National Access Forum - 10 June 2026

National Access Forum – 69th meeting on Wednesday 10th June 2026, 10:30 – 14:20

Hybrid meeting – In-person at Battleby and Virtual via MS Teams

1. Welcome, introductions and apologies – Richard Barron – 10:30 – 10:45
    
2. Minutes of previous meetings, action points and matters arising – Richard Barron – 10:45 – 10:55

AP 68/1: NAFSec to invite Amber Cowan to speak to NAF about her research on signage and circulate link to her talk at RSPB Recreation in Nature Conference – discharged 

AP 68/2: NAF members who would like to be involved with planning of NAF/LAF 2026, please get in touch with NAFSec – discharged

AP 68/3: NAFSec to send link to RSPB Recreation in Nature Conference to Commercial and Events sub-group members – discharged

AP 68/4: Rhianna Montgomery to share link to NFUS campaign on lambing and livestock with NAFSec who will send it to members – discharged

3. NatureScot Chair – Colin Galbraith – 10:55 – 11:25
    
4. Enjoying nature and the outdoors + SOAC promotion and behaviour change – Bridget Jones – 11:25 – 11:45
    
5. Resources for access sub-group update – Gavin Corbett – 11:45 – 11:55
    
6. SOAC communications – Rhiannon Law – 11:55 – 12:10
    
7. SOAC supporting guidance review programme – Caroline Fyfe – 12:10 – 12:40

• Commercial/events guidance sub-group update – Fiona Murray

Lunch – 12:40 – 13:10

8. Signage – Amber Cowan/Richard Armstrong – 13:10 – 13:30
    
9. Legal opinion on drones under the LR(S)A 2003 – Bridget Jones – 13:30 – 13:40
    
10. National Access Forum membership review – Ali Tait – 13:40 – 13:50
     
11. NAF/LAF 2026 – Ali Tait – 13:50 – 14:00
     
12. Private level crossings and core paths sub-group update – Sue Hilder – 13:50 – 14:00
     
13. Meeting dates and agenda items – Richard Barron – 14:00 – 14:10

• NAF meeting – 7th October 2026 – venue tbc
• Agenda item – Convenor second term    
   

14. A.O.B. – 14:10 – 14:20

• Future Routes Fund – Ali Tait
• Transcribing future NAF meetings

Close – tea and coffee

Author: Rhiannon Law, Communications Officer, NatureScot

Spring campaign results

The spring Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) paid campaign ran from 16th February to 27th March. Highlights included:

• Paid social media adverts (on Meta and Snapchat) achieved an overall click-through rate of 2.72% (an increase of 183% on last spring’s CTR) and the overall cost per click reduced by -58.6%, resulting in a strong performance and value for money.
• Strong influencer performance generated nearly 121,000 views and high engagement rates.
• Radio reached over 1 million adults in Scotland.

For this spring SOAC campaign, we partnered with two influencers: Mark-Antony Yorkston (@HikingWithMark on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok) and Sean Hannah (@SeanTheSheepman on TikTok and Facebook). We felt this was a strong pairing as Mark’s polished, cinematic style would complement Sean’s more authentic and conversational style while both post on different channels and to different audiences, helping broaden the campaign’s overall reach. Both influencers successfully communicated NatureScot’s SOAC guidance, particularly around responsible dog walking, while also mentioning other general tips such as picking up litter and leaving no trace.

Activities planned and in progress

We will continue to use content from influencers and advertising on social media and radio to highlight our summer seasonal messages.

We also published a SOAC-themed quiz on the Commonplace online citizen engagement platform to encourage people to test their knowledge of the Code and help us better understand how well it is understood. After posting the link to the quiz on the SOAC website to get initial feedback before the pre-election period began, we received just under 300 responses. We are currently planning wider promotion now that the election is over, including sending the link to subscribers on the Commonplace platform.

We are continuing work to refresh the SOAC website to provide clear navigation paths for the public and land and access managers. Through this process we will also ensure that the updated content reflects the current range of outdoor activities and ways that people access the outdoors, while emphasising the continuing relevance of the principles and retaining the essential information from the Code.

We are also redesigning the current graphics in formats suitable for sharing on social media and for on-site posters, focusing on key Code-related topics.

NatureScot
June 2026
 

Purpose

This paper updates the Forum on NatureScot’s review of guidance on the Outdoor Access Scotland website.

Action

The Forum is asked to note progress since the last meeting on 18 February 2026, as follows:

• Memorandum of Understanding on the use of private level crossings (PLCs) for non-motorised public access in Scotland was published on 26 February and Network Rail issued a press release on 12 May
   
• Open Fires and BBQs in the Outdoors guidance has been updated
   
• ongoing work with updating:
  • Outdoor events in Scotland guidance
  • Managing tent-based camping in Scotland guidance
     
• Proposal submitted to Scottish Government for minor updates (not review) to SOAC and Annex 1 Existing criminal offences created by statute
   
• a new section titled ‘Legal opinions on matters relating to access rights’ has been added to the NAF guidance documents web page
  • Opinion – drones and access rights (March 2026)
  • Opinion - promotion of access routes and landowner liability (May 2024)

Background

NatureScot provided a paper for the NAF meeting on 18 September 2024 outlining plans for reviewing and updating guidance on the Outdoor Access Scotland website. We committed to liaise with the organisations involved in producing each guidance document, and seek input and endorsement from the Forum on the National Access Forum guidance documents and any others of relevance. A ‘NAF approval stamp’ is used on guidance approved by the Forum.

