Protector Awards
– we returned to the Houses of Parliament for a brilliant awards ceremony unveiling the winners of this year’s Park Protector Awards from across England and Wales
Anjana Khatwa on the geological significance of National Parks and the connection between people, history and the landscape
Somehow, it’s been a year since I threw myself into the world of Campaign for National Parks. And what a year it has been. There’s been some real highs – exploring the hidden coves of Exmoor with the park ranger; our first post-pandemic team trip in the New Forest and celebrating the announcement banning the sale of peat in horticulture. But like any rollercoaster, there are also some lows. Only this morning, as I was writing the piece, the Government announced it’s lifting the fracking ban in England (in the face of clear risks to climate, countryside and communities). Thankfully, the Welsh Government is not following suit. But it’s a move that redoubtably reminds me that we cannot take for granted what we have, we must continue to defend our natural beauty and, more than that, we must fight for better, stronger protections.
at risk in National Parks
exploring the state of our waterways and the people working to protect them
I know that we are well placed to keep National Parks from sliding off the political agenda. Read from our Senior Campaigns Officer Nick Hall (on page 3) about our work with parliamentarians looking to strengthen the laws that protect our Parks.
National Parks: New Perspectives
powerful short films, an inspirational leaflet and a set of stunning portrait photos are the first stories shared as part of our new storytelling bursary scheme
One donation, double the impact – did you know that your donation could go twice as far in this winter’s Love Our National Parks appeal?
Points of View – opinion pieces from the Glover Review’s Sarah Mukherjee, Ruth Edwards MP, Ruth Jones MP and more
Who’s on your present list? Give the gift of supporting National Parks this Christmas
The real highlight of the year for me was meeting the National Park Protectors at our awards (pages 6-11). With a shortlist of 21 nominees from across England and Wales, the room was buzzing with ideas and energy. I had no doubt that most of the solutions to the problems facing National Parks were in that room – all we need are the laws, investment and policies to scale them up. I think that the Minister, Parliamentarians and other decision makers in attendance could not fail to take away the same message.
I was incredibly moved watching Kwesia’s film – the first released from our New Perspectives project (pages 16-19). As she explains, just a year ago she didn’t know what a National Park was and now it’s her ambition to enable others like her to experience them. Her film is a remarkable introduction to the beauty and magic of these landscapes, how they move us, and an inspiration to us all to keep campaigning.
Dr Rose O’Neill Chief Executive, Campaign for National Parks
Laura Williams and Jessica Glover
for National Parks
- 14 Great Dover Street, London,
Sign up to our e-newsletter:
We are deeply concerned about the fate of Protected Landscapes in England – we need the UK Government to strengthen powers now, not remove or undermine them.
For more information on our response to an increasingly worrying deregulatory agenda, and our campaign to strengthen laws to protect what we have and accelerate nature recovery, visit www. cnp.org.uk/news
This summer’s fires and droughts have vividly illustrated the scale of the nature and climate emergencies facing our Protected Landscapes and the urgent need for new powers to help them cope with these challenges.
The legislation that protects our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty was put in place in the decades before biodiversity loss and climate change took hold. Now it needs updating. The good news is that there is widespread support for this, including from the Westminster Government’s own proposals set out in their response to the Glover Review. The next step is action, which is why we are working to change legislation in England. At Campaign for National Parks, we are driving amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill which is currently going through Parliament, partnering with an alliance of over sixty organisations with Wildlife and Countryside Link and the Better Planning Coalition. As the only Westminster legislation in the near future that touches
on environmental and planning reforms, securing our aims for nature, climate and people through this Bill is vitally important.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues, it will be even more important to ensure that our Protected Landscapes are nature-rich places that everyone, no matter their background or ability, can enjoy. We’re seeking changes in legislation to ensure that all relevant organisations make inclusivity a priority, alongside other changes to the law that will prioritise nature recovery, strengthen Management Plans and improve governance. We’re also calling for stronger duties on all the organisations whose activities affect National Parks, including water companies and highways authorities.
We’ve been working with civil servants to draw up amendments and are now working with Parliamentarians across Westminster to secure the legislative wins that will allow National Parks and AONBs to thrive for generations to come.
1) Amended purposes fit for today’s challenges, to give National Parks and AONBs a renewed mission to actively recover biodiversity and nature and ensure equality of opportunity to connect with nature.
2) A new duty on National Park Authorities to tackle climate change and stronger duties on other relevant organisations to further National Park and AONB purposes.
3) More effective Management Plans that contain stronger targets and actions accompanied by a new scrutiny and sign-off process ensuring greater accountability for delivery.
4) Reforms to National Park Authority boards to increase diversity and ensure they have increased capability to drive action.
CPRE Peak District and South Yorkshire have unveiled a blue heritage plaque to commemorate the life of their founder, Ethel Haythornthwaite MBE. The plaque now is set on a boulder of local rock in the grounds of the Endcliffe Student Village at the University of Sheffield, now on the site of where she was born and lived. She and her husband Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Haythornthwaite founded the charity in May 1924.
The plaque was unveiled by Dame Fiona Reynolds DBE who told guests that Ethel Haythornthwaite had achieved extraordinary successes, paving the way for Sheffield’s protected Green Belt countryside and the creation of the Peak District as the country’s first National Park. “She was a great heroine of mine, a great heroine to many of the people here and a great heroine in our movement,” she said.
Vital campaigning and projects are continuing this autumn because of the generous donations from supporters and Friends of National Parks. There have been three appeals so far in 2022. In April, The Green Match Fund online crowdfunder raised £8,968 as supporters shared their stories. This was followed in May with the Aviva Community Fund raising £2,839 to fund more New Perspectives bursaries for young people. Then, this summer a special appeal to Friends to campaign for nature to be a priority in National Parks raised £6,300. Thank you to each and every one of you who supported these appeals. As we receive no government funding, allowing us to be the independent voice of National Parks, your support makes a huge difference. Please visit pages 21-22 to learn how one donation can have double the impact this winter.
