The fact-finding visit began in Grantown on Spey on the evening of Sunday 11 May with a community engagement event held in the offices of the National Park Authority.

MSPs met with a range of local community representatives from the Cairngorms National Park to discuss the possible impacts of proposals outlined in the bill, which aims to help restore nature and protect biodiversity in Scotland.

Members heard views on the introduction of binding biodiversity targets for Scotland; changes to the aims and purposes of national parks; and National Park Authorities being empowered to issue fixed penalty notices for breaches of byelaws.

On Monday, members then visited Seafield, Dorback and Abernethy estates to learn more about different initiatives to tackle biodiversity loss and conserve the natural environment including native woodland expansion, deer management, natural regeneration, river restoration and natural capital investment.

Committee members in attendance at the event were Finlay Carson MSP, Tim Eagle MSP, Emma Harper MSP, Mark Ruskell MSP, Rhoda Grant MSP and Elena Whitham MSP.

Mr Carson said: “Meeting with people and groups living and working in the national park has provided us with a deeper understanding of the issues and concerns local people have about how this bill might impact them and their day-to-day working lives.

“Visiting the estates, we gained fresh insights and important practical detail about how measures in the bill might impact the land management of estates and what more might be done to help tackle biodiversity loss and conserve the natural environment.

“All of these new perspectives will help us ensure the bill’s proposals are ’fit for purpose’ to effectively underpin Scotland’s goals of protecting biodiversity and reducing harmful carbon emissions.”

Grant Moir, chief executive officer of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “It’s important that the development of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill is informed by a variety of different perspectives, not least those living and working in our national parks. We were delighted to host the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in the Cairngorms and were grateful for the contributions of everyone who attended the event and hosted the site visits.”