Guidance review – progress

The table below provides a summary of progress since the last NAF meeting.

NatureScot
June 2026

Proposed new guidance 

Other guidance

Opinion on drones and access rights from legal advisers, Harper Macleod LLP.

Purpose

This paper presents an update of the progress of the NAF membership review.

Background

Following the update of the NAF operating principles, NAFSec was instructed to commence the first phase of the membership review – recreation and land management organisations.

Members are reminded of the four-year cycle for membership review which is set out in the updated operating principles:

• Year 1 – Review recreation and land management organisations (7.1)
• Year 2 – Review “other interests” organisations, public bodies and LA/NPA and LAF representative roles (7.2, 7.3 and 7.4)
• Year 3 – No review required
• Year 4 – No review required

The six forum members within the recreation grouping are:

• British Horse Society Scotland
• Cycling UK Scotland
• Mountaineering Scotland
• Paddle Scotland
• Ramblers Scotland
• Scottish Cycling

NAFSec has contacted the members who fall into the recreation category asking whether they would like to retain their membership, with a request to do so by 16th June. Three organisations have expressed their desire to remain as members (British Horse Society, Ramblers Scotland and Mountaineering Scotland) and three are yet to respond.

NAFSec will be contacting members who fall under the land management category in June, to ask whether they wish to remain members of the forum. Those members are:

• Association of Deer Management Groups
• British Association for Shooting & Conservation
• Confederation of Forest Industries - Confor
• Historic Houses Scotland
• NFU Scotland
• Scottish Land & Estates

NAFSec will give a further update at the October meeting.

Scottish Countryside Ranger Association have expressed an interest in becoming a member of the forum should the opportunity arise.

Action

Members are asked to note the update, with Year 1 of the membership review to be concluded at the NAF meeting in October 2026, when the outcome of the member consultation will be presented and decisions sought, if required, on membership.

Purpose

To update the forum on the progress of planning for the 2026 NAF/LAF meeting.

Background

Under Section 3 of the National Operating Principles, it is stated that one of the ways in which the forum will achieve it’s aims is by liaising regularly with local access forums. The National Access Forum comes together with Local Access Forums once a year at an annual meeting to discuss issues that are impacting Local Access Forums and to provide an update on the work of the National Access Forum.

In previous years, the planning of the annual NAF/LAF meeting has been done through a sub-group of the National Access Forum, comprised of NAF members and input being invited by Local Access Forum Chairs. With the aim of creating as useful a meeting as possible for LAF Chairs, it was agreed at the Feb 2026 NAF meeting that NAFSec would invite LAF Chairs to volunteer to the sub-group (alongside the Local Access Forums Representative – Nick Cole).

NAFSec invited expressions of interest from LAF Chairs in May 2026, with the aim of identifying four LAF Chairs who would represent a spread of interests e.g. a geographic spread, urban/rural.

Five LAF Chairs volunteered, and it was agreed that the group would be expanded to include all five volunteers. The group will meet later in June.

Action

Members are asked to note the update and let NAFSec know whether they are willing to act as break-out room facilitators if required (subject to availability). 
 

Purpose

This paper has been prepared by Bridget Jones (NatureScot – Recreation and Paths Manager). It gives an update on two pieces of work currently being progressed by NatureScot. 

The first is to prepare a plan, Enjoying Nature and the Outdoors, that details what we are doing to encourage people to enjoy the outdoors, re-connect with nature and maximise the benefits that our extensive rights of access bring to the people of Scotland and visitors. 

This is directly linked to a second piece of work to update and plan our approaches to fulfilling our statutory role to promote and publicise the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. This will be done by commissioning behaviour change and communication consultants. We are proposing that the consultants present draft proposals to the NAF for comment at an appropriate meeting later in 2026/27.

Action

Members are invited to discuss the proposed aim, key themes and work areas and make suggestions for further consideration in Enjoying Nature and the Outdoors.

Members to note proposals for the development of a new SOAC Behaviour Change and Promotion programme.

Enjoying Nature and the Outdoors

For those newer to outdoor access and recreation it is worth being aware of some of the history behind NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage) policy and planning in this area. This is a much-abridged summary:

The first “Enjoying the Outdoors” (ETO) – A Programme for Action was published in 1994 (cost to buy a copy was £7.50). It set out an ambitious programme which included proposals following on from a major review of the arrangements for access to the countryside. It built on work that had been progressed by the predecessor organisation, the Countryside Commission for Scotland, and the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 which established SNH. Much of its content is still relevant today:

• The provision of opportunities for outdoor recreation, particularly close to home
• Better management of recreation and other land-uses

Over the subsequent years the Scottish Parliament was established which saw the clarification of access rights in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the establishment of two National Parks in 2002 and 2003 under the provisions of the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000.

