About National Parks

What are the National Parks?

National Parks are beautiful, spectacular and often dramatic expanses of relatively wild country.  Each National Park has its own managing authority to conserve and enhance its natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and to help people understand and enjoy its special qualities.
National Parks are protected under legislation and through the planning system to ensure conservation and enhancement of their special qualities not just for the present, but also for future generations of residents and visitors.

Who owns land within the National Parks?

Although some land within the Parks is managed by the National Park Authority, National Park status does not automatically signify national ownership of the land as in other countries such as the USA.  Within a National Park the majority of land is owned by farmers and other private landowners including conservation organisations such as the National Trust.

How many National Parks are there in the UK?

There are 10 National Parks in England, 3 in Wales and 2 in Scotland, they are:

• England -  Dartmoor, Exmoor, Lake District, New Forest, Northumberland, North York Moors, South Downs, Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Broads which has equivalent status to a National Park.  
• Wales - Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast and Snowdonia
• Scotland - Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.

The UK’s 15 National Parks are part of a global family of over 113,000 protected areas, covering 149 million square kilometres or 6% of the Earth’s surface.  They are linked to Europe through the EUROPARC Federation – a network of European protected areas with 360 member organisations in 37 countries.

How were the National Parks established?

Until the 19th century relatively wild, remote areas had been seen as uncivilised and dangerous.  In the early 20th century a growing appreciation of the outdoors led to demands for more access to the countryside.  The conflict between landowners and public interest groups grew with the expansion of towns and cities and the enclosure of more land by landowners.

In the 1930s leisure enthusiasts and nature conservationists such as the Ramblers' Association, the Youth Hostels Association and the Council for the Preservation of Rural England pressed the government for access to and protection of the countryside.  After World War Two the movement towards creating National Parks gained momentum and an Act of Parliament passed in 1949 paved the way for the designation of several National Parks during the 1950s.

National Park purposes and the Sandford Principle

National Parks have two purposes which are to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Parks and to promote opportunities for the public understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the Parks.  In those cases where conflict exists between the two purposes and reconciliation proves impossible, the first purpose should take precedence.  This is known as the Sandford Principle.

Who runs the National Parks?

Each National Park is administered by its own National Park Authority.  They are independent bodies funded by central government.  They are members of the local government family as well as being independent, special purpose authorities established to act in the best interests of the National Parks and to encourage others to do the same.

When were the National Parks designated?

1951 – Peak District, Lake District, Snowdonia and Dartmoor
1952 – Pembrokeshire Coast and North York Moors
1954 – Yorkshire Dales and Exmoor
1956 – Northumberland
1957 – Brecon Beacons
1989 – The Broads given equivalent status to a National Park
2002 – Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
2003 – Cairngorms
2005 – New Forest

2010 - The South Downs

How are National Parks different to the National Trust, AONBs and Nature Reserves?

There are lots of different types of protected areas in the UK all with different names and different purposes.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or AONBs – AONBs were created at the same time as National Parks in 1949.  There are 49 across the UK and like National Parks they are areas of countryside that include villages and towns, as well as stunning landscapes.  Their landscapes enjoy the same legal protection as National Parks but they do not have independent authorities and are instead managed by partnerships between local communities and local authorities.

National Nature Reserves or NNRs – these are smaller, nationally important sites that are important areas of wildlife habitat.  There are over 210 National Nature Reserves in the UK that have high ecological value.  They are in many cases owned and managed by the statutory authority, for example Natural England, but not always.  An NNR has to be managed appropriately to retain its special status.

Sites of Special Scientific Interests or SSSIs – these sites contain important wildlife species, habitats or geological features.  An SSSI is given certain protection against damaging operations.

National Trust – the Trust owns land, buildings and coastline across the UK.  Most of its properties can be visited by the public.  It is independent from government and relies on its members and visitors for funding.

How can you protect a National Park if people live it in?

The people that live in National Parks play a vital role in conserving the landscape.  Lots of habitats found within the Parks, for example, moorlands, meadows, woods and wetlands, were created and are maintained by people using the land in different ways.

Many activities that take place within the National Parks help to shape the landscape and also provide economic support to local communities, for example, farming, repairing dry stone walls, laying hedgerows and harvesting timber.

How can you encourage lots of visitors to National Parks and protect the landscape?

Managing a National Park requires the careful integration of conservation, recreation and economic objectives.  People who live and work in National Parks need the support of the one hundred million visits that take place each year.  By using local services and buying local produce, visitors can help local businesses to survive in a sustainable way.
 

National Park Map 2011 (2)

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