Why National Parks Week?

National Parks were this month voted ‘The greatest landscape influence in the last 75 years’ in the Landscape Institute’s 75th Anniversary Awards

First National Parks week 1st to 9th July

The 13 National Parks of the United Kingdom are much more than our most beautiful landscapes. They are also home and workplace to many thousands of people, and are important to millions more for the retreats they offer from the fast-paced routine of modern life.

These “living landscapes” are unique in demonstrating how it is possible to live in harmony with nature, whilst looking after the needs of society.

The National Park Authorities of England and Wales administer a Sustainable Development Fund (SDF), provided by DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government.

The fund aims to aid the development of community-based schemes that support sustainable ways of living and working. The National Parks Authorities have to date committed more than £5 million to 560 innovative projects, that have the potential for widespread adoption throughout the country.

Recent Government reviews of the work of the National Park Authorities have praised the range of innovative work being carried out in the promotion of Sustainable Development. Conservation, encouraging public enjoyment and partnership working are areas we are proud to say we excel in.

Both reviews recommend that the National Park Authorities should work together to actively raise public awareness of our National Parks, and what they offer to both the individual and society as a whole.

In response to this, we were pleased to launch the first National Parks’ Week this year, running from July 1st to July 9th. More information about this is on our website.

With a wide range of events, and a raft of celebrity supporters, the week will publicly celebrate our National Parks, and highlight the considerable work being done to sustain them for future generations.

Public support is vital to ensuring the future of National Parks, our priceless national treasures. If you would like to know more about how you can get involved with the National Park movement, please contact us at s.long@anpa.gov.uk.

See also grownupgreen’s report on a new National Park by clicking here

Sara Long, Association of National Park Authorities - 02/07/04

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