Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Cairngorms, one of the last great wildernesses in Europe, are finally to become a national park, and campaigners should be rejoicing. Instead, they are furious at proposed boundaries which slice mountains in half and cover only a portion of this area of raw natural beauty.
Those angered by the unexpectedly small size of the new park, which comes into effect in March, say its map was drawn up along political rather than environmental lines, to please Highland MSPs.
That means half a remote summit such as Sgarsoch will be under national protection and half left vulnerable to exploitation.
Environmental and statutory conservation groups also say the Scottish Executive has ignored calls for the new park to be given full planning powers.
The Cairngorms include five summits above 4,000ft, remnants of old Caledonian pine woods, birch woodland, marshes, meandering rivers and remote glens.
The region is home to scarce plants, insects, birds and mammals. Instead of encircling and fully covering the wildest Cairngorms mountains, the new park will cut across mountain spines, from Grantown-on-Spey in the north to Dalwhinnie in the west, and east along the border between Grampian and Perthshire to Aboyne.
"It is utterly scandalous," said Bill Wright of the Cairngorms Campaign. "The green credentials of the Scottish Executive are in tatters. This was supposed to be one of the largest parks in Europe, indeed outside the Arctic Circle."
The Scottish Executive ignored its environmental advisory body, Scottish Natural Heritage, which recommended the park cover 1,775sq miles. Instead, the executive argues its new boundaries, enclosing 1,440sq miles, will guarantee "good governance".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments