Letter: No wasteland

Whether it is grouse or gold mines, your correspondents (Letters, 17 August) should bear in mind that the uses of both resources come on the back of centuries of human use and abuse of the Highland environment.

In the case of Highland sporting estates these, at around 200 years old, are a comparatively recent phenomenon and their initiation was not predicated on an ecological or social impact study.

Indeed, their initiation instituted nothing less than a wholesale slaughter of native wildlife that continues in modified form to this day.

Their creation also overlapped with the mass introduction of non-native sheep associated with the ethnic cleansing of Gaelic culture.

The Highlands are a far cry from true wilderness and our national parks are nothing of the kind, not even being owned by the nation.

The unspoken predominant view of politicians seems to be that the Highlands are a wasteland ripe for development.

The Highland environment and local communities would be better served if the view of the Highlands being a wasted land ready for rehabilitation was changed.

The core issue is how we can create a sustainable cultural landscape with vibrant human communities and enriched native biodiversity. Gold mines, golf coursesand grouse moors are simply not enough.

RON GREER

Blair Atholl

Perthshire