Campaign for National Parks has joined forces with the RSPB to call for urgent action to increase both the quality and diversity of representation on National Park Authority (NPA) Boards.
In England and in Wales, the current lack of diversity and skills on NPA Boards is a major obstacle towards delivering nature recovery and improved and inclusive access in National Parks.
This year’s Government appointments of new Board members to NPAs across the two countries do bring new expertise to decision-making. However, they only account for a tiny proportion of members. Much more comprehensive reforms are required to improve a system of National Park governance where only around a quarter of Board members chosen on the basis of their skills and experience.
Both the Glover Review in England and the Marsden Review in Wales called for much greater diversity in decision making. For this to happen, we believe that all appointments to be judged on merit and at least half of Board members to be national appointments. This would allow nature and access experts to be prominent and would provide more opportunity to broaden representation of different genders, ages and ethnicities. We’re currently pushing for these proposals to
be enshrined in legislation in England through amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, covered elsewhere in this issue, and are exploring opportunities for reforms in Wales.
We’re asking our supporters to get behind our call for changes aimed at ensuring National Parks are nature-rich landscapes which are welcoming to everyone. Please do share your views by emailing info@cnp.org.uk
Peatland restoration, Peak District National Park, Moors for the Future Partnership
Royalist or not, it is impossible to deny our late Queen’s deep connection to the natural world.
On 12-14 October Cymdeithas Eryri – the Snowdonia Society - hosted the National Park societies’ annual conference. Members of the Campaign for National Parks team were pleased to be delegates alongside representatives from National Park societies in England and Wales.
There were discussions about how National Parks and AONBs, and bodies from Government and the third sector can better work together to secure landscapes for the future. It was also a chance to discuss the new National Park proposed for the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley and a new AONB for the Cambrian Mountains.
We’re delighted to welcome new people to our staff team. Following the addition of Anna Bedford as Programme Manager in the spring, Jessica Glover has joined as Development Manager and Nick Hall as Senior Campaigns Officer.
Learning to horse ride at the age of three, a passion The Queen continued to enjoy until age 95, lay the foundations for a lifelong love affair with the countryside. Fitting too that Queen Elizabeth II should spend her last days at her Balmoral estate, the place she reportedly could ‘truly relax’ whilst living an outdoor life of walking, riding and fishing across the estate’s forests and moorlands. With the support of her husband Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, The Queen also turned her estates at Balmoral, Windsor and Sandringham into exemplars in sustainable farming and wildlife preservation. The Queen’s enduring connection to our National Parks also manifested itself through her enthusiastic and consistent support of Prince Philip’s groundbreaking Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, a charity which has enriched the
lives of more than eight million young people worldwide for more than six decades. With its focus on serving communities and experiencing adventure, it has equipped generations with the skills, knowledge and self-belief to discover and fall in love with our National Parks and AONBs though hiking, trekking and sleeping under the stars.
Some of The Queen’s most prominent trips to our National Parks during her 70-year reign include a visit to the newly established Lake District National Park in 1956. Arriving at Appleby by train, The Queen and Prince Philip travelled on to Ambleside and then via Lake Windermere to Bowness before concluding in Kendal. On a later visit in 2013 The Queen visited Brockhole National Park Visitor Centre and the Fell Pony Society, for whom she was Patron.
London-based Nick, who has a variety of experience in political engagement, is spearheading the work to deliver impactful campaigns and influencing the Governments in England and Wales. Based near The Broads in Norfolk, Jessica has a background in fundraising and communications and is working with our supporters, from individuals and Friends to businesses and funding bodies, to ensure CNP’s future. Anna Bedford moved from Trustee to staff team and joins us from previous roles managing reserves in the New Forest National Park to lead an exciting new project to involve children and young people in our campaigns.
We also bid farewell this autumn to Campaigns and Communications Manager and Viewpoint Editor Laura Williams who is moving on to the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust as their Campaigns Manager.
Earlier this year, we returned to the Houses of Parliament to recognise and reward park protectors and demonstrate to the Government why National Parks are important. Laura Williams explains…
A 20-year-long project which cares for some of the most-walked paths in the Lake District, a group of friends helping people from the city experience National Parks and a one-man mission to rally mountain bikers to protect the Peak District received recognition as part of a national awards scheme.
The annual Park Protector Awards recognise the incredible efforts of National Parks champions in England and Wales – from the innovative large-scale nature recovery projects to volunteers who help people navigate the Parks and young apprentice rangers shaping the landscape.
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch opened the ceremony in the Churchill Room in the House of Commons in July with a passionate speech about the importance of National Parks and the people who protect them. The awards were presented by Environment Minister Lord Benyon, Chief Executive of Natural England Marian
Spain and awards judge, scientist and TV presenter Dr Anjana Khatwa. Campaign for National Parks Chief Executive Dr Rose O’Neill closed proceedings urging the Government and supporters to step up for National Parks.
“We’ve witnessed some of the incredible work that goes into protecting and improving our National Parks through these Park Protector Awards,” said Rose, “and we’re delighted to play a role in recognising and rewarding that; but we urgently need new legislation, investment, policies to enable delivery at scale.
“We were pleased to see so many politicians from both countries and all parties at our Park Protector Awards ceremony, sharing their passion for National Parks and standing with us to thank those park protectors who make such a difference to protected landscapes. We will continue to work with decision-makers to ensure National Parks can deliver more for people, nature and climate.”
We’re now starting to plan next year’s awards and are looking for partners and sponsors to help deliver these. If you, or anyone you know, fits the bill, please contact annab@cnp.org.uk to find out more.
