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National parks of England and Wales

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great
Britain


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   The Brecon Beacons National Park, looking from the highest point of Pen
   Y Fan (886 m/2907 feet) to Cribyn (795 m/2608 feet).
   Enlarge
   The Brecon Beacons National Park, looking from the highest point of Pen
   Y Fan (886  m/2907  feet) to Cribyn (795 m/2608 feet).

   The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively
   undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National
   Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. Despite the name,
   national parks in England and Wales are quite different from those in
   many other countries, where national parks are owned and managed by the
   government as a protected community resource, and permanent human
   communities are not a part of the landscape. In England and Wales,
   designation as a national park can include substantial settlements and
   land uses which are often integral parts of the landscape, and land
   within a national park remains largely in private ownership.

   There are currently 12 national parks ( Welsh: parciau cenedlaethol) in
   England and Wales (see List of national parks). A further area in
   England — the South Downs — is in the process of being designated as a
   national park. Each park is operated by its own National Park
   Authority, with two "statutory purposes":
    1. to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural
       heritage of the area, and
    2. to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the
       park's special qualities by the public.

   An estimated 110 million people visit the national parks of England and
   Wales each year. Recreation and tourism bring visitors and funds into
   the parks, to sustain their conservation efforts and support the local
   population through jobs and businesses. These visitors also bring
   problems, such as erosion and traffic congestion, and conflicts over
   the use of the parks' resources.

History

Untamed countryside?

   Archaeological evidence from prehistoric Britain demonstrates that the
   areas now designated as national parks have had human occupation since
   the Stone Age, at least 5,000 years ago and in some cases much earlier.
   Scafell Pike (right) and Scafell (left) in the Lake District National
   Park, as seen from Crinkle Crags.
   Enlarge
   Scafell Pike (right) and Scafell (left) in the Lake District National
   Park, as seen from Crinkle Crags.

   Before the 19th century, relatively wild, remote areas were often seen
   simply as uncivilised and dangerous. In 1725, Daniel Defoe described
   the High Peak as "the most desolate, wild and abandoned country in all
   England.". However, by the early 19th century, romantic poets such as
   Byron, Coleridge and Wordsworth wrote about the inspirational beauty of
   the "untamed" countryside. Significantly, in 1810, Wordsworth described
   the Lake District as a "sort of national property in which every man
   has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to
   enjoy". This early vision took over a century, and much controversy, to
   take legal form in the UK with the National Parks and Access to the
   Countryside Act 1949.

   The idea for a form of national parks was first proposed in the United
   States in the 1860s, where National Parks were established to protect
   wilderness areas such as Yosemite. This model has been used in many
   other countries since, but not in the United Kingdom. After thousands
   of years of human integration into the landscape, Britain lacks natural
   areas of wilderness. Furthermore, those areas of natural beauty so
   cherished by the romantic poets were often only maintained and managed
   in their existing state by human activity, usually agriculture.

Government support for national parks is established

   By the early 1930s, increasing public interest in the countryside,
   coupled with the growing and newly mobile urban population, was
   generating increasing friction between those seeking access to the
   countryside and landowners. Alongside of direct action trespasses, such
   as the mass trespass of Kinder Scout, several voluntary bodies took up
   the cause of public access in the political arena.

   In 1931, Christopher Addison (later Lord Addison) chaired a government
   committee that proposed a 'National Park Authority' to choose areas for
   designation as national parks. A system of national reserves and nature
   sanctuaries was proposed:

          "(i) to safeguard areas of exceptional natural interest against
          (a) disorderly development and (b) spoliation; (ii) to improve
          the means of access for pedestrians to areas of natural beauty;
          and (iii) to promote measures for the protection of flora and
          fauna."

   However, no further action was taken after the intervention of the 1931
   General Election.

   The voluntary Standing Committee on National Parks first met on 26 May
   1936 to put the case to the government for national parks in the UK.
   After World War II, the Labour Party proposed the establishment of
   national parks as part of the post-war reconstruction of the UK. A
   report by John Dower, secretary of the Standing Committee on National
   Parks, to the Minister of Town and Country Planning in 1945 was
   followed in 1947 by a Government committee, this time chaired by Sir
   Arthur Hobhouse, which prepared legislation for national parks, and
   proposed 12 national parks. Sir Arthur had this to say on the criteria
   for designating suitable areas:

          "The essential requirements of a National Park are that it
          should have great natural beauty, a high value for open-air
          recreation and substantial continuous extent. Further, the
          distribution of selected areas should as far as practicable be
          such that at least one of them is quickly accessible from each
          of the main centres of population in England and Wales. Lastly
          there is merit in variety and with the wide diversity of
          landscape which is available in England and Wales, it would be
          wrong to confine the selection of National Parks to the more
          rugged areas of mountain and moorland, and to exclude other
          districts which, though of less outstanding grandeur and
          wildness, have their own distinctive beauty and a high
          recreational value."

