Nevis Ranger Team

With the Covid-19 restrictions limiting travel, people from all over the UK spent more time
in the summer of 2020 holidaying in the Scottish countryside. Glen Nevis was no exception, with a
surge of visitors immediately after the lockdown measures were eased. This was a
great opportunity for people to connect with nature, spend quality time outdoors and
appreciate the amazing wild places that are available in The Glen. Unfortunately, the impact
from increased visitor numbers and unfamiliarity of responsible access by many ‘new’
visitors had a negative impact on the environment. This includes litter and camping related issues such as abandoned tents, fire rings and cut down trees, irresponsible toileting and traffic congestion on country roads. However, generous support from the National
Lottery Heritage Fund allowed for a team of four Seasonal Rangers to be deployed by The Nevis Landscape Partnership (NLP) for four months to tackle increased pressures. Rangers provided visitors with local information and reminded them to “leave no trace” and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) in a positive and engaging way. The Ranger team took on a number of tasks including patrolling, conservation, landmanagement and education and community engagement work.