“We can build on the amazing work carried out by our Park Protectors but need the commitment from Governments in England and Wales too.”
Fix The Fells is a team from all walks of life, including 135 volunteers, who put in thousands of hours last year to monitor, maintain and repair 400 miles of path.
With almost 20 million visitors to the Lake District every year, the paths get eroded. Without the work of Fix the Fells, erosion would develop rapidly into huge scars, resulting in loss of vegetation, soil, habitats, species and beauty and adversely affecting rivers, lakes and the flood-risk in the valleys below.
Programme Manager Joanne Backshall said: “For over 20 years Fix the Fells has been repairing mountain paths, reversing the trend of erosion damage and restoring habitats. They carry out work on many of the much-loved routes including Scafell Pike, Helvellyn and the Coast-to-Coast path. The Lake District is under more pressure than ever before from the growing number of visitors and more extreme weather.
EcoDewi is a grassroots project in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to employ local solutions for the global issue of climate change – from litter picks to events and creating community gardens.
Anita Kerwin-Nye, of YHA England & Wales, for her work leading Generation Green to engage over 100,000 young people with National Parks through work, volunteering and residential opportunities.
“It’s wonderful that so many people are enjoying the Lake District fells each year. By repairing and creating paths capable of coping with high visitor numbers and severe weather, we can reduce the soil, gravel and stone washing off the fells, as well as peat degradation, and help ensure rare upland habitats and species can recover and are not lost.”Runners Up EcoDewi on a litter pick on the Pembrokeshire Coast
Working across communities in Nottingham, three friends make up AKA – Anton, Kevin and Antwon – working tirelessly to help more people connect with the Peak District National Park. Last summer, they delivered new experiences for over 250 people from inner city communities in Nottingham bringing together a mix of gender, age and race to open up their eyes to the opportunities in National Parks. Cofounder Kevin Spriggs said:
An alumni of Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust who is now working as an apprentice ranger with Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
A new eco-friendly hub in the New Forest National Park, for young people to connect with nature and learn new skills.
Hosted visits for individuals and groups who might otherwise not have experienced a National Park – including local refugees and asylum seekers and older people at risk of isolation.
Map by Tom Woolley
“It is great to be acknowledged for the crucial work we are doing in the community, and the impact acknowledged. We feel accomplished and seen – which is a great feeling.”Winners AKA leading a walk in the Peak District
Chris Maloney – founder of Keeper of the Peak social media account – has worked hard over the past decade to encourage mountain bikers to care for Peak District National Park as they enjoy leisure time there. Using his @KoftheP Twitter channel and work on the ground, he keeps people informed of trail conditions and sensitive areas to avoid, raises funds to improve trails, repairs paths and engages people with the issue of climate change.
2021 was a busy year as people emerged from the pandemic, and Chris’s efforts saw him reach beyond the biking community to horse riders, runners and others. Chris said:
Northumberland National Park volunteer
North York Moors volunteer
Snowdonia Society volunteer
Read more about these volunteers’ amazing efforts on our website at www.cnp.org.uk/blog
“Keeper of the Peak started nearly a decade ago from me giving route advice against using a waterlogged path on an internet forum. ‘Who died and made you keeper of the peak?’ was the not unfair challenge. I thought I’d turn the negative into a positive and set up the feed soon after.”Chris Maloney, Keeper of the Peak
“Next time you enjoy a walk in these stunning natural spaces, reach out and touch a rock – they too are alive with stories as much as a bird or a flower. It will give you a sense of deep time, that these landscapes that we treasure must be protected for now and for the future.”
Colossal events in our nation’s history have quite literally shaped our country. Events hundreds of millions of years ago would create the National Parks that we treasure and love today. There is a saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder: as an Earth Scientist, I cannot help but view the majesty of these landscapes through a geological lens. Each and every National Park is a celebration and a demonstration of how the powerful and dynamic nature of our Earth is intertwined with the living ecosystems that have evolved from it.
300 million years ago the land that would become Devon would be invaded by huge plumes of searing hot magma that would intrude into the Earth’s crust. They would take over 2 million years to cool forming a rock called granite. This rock would weather down to form the iconic tors that dot the moors, and as the rocks broke down, they would create soils that would support the unique environment and ecology of the beautiful National Parks of Exmoor and Dartmoor.
Over in Pembrokeshire, the situation was just as dramatic. About 425 million years
ago, the collision of three ancient continents would force volcanoes to form, erupting over the land and even underwater. The violence of these processes is now long gone and what remains are dramatic sequences of basalts along the coast that provide a home to some of the richest seabird colonies in the British Isles.
Ice was the powerful force that would define the National Parks of the Lake District, Snowdonia and the Yorkshire Dales.
At the peak of the last ice age almost 30,000 years ago, vast sheets of ice, kilometres thick, would shape and sculpt the mountains and valleys into razor-sharp peaks and deep U-shaped valleys.
As a storyteller of landscapes, I view our National Parks as rich and beautiful outdoor libraries packed with stories that have the magic to entrance and inspire visitors new and old. Look deeper and you will find that these protected landscapes are a palimpsest of stories.
From deep time to more contemporary narratives, each National Park has its own unique heritage story that not only speaks of its origins, but also of human
inspiration, endeavour and provocation be that through art, literature or poetry. But these landscapes are not frozen in time. They evolve and change in response to natural and human forces. To ensure that future generations are able to enjoy the privileges that we possess today, our protected landscapes need protecting and conserving.
Dr Anjana Khatwa is an Earth Scientist, TV presenter and a trustee of the National Association of AONBs. She is a brilliant champion of equality of access to Protected Landscapes and we were honoured she was a judge at our Park Protector Awards. This is the speech she gave at the awards ceremony.
Our rivers and lakes are at risk from pollution, over-abstraction and climate change. Only 14% in England and 44% in Wales are classed in good ecological health, with those in National Parks little better than elsewhere. With sewage scandals dominating headlines, we explored the state of our waterways in National Parks and the people working to protect them.