National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949

   Hadrian's Wall crosses Northumberland National Park.
   Enlarge
   Hadrian's Wall crosses Northumberland National Park.

   The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 was passed
   with all party support. The first 10 national parks were designated as
   such in the 1950s under the Act in mostly poor-quality agricultural
   upland. The land was still owned by individual landowners, often
   private estates, but also property owned by public bodies such as the
   Crown, or charities which allow and encourage access such as the
   National Trust. Accessibility from the cities was also considered
   important.

   Other areas were also considered: for example, parts of the coast of
   Cornwall were considered as a possible national park in the 1950s but
   were thought to be too disparate to form a single coherent national
   park and were eventually designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural
   Beauty (AONB) instead. The north Pennines were also considered for
   designation as a national park in the 1970s but the proposal was
   thought to be administratively too difficult because the area was
   administered by 5 different county councils.

Later additions

   The Broads are not in the strictest sense a national park, being run by
   a separately constituted Broads Authority set up by a special Act of
   Parliament in 1988, but the differences are sufficiently small that
   this entity is always regarded as being "equivalent to" a national
   park.

   The New Forest was designated as a national park on March 1, 2005.

   A further national park in the South Downs is proposed, and received
   support from the government in September 1999. The South Downs is the
   last of the 12 areas chosen in the 1947 Hobhouse Report which has yet
   to become a national park. As of February 2005, a public inquiry is
   being held to decide the boundaries of the proposed national park. The
   Inquiry sat for 90 days in 2004 before being formally closed on 23
   March 2005, . The report from the inspector is expected to be published
   in the first months of 2006, and designation process is expected to
   take another two to three years.

Organisation

   Since April 1997, following the Environment Act 1995, each national
   park has been managed by its own National Park Authority. Previously,
   all but the Peak District and the Lake District were governed by the
   local county councils. The Peak District and the Lake District, the
   first two national parks to be designated, were under the control of
   Planning Boards that were independent of the local county councils.

   Each Authority is required to carry out two "statutory purposes":
    1. to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural
       heritage of the area; and
    2. to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the
       parks' special qualities by the public.

   These purposes can conflict: in such cases, under the ' Sandford
   Principle', conservation comes first. This principle was given
   statutory force by section 62 of the Environment Act 1995. In pursuing
   these purposes, National Park Authorities also have a duty to foster
   the social and economic well-being of their local communities.

   Slightly over half the members of each National Park Authority are
   appointees from the Principal Local Authorities covered by the park;
   the remainder are appointed by the Secretary of State for Environment,
   Food and Rural Affairs, some to represent local parish councils, others
   selected to represent the "national interest". The Broads Authority
   also has members appointed by the Countryside Agency, English Nature,
   Great Yarmouth Port Authority and the Environment Agency. The National
   Park and Broad Authorities are covered by similar regulatory controls
   to those applied to local councils.

   Funding for national parks is complex, but essentially the full cost of
   each Park Authority is funded from central government funds. In the
   past this was partly paid for by local authorities, and refunded to
   them from the government to varying degrees. In 2003/2004, the Park
   Authorities received around £35.5 million of central government
   funding.

   The Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales are the
   statutory bodies responsible for designating new national parks,
   subject to approval by the Secretary of State. The Association of
   National Park Authorities exists to provide the Park Authorities with a
   single voice when dealing with government and its agencies. The Council
   for National Parks is a charity that works to protect and enhance the
   national parks of England and Wales.

Planning in national parks

   National Park Authorities are strategic and local planning authorities
   for their areas. They are responsible for maintaining the Local
   Development Framework — the spatial planning guide for their area. They
   also grant planning consent for development, within the constraints of
   the Framework. This gives them very considerable direct control over
   residential and industrial development, and the design of buildings and
   other structures; as well as strategic matters such as mineral
   extraction.

   The National Park Authorities' planning powers vary only slightly from
   other authorities, but the policies and their interpretation are
   stricter than elsewhere. This is supported and encouraged by the
   Government who regard:

          "National Park designation as conferring the highest status of
          protection as far as landscape and scenic beauty are concerned."
          The Countryside — Environmental Quality and Economic and Social
          Development (1997)

Conflicts in national parks

   The National Park Authorities have two roles: to conserve and enhance
   the park, and to promote its use by visitors. These two objectives
   cause frequent conflicts between the needs of different groups of
   people. It is estimated that the national parks of England and Wales
   receive 110 million visitors each year. Although recreation and tourism
   brings many benefits to an area, it also brings a number of problems.
   The national funding offered to National Park Authorities is partly in
   recognition of the extra difficulties created in dealing with these
   conflicts.

