Park for All & Pride: inclusion rooted in our National Park
June marks Pride Month – a global celebration of LGBTQ+ people and their right to feel safe, seen and welcome everywhere. At Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, we mark the month proudly, but we’re also proud that our commitment to inclusion stretches beyond June’s celebrations each year. Our long-term commitment is rooted in our National Park Partnership Plan, our Corporate Plan and evidenced in our Equality Outcomes Report – shaping and informing the decisions we make and the experiences our team work to create all year round. Our work across the organisation is stewarded by our ‘Park For All’ working group and scrutinised at Board level, so every promise we make – we follow up with action.
Co-design in action: an inclusive camping weekend
Our ongoing collaboration with LGBT Youth Scotland’s Stirling group shows what this looks like in practice and our commitment to a co-design lead engagement approach, as we make every effort to work with communities on a long-term basis, not for them in the short-term.
- Summer 2024 – We were introduced to the group through our Summer Inclusion Programme and co-hosted an online workshop where young people mapped their past experiences of visiting the National Park and told us honestly, how we could do better – and we listened openly.
- Winter 2024-25 – Together we turned those ideas into a plan: an inclusive residential that sought to remove those barriers the young people had told us existed.
- 9–11 May 2025 – The plan came to life at our Loch Achray campsite. We:
- booked the entire site so participants felt completely safe and at ease;
- provided tents, mats, stoves and sleeping bags so no-one had to buy kit to take part;
- partnered with our brilliant Rangers and Volunteer Rangers to help with the warm welcome kit set-up and first-night campcraft;
- delivered nature-connection activities that highlighted the National Parks landscapes and species that we were immersed in as well as some natural art expertly co-facilitated by creative practitioner Sam from Creative Stirling;
- rounded the weekend off with a celebratory cruise on historic Loch Katrine Steamship.
Ali Cush (she/her), Education & Inclusion Adviser, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority said:
“Seeing the young people relax, laugh and claim the space as their own was one of the most uplifting weekends of my 25-year career. True inclusion isn’t a quick fix or a bolt-on; it’s deeply rooted into how we welcome everyone, listen and act as a National Park Authority.
“Weekends like this bring our Equality Outcomes to life. They show that meaningful inclusion has to go beyond an annual campaign or a box ticking exercise – but a core test and commitment for our work in the long-term. When young people tell us they feel seen in Scotland’s first National Park, that’s proof our strategy is delivering real, tangible impact.”
What’s next
- Glasgow Pride, 19th July: Our first ever attendance at a Pride event!
- Stirling Pride, 20 September 2025: We’ll be there with our marketplace stall, as well as joining the youth group in the Youth Zone to reconnect with the group and see some of their nature inspired art on display, – and marching with Pride of course!
- Ranger-led Nature Walk, autumn 2025: An adventure co-designed with the group as part of Stirling Pride’s Rural Tour, and our Nature Connections Campaign
- Annual camp, spring 2026: Planning is already under way to make the Loch Achray experience a yearly tradition.
Inclusion is a journey, not a destination. We are by no means claiming to have achieved our goals, or have all the answers but by working with communities rather than claiming to work for them, we’re learning every day how to keep our National Park welcoming, joyful and safe for everyone.
So, come and say hello to the Park for All group and wider National Park staff at the Pride events, visit our Nature Hub: Nature Hub – Here. Now. All of us. – Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park for some mindfulness and nature connection activities or for further information about a supported visit to the National Park through our inclusion programme get in touch with Ali at education@lochlomond-trossachs.org
Ali Cush, Education & Inclusion Advisor, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority