"What would your party do to promote the increased protection of Scottish mountains during the next term of the Scottish Parliament, and what importance do you place on people's enjoyment and appreciation of our finest mountain areas?"

And their answers:

Scottish Green Party	Scottish National Party	Scottish Conservatives
Scottish Socialist Party	Scottish Liberal Democrats	Scottish Labour Party

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party We are extremely fortunate in Scotland to have a countryside which is a rich tapestry of fauna and flora. Caring for this environment is central to Conservatism. Our instincts are to admire the product of natural evolution; to resist change where none is necessary; to preserve our heritage; to conserve; to husband resources; and to maximise efficiency. Creating a sense of community by encouraging people to take ownership of their local environment will ensure preservation and enjoyment of our natural environment, including our mountains, to the benefit of future generations. The Scottish Conservatives support the development of innovative approaches to protecting the present state of our environment, reflected in our balanced energy policy. We accept that renewables, not limited to but including wind farms, have a long-term role to play in the future provision of our energy needs but these projects need to be sensitively sited. We therefore believe that Scottish mountains like the rest of our natural environment can exist harmoniously in conjunction with pro-environment development. Our environment also has a vital role to play within our tourism industry. In 1999 walking holidays alone brought £40 million into our economy, with 1.5million participants involved. An additional £25 million was brought in by climbing holidays. These figures aptly highlight the importance of this sector and the need for their continued success. Whilst we wish to see our upland areas open to access for recreation, we have to remember that there are those, such as gamekeepers and stalkers, who have to earn a living in these areas where there are few, if any, other sources of income. A balance has to be struck between the rights of the access-taker and those of the landowner/land manager. Scottish Conservatives are concerned that the Land Reform (Scotland) Act does not strike the right balance, and will contribute to conflict in relation to access. If a consequence of this Act is that some landowners, as threatened, withdraw from Scotland and take their investment with them, then that can only be bad for the economic survival of our most fragile areas.