Matt Staniek was shortlisted for our Park Protector Awards due to his relentless campaigning to stop water pollution in Lake Windermere. The iconic lake is blighted with pollution from sewage and farm run-off, with layers of green algae and fish kills spotted this summer.
In her book The Flow, Friends of the Dales’ President Dr Amy-Jane Beer explores her love of rivers. At the Friends of the Dales conference in September, Amy-Jane led discussions on what constitutes a healthy river and spoke about how water meanders, cascades and percolates through lives, landscapes and stories.
Map by Tom Woolley
Campaigners Tim and Geli Harris won a recent high court battle with the Environment Agency, forcing them to reduce damaging levels of water abstraction on Catfield Fen, which could set a precedent to prevent similar ecological damage across the Broads. Nearby, a project led by the RSPB and the Broads Authority to restore wet grassland habitats was shortlisted in our Park Protector Awards, having seen 200% increases in wading bird populations (lapwing and redshank).
We’re campaigning for changes in law to strengthen the duties on public bodies, including the Environment Agency and water companies, to act for National Parks. The change, which was advocated by the independent Glover Review in England (and the Marsden Review in Wales), would require water companies to prioritise action to clean up rivers in National Parks.
Our own Chief Executive Rose O’Neill volunteers with the Wessex Rivers Trust. This summer, the Trust restored a stretch of the River Meon in the South Downs National Park as part of a multi-million pound settlement secured as a result of a long-running campaign against the water company. The campaign success dates back to Rose’s work at WWF a decade before, showing the time it sometimes takes to get big results!
Thanks to support from you, we last year launched a new bursary scheme to share stories from voices less heard in National Parks. Ten young storytellers have been out making films and leaflets and taking photos. Laura Williams, shares the latest.
National Parks are for all. Everyone should have the opportunity to visit, love and care for these special places and access the huge health and wellbeing benefits they bring. During the pandemic, National Parks reported huge increases in firsttime visitors and the landscape became notably more diverse – young families, groups of students, people from cities embracing space to connect with nature. Grassroots groups emerged, from Black Girls Hike to Muslim Hikers and Mind Over Mountains, opening National Parks up to even more people and they’re all the better for it.
But in the main, the people who have a voice in the future of National Parks - the decision makers - remain unrepresentative of the public for whom National Parks were designate. We want to change that. Starting with making space for younger voices with a new bursary scheme offering funding to early career communicators to help them share their stories, National Parks: New Perspectives was born.
In April 2021, we launched our first ever crowdfunder via The Big Give, which was match-funded by the John Spedan Lewis Foundation and then a major donor, resulting in the creation of ten £1,000 bursaries.
We launched an Instagram account to try and reach more of our target audience (younger, more diverse) and embarked on a recruitment process late last year.
We were blown away by the breadth and quality of the applications and settled on the final 10 with stories covering 10 National Parks in England and Wales. We were able to offer training and mentoring thanks to our new corporate partners Ocean City Media, a media production agency based near Dartmoor and set up by former BBC journalists.
Kwesia, who lives in South London, didn’t know what a National Park was until last year. She’s now been to four, and plans to tick them all off. For her New Perspectives bursary she wanted to share this experience with fellow city dwellers so took friends from London and Birmingham – who also didn’t know what a National Park was - to South Downs National Park. They travelled by train to Brighton, then picked up the bus. The 24-year-old then documented the seminal moments on camera to create the aptly titled Moments in Nature short film. The result is a stunning 12-minute film which follows Palmiro’s connection with the trees, history and nature in Friston Forest; Mera’s moment of calm on the pebbly beach under the chalky cliffs, wind blowing in her hair as the sights and sounds of nature washed her worries away; Toheeb’s space to reflect and be him in the open space of Seven Sisters Country Park; and Kwesia’s own quiet contemplation as she looked out over the English Channel. As with most visual media, our description won’t have done this film justice, so, if not already done so, please do watch the video. See: cnp.org.uk/new-perspectives-kwesia
At 21 years old, Tony from South Wales was the youngest New Perspectives bursary holder, but her vision was crystal clear from the off and she’s produced four short films which capture the stories of four people who love and care for Brecon Beacons National Park. It starts with The Warrior, her own story of struggle, identity and finding the space – in the form of the National Park - to be herself. The Adventurer follows the story of Tom, who helps thousands of young people enjoy Brecon Beacons every year via his outdoor adventure organisation. The Protector stars Jess, who is part of the local brilliant Mountain Rescue Team and who reflects on the family she’s found among the mountains. And The Custodian features walk guide Kevin, who reflects on a lifelong relationship with Brecon Beacons and why they matter so much.
Ruth is no stranger to National Parks. She lives in Yorkshire Dales National
Park, has volunteered with both Friends of the Dales and Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and her dad used to work for Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. It’s part of who she is. For her New Perspectives bursary, Ruth ventured further into the Dales to meet with farmer Anthony Bradley and find out more about his nature-friendly farming approaches and, crucially, why fellow farmers should follow suit. The result is a warm and funny six-minute film which explores the importance of naturefriendly farming – for carbon capture, biodiversity and sustainable incomes. In the film, Anthony expresses his deep love of cows, musing: “How can anyone not like cows?!” and jokes about being told what to do by “bunny-huggers”, he explains why all farmers should take a nature-friendly approach to farming.
Charlotte has been championing access to National Parks through her Public Rights of Way Explorer (PROW Explorer) blog and that was at the heart of her New Perspectives story. Charlotte wanted to look at the history of access to her local National Park – Lake District –including whether National Parks are really accessible for those with additional
access needs. Her six-minute film plots the history of access from virtually none to the access we enjoy today, thanks to the efforts of Campaign for National Parks and others in pushing for the designation of the first National Parks. She then explores some of the Lake District’s Miles Without Stiles network – walks suitable for wheelchair users –meeting fellow access campaigner and wheelchair user Debbie North. The film highlights the importance of investing in access and has some stunning drone shots of beautiful scenery to boot.
