The costs to farmers and estate owners of public access to the countryside

Abstract

This paper considers the external costs of public access on privately-owned farm and estate land in Scotland. The increased costs and reductions in income associated with public access are found to be highly variable and site-specific, with the main effects on land in areas of high population density or high scenic quality, or with recreational attributes. Although costs were on average higher for estates, reflecting their larger area and recreational potential, on a per-hectare basis the costs of access were greater for the farm sector. Whilst much of the public access exists through de facto rights on open-access land, there was evidence for an increasing commercialization of open-air recreation, particularly with respect to more specialized activities. The discussion considers the extent to which the costs of access for land managers are reflected in policies determining the public provision of countryside access.

Car park charging in the Cairngorms National Park

“…Until relatively recently, recreational access in Scotland was administered on the basis of a very informal system of implied consent (de facto access), traditional rights of way and access agreements {de jure access), and landowners' general goodwill (Crabtree et al, 1994;Christie et al, 2000). However, the introduction of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act in 2003 enhanced the public's 'right to roam' by providing a legal basis to support and extend this previously informal structure.…”

“…The CNP is a highly popular area for outdoor enthusiasts and has seen a marked increase in fee payment for parking at a number of key car parks across the area in recent years, including car parks which provide access to the Cairngorms, Lochnagar and other popular recreation sites across the Spey and Dee valleys. Although the majority of recreational access takes place on privately owned land (Crabtree et al, 1994), and the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) does not have any statutory control over car parking on that land, it is possible that a strategic role could be played by the authority in adopting a policy solution which would be mutually beneficial to each of the stakeholders involved.…”

“…Many advocates of fee payment draw on the 'user should pay' principle, arguing that charges allow landowners to recoup the financial costs associated with providing public access to the countryside (Crabtree et a!., 1994), and as a practical mechanism for managing visitor congestion at popular recreation sites (Hanley et al, 2002). On the other hand, representatives of the outdoor access lobby believe that charges represent a 'back door' approach to restricting de facto and de jure rights of public access (Simpson, 2004;TAC, 2004a;MCofS, 2005).…”

Recreational demand for farm commonage in Ireland: A contingent valuation assessment

“…There is some evidence that landowner welfare could be negatively affected by the activities of the general public (Denman, 1978;Crabtree and Chalmers, 1994). In the main this is due to the detrimental effects on the business activities of farms (lost output or increased costs), but there are also thought to be minor impacts in terms of a reduction in the amenity and aesthetic qualities of a property.…”

Walking in the Irish countryside: landowner preferences and attitudes to improved public access provision

“…Crabtree and Chalmers (1994), investigated the costs of public access provision on private farm land in Scotland, although this study was not concerned with measuring willingness to accept (WTA) payments to provide access. Crabtree (1997) examined the value for money of a number of agri-environmental schemes in the UK that had access provision as an option.…”