In 2007 and 2008 SNH updated the ETO policy and framework documents. However, changes to funding arrangements for outdoor access in 2009 impacted on delivery and over subsequent years the national planning framework and developing agendas in health and later active travel and agri-environment scheme funding for paths became more of a focus, with the access authorities progressing delivery locally.

The plans from 2007/208 had a focus which we still recognise today:

“Everyone in Scotland is able to enjoy the outdoors as part of their daily life and they have improved opportunities for participation in outdoor recreation, education and volunteering. Closer links have been developed between outdoor recreation and everyday journeys for work, school and other local trips.

The benefits will be improved quality of life, better health and well-being, greater understanding and care of the natural world, more sustainable patterns of travel and economic development and stronger communities. – Enjoying the Outdoors – 2007 – SNH’s Vision”

The key themes also remain relevant:

• Participation
• Promoting access
• Paths
• Places

A new plan – Enjoying Nature and the Outdoors – A NatureScot and Partners Action Plan

Following on from the publication of our new Corporate Plan, discussions between NatureScot and Scottish Government, and reflecting on over 20 years of access rights we saw an opportunity to clarify NatureScot’s priorities and ambition and show some clear direction.

The plan will present the main areas of work that NatureScot is involved in to deliver our people and nature focused Corporate Plan strategic priority. It will also identify areas to consider further and develop, with a big focus on involving and working with others.

The following provides a proposed outline for the plan:

Strategic fit: NatureScot Corporate Plan: strategic action 2.1 – Celebrate and champion the benefits to people of being connected to nature.

Aim:

To improve people’s awareness of and connection to nature and increase the number of people benefiting from enjoying the outdoors.

Priority areas of activity:

1. Scottish Outdoor Access Code - behaviour change and promotion
2. Awareness and motivation for all of Scotland’s people to take up opportunities to enjoy nature and outdoors
3. Providing accessible places and paths for people to enjoy
4. Sharing knowledge and working with others
5. Making the case – promoting the cross-sector benefits of being outdoors in nature  

Existing work to build on:

• SOAC promotion and education – communications and campaign work, teaching and learning resources, supporting guidance and linked to a new behaviour change programme
   
• SOAC monitoring of awareness and understanding - Scottish People and Nature Survey and new engagement platform.
   
• Accessible National Nature Reserves – path grading, access, signage and information improvements.
   
• Outdoor recreation and access management knowledge sharing - including National Access Forum, NAF/LAF, Upland Path Advisory Group and Long Distance Trails Forum and working with others such as SOAN, SCRA, ORN etc. and developing closer links with the access authorities.

Some of the proposed new strategic areas to scope/develop:

• Paths and rangers – national funding
• New SOAC behaviour change programme and website
• Country Park, Regional Park and Forest Parks – provision and gap analysis.
• New outdoor recreation and nature parks for city populations
• New approach for “national trails” 
• Scotland’s paths and outdoor spaces- where to go in the outdoors, mapping and information
• Management of visitor pressures in the countryside – delivering a national approach to sustainable tourism.

Scottish Outdoor Access Code Behaviour Change and Promotion programme

A separate linked piece of work that NatureScot is undertaking is to refresh our plans for how we promote and publicise the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. 

We are going to commission a consultancy to develop a new communications programme to guide the next 5 – 10 years of activity. This will be done using specialists in behavioural science and communications to:

• Raise levels of awareness of the Code and the three key principles
• Improve general understanding of access rights and the Code.
• Address specific, and in some cases longer running, concerns with behaviours associated with specific activities and/or situation such as:
  • Lambing, livestock, deer stalking, forestry
  • Camping
  • Fires 
  • Dog control
  • Wildlife disturbance, bird breeding/nesting, seals
  • Shared use paths
  • Locked gates, prohibitive signage

This will include identifying target audiences, designing methods and techniques for influencing behaviours and in scalable options. It will inform how we deliver our communications and campaign work, educational and learning work as well as on our National Nature Reserves and other new project opportunities that may emerge.

A key part of developing the new approaches will be early engagement with others involved in Code promotion, in particular the access authorities, NAF, NGOs and a range of other organisations. Achieving a more joined up approach between what we do nationally and what happens “on the ground” will be key to delivering a programme that works.

We also intend to carry out more in-depth analysis of the evidence base and may commission further research to gain deeper understanding, if required.

We are in the process of drafting the brief and aim to tender and appoint over the summer with a deadline for completion no later than March 2027.

A lot has changed since the first communication plans for the Code when it and the legislation for access rights was new and unknown. Levels of understanding have changed, how we communicate and what we communicate has changed and society has arguably changed too. With developments in digital communications in particular and also in how and what people do in the outdoors. This exciting piece of work will help identify the best ways to make a difference, tackle the long running issues and ensure we are making the most of the resources we have. 

NatureScot
June 2026