   Congestion of villages and beauty spots
          Some of the most popular " honeypot" areas attract large numbers
          of visitors, resulting in overcrowded car parks, blocked roads,
          and overstretched local facilities, particularly on Sundays in
          the summer and on bank holidays. Examples include the areas near
          Keswick in the Lake District and Buxton and Bakewell in the Peak
          District.

   Erosion
          Walking and use of other public rights-of-way is an extremely
          popular use of all the national parks. Heavy use of the most
          popular paths leads to considerable erosion, but strengthening
          of paths can be unsightly. Particularly heavy wear is caused by
          sponsored walks, walks promoted by national books and magazines,
          by horse riding on unsurfaced bridleways, and use of off-road
          vehicles on green lanes. Examples include Dovedale in the Peak
          District. Over-grazing, for example, by sheep on hill and
          moorland areas, can also reduce vegetation, leading to increased
          erosion.

   Damage and disturbance to wildlife
          Wildlife may be disturbed by the level of use on some of the
          areas of the parks that are open to the public. Moorland and
          chalk downland is easily damaged by regular use, and takes many
          years to recover. Moorland birds in particular nest and roost on
          the ground and are therefore especially sensitive. Orienteering,
          mountain biking and hang gliding are typical activities which
          are likely to cause disturbance to nesting birds.

   Litter
          Litter of all kinds is both unsightly and can cause pollution
          and damage to livestock and wild animals. Broken glass is a
          danger to people and, by focusing the rays of the sun, a
          possible cause of fire, particularly in areas of moorland such
          as Exmoor, parts of the Peak District and the North York Moors.

   Damage to farmland
          Trampling of grass meadows reduces the amount of winter feed for
          farm animals. Walkers who stray from footpaths may climb over
          fences or dry stone walls rather than looking out for the stiles
          that mark the course of footpaths across farmland. Sheep can be
          injured or even killed by dogs not under proper control,
          especially at lambing time.

   Local community displacement
          Gift shops and cafés which cater for the needs of tourists are
          often more profitable than shops selling everyday goods for
          local people (such as butchers or bakers). In some villages
          where tourist shops are in the majority and there are few shops
          catering for the local people, the local community may feel
          pushed out by the tourists. Prices of houses are often very high
          in tourist villages, and are purchased as second homes or
          holiday homes by holiday cottage firms or rich incomers who have
          their main homes elsewhere, leaving local families struggling to
          afford the inflated price of accommodation. This is a particular
          problem in areas within easy commuting distance of large cities,
          such as the Peak District, the Lake District, the Yorkshire
          Dales, and the New Forest.

   Conflict between recreational users
          Some forms of use of national parks interfere with other uses.
          For example, use of high-speed boats causes noise pollution, and
          conflicts with other uses such as boat trips, yachting,
          canoeing, and swimming. A controversial bylaw imposing a 10
          miles per hour speed limit came into force on Windermere on 29
          March 2005. The new speed limit for Windermere effectively
          prohibits speedboats and water skiing in the Lake District (of
          the 16 larger lakes in the Lake District, only Windermere,
          Coniston Water, Derwent Water and Ullswater have a public right
          of navigation; speed limits were imposed on the three lakes
          other than Windermere in the 1970s and 1980s).

List of national parks


   Key National Park               Est.            km²
   1   Peak District               1951             1,438
   2   Lake District               1951             2,292
   3   Snowdonia
       (Welsh: Eryri)              1951             2,142
   4   Dartmoor                    1951               956
   5   Pembrokeshire Coast
       (Welsh: Arfordir Penfro)    1952               620
   6   North York Moors            1952             1,436
   7   Yorkshire Dales             1954             1,769
   8   Exmoor                      1954               693
   9   Northumberland              1956             1,049
   10  Brecon Beacons
       (Welsh: Bannau Brycheiniog) 1957             1,351
   11  The Broads                  1988               303
   12  New Forest                  2005               580
       South Downs                 [2006 / 2007?]†  1,641
       Established total                           14,629
       Proposed total                              16,270
   Twelve areas are designated as national parks in England and Wales, and
   a thirteenth is in the process of being designated.
   Enlarge
   Twelve areas are designated as national parks in England and Wales, and
   a thirteenth is in the process of being designated.
   † — The public inquiry to decide the boundaries of the proposed
   national park formally closed on 23 March 2005. Formal designation as a
   national park may occur in 2006 or 2007.

   At the beginning of 2005, some 9.3% of the area of England and Wales
   lay within national parks; the addition of South Downs and the New
   Forest would raise this to 10.7%. The three national parks in Wales
   cover around 20% of the land area of Wales.

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