Immediate release
07/01/09
Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Rob Gibson has called for people power to put Caithness and Sutherland on the World Heritage map.
Photo: Landscape near Forsinard next to the Flow Country. Mr Gibson call comes in the wake of launch of a consultation from the UK Culture, Media and Sport Department to seek people's views on which areas should be considered for UNESCO world heritage status.
Scotland already boasts five sites including Skara Brae and St Kilda. Now Mr Gibson is calling on people to nominate the Flow Country at Forsinard which straddles Caithness and Sutherland.
The Flow Country is thought to be the largest single area of blanket bog in the world and is already on the tentative list for World Heritage status.
Mr Gibson (who opened a National Nature Reserve there last year) believes that extra support could push that the Flow Country needs to make it a World Heritage Site....
"The Flow Country at Forsinard is truly unique. You will not find a parallel in the world. The habitat allows the rarest of wildlife and vegetation to live. It is important as a natural carbon capture area which cannot be over emphasised in this climate change era. Forsinard can be put on the world map."
"The benefits which would accrue to both Caithness and Sutherland that the status would bring cannot be underestimated. It would bring the area to global attention and stimulate interest and bring visitors. It would be a win win situation."
"I hope that people of Caithness and Sutherland and around Scotland will nominate the flow country."
You can access the consultation to nominate the flow country at http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/5629.aspx which is party of the UK Culture Media and Sport Department Website. http://www.culture.gov.uk/
ENDS
Note
Further details of Flow country
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1323
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1323
Scotland already boasts five sites including Skara Brae and St Kilda. Now Mr Gibson is calling on people to nominate the Flow Country at Forsinard which straddles Caithness and Sutherland.
The Flow Country is thought to be the largest single area of blanket bog in the world and is already on the tentative list for World Heritage status.
Mr Gibson (who opened a National Nature Reserve there last year) believes that extra support could push that the Flow Country needs to make it a World Heritage Site....
"The Flow Country at Forsinard is truly unique. You will not find a parallel in the world. The habitat allows the rarest of wildlife and vegetation to live. It is important as a natural carbon capture area which cannot be over emphasised in this climate change era. Forsinard can be put on the world map."
"The benefits which would accrue to both Caithness and Sutherland that the status would bring cannot be underestimated. It would bring the area to global attention and stimulate interest and bring visitors. It would be a win win situation."
"I hope that people of Caithness and Sutherland and around Scotland will nominate the flow country."
You can access the consultation to nominate the flow country at http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/5629.aspx which is party of the UK Culture Media and Sport Department Website. http://www.culture.gov.uk/
ENDS
Note
Further details of Flow country
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1323
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1323
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