Saira is an alumni of our Mosaic project which used a community champion model to help more people experience and enjoy National Parks. We’re thrilled she returned to us with a powerful New Perspectives pitch to create a selection of portraits of people in South Downs National Park. Saira met with artists, business owners and activists to find out their stories and share them with us. The result is 10 powerful portrait photos which we’re sharing on our website and social media channels. Saira’s secured more funding from South Downs National Park Authority to create a multi-media Portraits of the South Downs website where not only the portraits and stories will feature, but audio and video recordings too. We also hope to evolve this into a bigger People of National Parks project where we meet more people from other National Parks in England and Wales. Watch this space!
Timothy lives in Manchester with his boyfriend who helped him create this insightful short film about the importance of peatland in Peak District National Park. Travelling down in snow, hail and wind earlier this year, Timothy wasn’t put off and ploughed on making his short film with Moors for the Future Partnership. His six-minute film starts with an explanation of the state of the UK’s peatland and why it matters, before segueing into an interview with a Moors for the Future representative. It ends with a brilliant animation during which our peatlands position statement is outlined – we’re calling for a ban on the use of peat in horticulture (tick!), a ban on the sale of disposable BBQs (working on it) and more investment in peatland restoration.
Unlike the first five New Perspectives stories, Erika went analogue with hers – creating a brilliant leaflet about exploring Dartmoor National Park by public transport.
A non-driver, Erika felt passionately that National Parks should not be a reserve for those with cars, and led some creative workshops in Dartmoor National Park – travelling there by rail and bus. She took a range of people out, including families and students, and helped them connect with nature. The leaflet, which will be accessible online and available as a printed leaflet at select points in and around Dartmoor National Park, also features short circular walking routes which start and finish at a public transport point. The Devon-based artist hopes that her leaflet will help more people who don’t drive to explore her local National Park.
We hope to continue New Perspectives in the future and have successfully fundraised this spring to offer more bursaries covering the remaining National Parks, but we still need your support. Make a donation today to help us, as a small independent charity, fund more young storytellers to share their stories of, and visions for, National Parks in England and Wales. Read about our Big Give appeal overleaf for how you can support us or email the team at info@cnp.org.uk if you would be interested in sponsoring a future New Perspectives bursary.
Amira Patel, who took her Wanderlust Women walking group on tour from the Lake District to Exmoor, North York Moors and Brecon Beacons National Parks; David Hill in Snowdonia National Park; Emily Abdeni-Holburn in Northumberland National Park.
A huge thanks to all our supporters and colleagues at National Park Societies and National Park Authorities who have helped bring these stories to life.
We’ve shared some of the stories already at: www.cnp.org.uk/nationalparks-new-perspectives and will be sharing the others there in the coming months. If not already done so, sign up to our newsletter via our website to be the among the first to see future New Perspectives stories.
Our precious National Parks, loved by generations, now face big challenges. Although they contain half of the nation’s protected wildlife sites and have potential to underpin nature recovery, they face real threats from climate change. By donating to Campaign for National Park’s ‘Love Our National Parks’ appeal via The Big Give website from 29 November to 6 December, you can help show your love for National Parks as well as doubling any gift you make.
When did you first discover a love for our National Parks? Maybe you were taken there as a child or you trekked or camped out under the stars as a teenager? Or are fortunate enough to have always lived in one? Sadly, not everyone is so lucky.
People from lower income groups, ethnic minorities and younger people from all walks of life are less likely know about and experience National Parks.
Our founders led the campaign almost 90 years ago that resulted in the creation of National Parks, from the peaks of Snowdonia to the meadows of the South Downs. Today, we are proud to be the only independent voice for National Parks and call for national changes in policy and law in England and Wales for nature recovery and climate resilience. We fight on behalf of all of those who love, use or live in National Parks and campaign so that people of all ages and backgrounds can learn to love and have a say in the future of our National Parks.
We’re thrilled to have been chosen as one of the charities to take part in The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge this year. This is the UK’s biggest match-funding
campaign. For just one week, starting on Tuesday 29 November, if you donate to Campaign for National Parks via The Big Give website, your donation could be worth double at no extra cost to you! We’re aiming to raise £10,000 to fund our vital campaigning work and we hope that you can help us achieve that target. Every £10 you donate is worth £20 and every £50 is worth £100. If you love our National Parks, this is a great way to donate to make an impact.
“Being able to enjoy the Peak District National Park in my childhood was a major influence in my formative years and in making me the person I am. I think it’s essential that the National Parks should be protected and enabled to recover from the damage that has occurred over the decades.” Judy, a supporter
To donate please find The Big Give Christmas Challenge webpage by using the address: bit.ly/bgparks22 or scan this QR code on your smartphone or tablet. You are then able to donate quickly and securely through The Big Give using a credit or debit card. Please remember that donations will only be doubled if they are made between Tuesday 29 November and Tuesday 6 December 2022 until 12 noon.
If you’d like help to make an online donation, please telephone us on 020 3096 7714 (you can leave a message) or email info@cnp.org.uk
The match funds come from two sources. Firstly, some of our most generous supporters pledged a total of £2,500 over the summer. These funds were boosted by a further £2,500 from a Big Give Champion. That collective pot of £5,000 is now ready to be used to double your donation when you donate to Campaign for National Parks via The Big Give website.
As the independent voice for National Parks, we receive no government funding for our work. As a campaigning charity, this means that we can be truly independent and call decision makers to account. This also means that we can only continue to campaign because of the generosity of our Friends and supporters. Your donations, membership and gifts in wills continue to fund our core costs and carry on our vital work. We are a small team, supported by dedicated volunteers, so any donations made to us are able to go a long way.
