Environment Minister Sammy Wilson will visit Scotland this month to considers whether Northern Ireland should establish National Parks.

The Minister is to travel to the Cairngorms in the highlands of Scotland from 7-9 April for a fact finding tour of its National Park.

The visit will inform any decision Mr Wilson makes as to whether or not he will recommend to the Executive that there should be new legislation to allow for the creation of National Parks in Northern Ireland.

The Minister said: "Up until now the debate in Northern Ireland has focused on whether there should be a National Park in the Mournes, but there may be other areas which would be suitable.

"Before that, however, we first need to think about what a National Park is and decide whether or not we want National Parks in Northern Ireland. And if so, what they would be like.

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"I am coming to this with an open mind. I want to learn from the experience elsewhere.

"I am making this visit to see for myself how a National Park works in practice. I very much look forward to meeting people who live and work there and who are involved in managing the park. I will be interested to hear about their experience and to see what we can learn from the Cairngorms."

Mr Wilson said he had chosen to visit the Cairngorms because the National Park was only set up in 2003.

The Minister said he was keen to learn how it had impacted on the lives of local communities, individuals, farms and businesses.

He added: "Scotland's National Parks are the only ones in the world which have an economic as well as an environmental purpose and I am intrigued to see how that balance has been struck.

"I look forward to seeing how the Cairngorms National Park Authority and its staff are working with local landowners, businesses and communities.

"The Cairngorms has many protected landscapes and habitats. Ospreys, wild cats and a range of other rare and protected species, live there. The area’s economy depends very much on tourism based around its natural and built heritage. I will be interested in seeing how visitors to the park are managed to make sure that the area’s natural assets are conserved.

"Given in 2011 we will be devolving planning powers to councils, I will also be keen to see how the National Park Authority operates with only very limited planning powers. I will be looking at how development is managed in the Cairngorms including social and affordable housing."

(PR/JM)