This article appears as part of the Winds of Change newsletter.

The Scottish Government is looking like a flamingo with its ostrichy head in the sand when it comes to issues that involve National Parks – whether they’re on the banks of Loch Lomond, or potentially in the rolling hills of Galloway.

Those blushing feathers of panic tell us that the SNP don’t really know what to do over nature, or indeed the increasingly thorny issue of National Parks.

Last week, following the news that the Scottish Government’s Reporter had announced intention to approve the planning application for Flamingo Land’s Lomond Banks development, the SNP knocked back demands that Scottish Ministers call the decision in.

Public finance minister Ivan McKee said: “Given the very technical planning issues raised in this case and the high level of public interest, I consider it appropriate that objective planning judgement is applied in this case, and for that reason I do not intend to recall this appeal.”

But the pressure to call the decision in on a development that was only last year rejected by Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority after eight years of controversy is still growing. And behind that call are over 40,000 signatures on a petition by the Scottish Greens which says, "Tell Scottish Ministers to Save Loch Lomond".

Then, in other news, this week, reports emerged that Mairi Gougeon is set to make an announcement on Thursday regarding the Galloway National Park proposal for a third National Park following a recent consultation.

A Scottish Greens press release said: “On Thursday, the SNP's Rural Affairs minister is expected to scrap plans to establish a National Park in Galloway, a core commitment of the Bute House Agreement. Land-owning lobbyists have demanded investment in the area........

© Herald Scotland