One of the real joys of every summer is the chance to take off and spend some time in our incomparable protected spaces. I was lucky enough to have spent the summer travelling to the Peak District, the Cairngorms and the Shropshire Hills, and every trip left me feeling calmer and more energised.
But it wasn’t always like that. When, many years ago, I started walking with friends I met at university, I had no clue about what I was really doing. I don’t think I can exaggerate how different everything they did was to my own experience. The maps, the clothes, the language - everything about ‘going for a walk’ seemed completely alien.
I had this very much in mind when I was asked to be involved in the Glover Review of Protected Landscapes. It was a real privilege to be able to articulate the way many people feel when they first engage with the countryside (particularly if they come from challenging and/or urban backgrounds); often it feels a strange, remote and unwelcoming place. Which is why it has been so great to see groups from all sorts of communities starting in the last few years to get people of all faiths and all regions out enjoying the countryside. Organisations like Muslim Hikers and Black Girls Hike UK have encouraged hundreds of people to get out and get walking. Taking that first step with people who have already discovered the incomparable benefits of being out in the countryside makes a huge difference.
Once you are out, feeling the wind in your face; the sense of achievement as a stunning vista opens up after climbing a hill; the tranquillity of an upland stream or
a Suffolk Broad - it will not be long before you are back for more.
Our landscapes have always been shaped by people as well as by place. The interconnection of those who live and use the land and the land itself is what makes these places unique. We must ensure that we protect these aspects, but everyone who pays for them, directly or indirectly, should have the benefit as well.
I was delighted when Natural England asked me to co-chair their Landscape Advisory Panel, to advise the Natural England Board about what we need to do to progress the recommendations we
made in the Glover Review. But this progress has to start with as many people as possible understanding and enjoying our open spaces. We want our finite land to do so many things – support food and wildlife, keep us healthy in mind and body, entertain us and provide us with renewable energy amongst many other requirements. We therefore need as many ambassadors for our amazing countryside as possible. It behoves those of us who care deeply about our beautiful open spaces to ensure that we infect as many people as possible with our passion, to ensure that these places have as much support as possible in future, challenging times.
Imagine a place so special, it becomes part of you! I am fortunate to have such a place, the beautiful Wolfscote Dale in Derbyshire.
My journey began as a young Derbyshire lad learning to cast a fly for the wild Brown Trout on this beautiful stretch of the river Dove. Sharing the riverbank with Dippers, Kingfishers, and Pine Martins, this was a magical time– just the name ‘Wolfscote Dale’ conjuring mystery and magic in a young mind full of wonder.
This is truly a magical place, a high-sided ravine of stunning beauty through which crystal clear waters flow, meandering and cascading down the shallow weirs. The changing of the seasons each bringing their unique beauty to the Dale, one can do nothing but be absorbed by it.
This area of the river Dove has a deep history and to tread in the footsteps of Isaac Walton and Charles Cotton makes it an even richer experience. Even in our frantically paced modern world, calming and nostalgic thoughts are a welcome indulgence, often transporting one’s thoughts back to what were likely simpler times. To share these thoughts with others is all the more rewarding.
Jumping forward almost 30 years, I taught my young son to fly fish for the river Dove’s wild Brown Trout in Wolfscote Dale and as a proud father, I watched in awe as he absorbed the surroundings just as I did all those many years earlier.
It would be my dearest wish that a future grandson is introduced to this rare and
beautiful area of Derbyshire whereby three generations would have trodden the same path and cast a line on the same pools, even though we now all live many miles away.
Places such as Wolfscote Dale need protection for all to enjoy and appreciate. Campaign for National Parks performs this task admirably, deserving our support and undeniable praise. As the Managing Director of a successful web design and digital marketing agency, I had a clear vision of how I could give something back in return for the memories and pleasure that this National Park has given me and my family, and to help in the future protection of not only this National Park but all others. Everyone should be able to find their special place.
My company, Siruss, has now provided website hosting, maintenance, and support at zero cost to Campaign for National Parks for almost 7 years and we hope to keep on providing this support for many years to come. It is our selfless pleasure to help support such a worthy cause.
Tom Palmer, Founder and Digital Director, Ocean City Media
When you think of activity in National Parks what comes to mind? For many it would be mountaineering or walking, climbing or cycling, maybe some birdwatching.
Those taking part are relatively fit, healthy and able bodied. They can afford equipment and clothes from premium outdoor brands, cars to get to remote areas, and have change left over for a treat from the café at the end of the day.
Clearly this doesn’t represent all visitors and residents in National Parks, but it is frequently the overriding image and as a result we face a challenge to open these breathtaking and truly special landscapes to society as a whole. That is why we were so excited to join with the brilliant Campaign for National Parks and support their New Perspectives scheme.
As a company based on the edge of Dartmoor, we feel a strong connection with National Parks and we share CNP’s ambition to show a more diverse side to them. The New Perspectives scheme offered the perfect opportunity for us to contribute to that effort - mentoring and
supporting a determined group of creative storytellers to share their personal experiences or the experiences of those they met along the way.
As mentors we have learned so muchfrom what inspires mountain rescue teams to those inspired by a tranquil escape from city lifestyles. We’ve been taken through underground labyrinths of caves to vast open landscapes and heard inspiring stories from people campaigning so those with disabilities or without cars can still access some of our most remote areas.
Not to mention the quite brilliant and innovative conservation work to preserve these environments for future generations (who knew that grass and peat have climate change battling superpowers?)
And most of all we heard from a rich variety of people with a genuine passion not only for the National Parks but also for making them available to all.
I’ve been a journalist for over 20 years and when telling stories what never changes is the need to connect with your audience.
