the Cairngorms to share their knowledge and experience in formulating their actions and policies.

Click here to find out how to join the Cairngorms Campaign.