A good start

The Year of Natural Scotland got off to a start with a £2.9m cash pot for projects in National Parks. First Minister Alex Salmond said the extra funding will help boost the appeal of the parks to tourists. Cairngorms attracts 1.4 million visitors each year contributing £115m to the economy, while Loch Lomond and Trossachs attracts four million visitors each year, contributing £153m.