“Put simply - if you want to change the way people think and feel, if you want to inspire change, then show change in action.“
It’s essential for the long-term conservation of National Parks that we overcome social and physical barriers so everyone can connect and fall in love with them. This amazing collection of stories certainly shows that change in action.
From the wild moorland and dramatic tors of Dartmoor to the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales and the towering heights of Snowdonia, our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONBs) encapsulate so much of Britain’s breath-taking natural beauty and rural way of life.
Covering nearly a quarter of the UK’s landscape and nearly half of our priority habitats, our Protected Landscapes are places of recreation and food production and are home to many rural communities.
As the UK takes an international lead in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, it is vital that our National Parks and AONBs are able to play their role in restoring nature, reducing habitat loss and sequestering carbon emissions. Indeed, they must, if we are to keep our commitment to protect 30% of our land for nature by 2030.
Firstly, we need to strengthen the statutory purposes underpinning the management of our Protected Landscapes, to prioritise protecting and restoring nature. This needs to come alongside enhanced monitoring and reporting mechanisms which enable us to understand the current state of nature and to measure its recovery. These need to be aligned with the Government’s 25 Year Environmental Plan and our Net Zero Strategy.
Secondly, like all parts of our countryside, Protected Landscapes are places of work, of food production. As the Government redesigns its support for farmers through the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), it is vital that the scheme supports nature-friendly farming in Protected Landscapes, recognising the unique characteristics and challenges of farming in these areas. The Government currently funds the popular Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme, which provides grants for projects that support nature recovery and mitigate climate change for those farming in National Parks. The programme is designed to be a transitional one and so will end in 2024.
It’s important that similar support is designed into ELMS funding so farmers in Protected Landscapes can have access to secure, stable funding that incentivises nature-friendly farming practices.
With the right frameworks in place, we should designate Protected Landscapes in more areas of our countryside, protecting our most beautiful places. I am delighted that Natural England has set out plans to create new Protected Landscapes in the Yorkshire Wolds and Cheshire and to extend existing AONBs in the Surrey Hills and the Chilterns. I hope more areas will be considered.
Alongside ambitious programmes in peatland restoration and tree planting, these changes will help restore our beautiful, but nature-depleted, Protected Landscapes to areas which are brimming with wildlife, enabling us to halt biodiversity loss in the UK and turn the tide towards nature restoration.
Thank you to all our contributors, including Catrin Alun for the Welsh translation. The views are those of contributors and not necessarily of Campaign for National Parks. We're always looking for thoughtprovoking articles for both these Points of View pages of our biannual magazine and the blog section of our website. If you'd like to contribute a piece, please email: info@cnp.org.uk
“We need to strengthen the statutory purposes underpinning the management of our Protected Landscapes, to prioritise protecting and restoring nature.”
Our natural environment and Protected Landscapes are jewels in our collective crown. It is our responsibility as the custodians of our world to ensure we protect and enhance our environment and do all we can to preserve our planet.
I was born and raised in Newport, South Wales, and our city is blessed with parks and green open spaces like Tredegar Park in Newport West and Belle Vue Park with its beautiful ornamental gardens.
We are not far from the Brecon Beacons National Park, which covers more than 520 square miles in south-east Wales. From prehistoric to Roman times, through the medieval period and the industrial revolution, this remarkable landscape has been part of a delicate interplay between human activity and the natural world.
These spaces have been a part of my life and were an oasis of calm and sanctuary during the pandemic – where people could enjoy time outdoors during lockdowns.
The many months we were locked down in our homes showed how important it is to ensure access to the natural world. I am determined as Member of Parliament for Newport West to champion all the work done by the volunteers and campaigners who tend to our green, open spaces, including Protected Landscapes.
There are two major challenges facing our planet and I believe that delivering for the natural world requires social and
economic justice. The approach of protecting a few isolated green spaces and relying on markets is failing and gets us nowhere near where we need to be.
In any case, we are seeing protections eroded. Time and again, across the world, we see the most disadvantaged communities suffering the worst impacts of environmental degradation and climate change.
Their homes flooded and swept away in deadly landslides. Their fields and livestock left parched by drought. Their homes left cold and damp by lack of insulation, while fossil fuel dependant energy bills soar. Their children’s health blighted by fossil fuel generated air pollution, with sewage pumped into their local rivers and over much-loved playing fields.
We have all heard Ministers claiming they are doing all they can to advance the environmental agenda. But in reality, nature teeters on a cliff edge. I hope the new Prime Minister will soon set out clearly how she will pull nature back from the brink and recognise the role that National Parks can play in this recovery.
The Shadow Chancellor has committed a Labour government to a robust net zero and nature positive test for every policy. This is backed with £28 billion a year investment to meet the challenge of the climate and nature emergency, create certainty for business and provide leadership as we seize all the opportunities before our United Kingdom.
There is so much for us to do – I will always stand up for Newport West’s green spaces and work with anyone and everyone to protect our planet and preserve our environment.
Gorllewin Casnewydd, a Gweinidog yr
Wrthblaid dros Arloesi-Amaeth ac Addasu Hinsawdd.
Mae ein hamgylchedd naturiol a’n Tirweddau Gwarchodedig yn drysorau cenedlaethol. Ein cyfrifoldeb ni fel ceidwaid ein byd yw sicrhau ein bod yn gwarchod ac yn gwella ein hamgylchedd ac yn gwneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i gadw ein planed.
Fe ges fy ngeni a’m magu yng Nghasnewydd, de Cymru ac mae ein dinas yn ffodus yn ei pharciau a’i mannau agored gwyrdd fel Parc Tredegar yng Ngorllewin Casnewydd a Pharc Belle Vue gyda’i erddi addurnol hardd. Dydyn ni ddim yn bell o hen
Wastadeddau Gwent - sy’n cynnwys dros 5000 hectar o dir yn ne ddwyrain Cymru. Cafodd y gwastadeddau eu hadfer o’r môr gan y Rhufeiniaid ac maen nhw wedi ffynnu am dros ddwy fil o flynyddoedd fel enghraifft wych o’r hyn y mae perthynas lwyddiannus rhwng gweithgarwch dynol a’r byd naturiol yn gallu bod.
Hefyd yn agos at Gasnewydd mae Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog, ardal o harddwch naturiol rhyfeddol, hanes unigryw a chymunedau lleol llewyrchus.
Mae’r holl lefydd hyn wedi bod yn rhan o fy mywyd ac wedi bod yn hafan o heddwch ac yn noddfa yn ystod y pandemig - lle gallai pobl fwynhau amser yn yr awyr agored yn ystod cyfnodau clo. Dangosodd y misoedd lawer y buom dan glo yn ein cartrefi pa mor bwysig yw hi i sicrhau mynediad i’r byd naturiol. Rwy’n benderfynol fel Aelod Seneddol Gorllewin Casnewydd i hyrwyddo’r holl waith sy’n cael ei wneud gan y gwirfoddolwyr a’r ymgyrchwyr sy’n gofalu am ein mannau gwyrdd agored, gan gynnwys Tirweddau Gwarchodedig.
Mae dwy her fawr yn wynebu ein planed ac rwy’n credu bod cyflawni dros y byd
naturiol yn gofyn am gyfiawnder cymdeithasol ac economaidd. Mae’r dull o ddiogelu ambell i le gwyrdd ynysig a dibynnu ar farchnadoedd yn methu ac nid yw’n ein cael yn agos at y fan y mae angen i ni fod.
Beth bynnag, rydyn ni’n gweld amddiffynfeydd yn erydu. Dro ar ôl tro, ar draws y byd, gwelwn mai’r cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig sy’n dioddef effeithiau gwaethaf dirywiad amgylcheddol a newid yn yr hinsawdd.
Aeth llifogydd i’w cartrefi a’u hysgubo ymaith mewn tirlithriadau angheuol. Gadawyd eu caeau a’u da byw yn grin gan sychder. Gadawyd eu cartrefi yn oer ac yn llaith gan ddiffyg insiwleiddio, tra bod biliau ynni sy’n ddibynnol ar danwydd ffosil yn cynyddu’n aruthrol. Cafodd iechyd eu plant ei ddifetha gan lygredd aer wedi’i achosi gan danwydd ffosil, gyda charthion yn cael eu pwmpio i’w hafonydd lleol a thros gaeau chwarae poblogaidd.
Rydyn ni i gyd wedi clywed Gweinidogion yn honni eu bod yn gwneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i hyrwyddo’r agenda amgylcheddol. Ond mewn gwirionedd, mae natur yn agos iawn at y dibyn. Rwy’n gobeithio y bydd y Prif Weinidog newydd yn nodi’n glir yn fuan sut y bydd hi’n tynnu natur yn ôl o’r dibyn ac yn cydnabod y rôl y gall Parciau Cenedlaethol ei chwarae yn yr adferiad hwn.
Mae Canghellor yr Wrthblaid wedi ymrwymo llywodraeth Lafur i brawf cadarn sero net a phositif i natur ar gyfer pob polisi. Caiff hyn ei gefnogi gyda buddsoddiad o £28 biliwn y flwyddyn i ateb her yr argyfwng hinsawdd a natur, i greu sicrwydd i fusnesau ac i ddarparu arweinyddiaeth wrth i ni fanteisio ar yr holl gyfleoedd sydd ar gael i’n Teyrnas Unedig.
Mae cymaint i ni ei wneud - byddaf bob amser yn sefyll dros fannau gwyrdd Gorllewin Casnewydd ac yn gweithio gyda phawb a phob un i warchod ein planed ac i gadw ein hamgylchedd.
Securing nature-rich National Parks is one of our highest priorities. In July we were delighted to take part in a National Parks All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) event in Westminster on nature recovery.
We put our recommendations directly to the Rural Affairs Minister, alongside representatives from National Park Authorities, National Parks England and the RSPB. We highlighted the opportunities available to secure changes through the Levelling Up Bill, including amending the purposes of National Parks, to give greater emphasis to supporting natural habitats and enhancing biodiversity.
Other recent efforts on nature recovery have included welcoming a Westminster Government announcement on the banning of the sale of peat for use in gardening in England, something we have long called for. While a positive step, we’re still demanding more action to protect and restore peatlands, including adopting such a ban in Wales and the immediate banning of burning as a land management technique on peat soils.
We have also stepped up our call for a ban on disposable BBQs, following the damaging wildfires caused by of these types of BBQs over the summer. We are working with Parliamentarians, officials and National Park Authorities to bring about a ban to keep nature and people safe from these harmful products.
Is there someone close to you who cares deeply about National Parks? This Christmas, why not give them a gift that gives back to the places that they love, from Dartmoor and Brecon Beacons to the North York Moors and Northumberland. Gift memberships to be a Friend of National Parks are also available for any special occasion.
Gift membership of Campaign for National Parks is just £39 per year for an individual, or £45 for a couple or family living in the same address. It includes our beautiful National Parks map as an A3 poster, a wooden pin-badge (two for a joint membership), a year’s subscription of Viewpoint magazine, discounts from our corporate partners and a thank you card with a short message or left blank for you to write in.
To purchase a gift membership please visit the webpage: cnp.org.uk/gift-membership. You can also request more information
by emailing info@cnp.org.uk, phoning us on 020 3096 7714 or writing to us at Campaign for National Parks, 7 - 14 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4YR. Please note the last day for Christmas orders is Monday 12 December. We can only continue our campaign because of memberships, donations and gifts in wills. Thank you so much for supporting our vital work.