Save our National Parks
Dartmoor’s businesses, residents and visitors are being urged to sign a petition to demand a review of proposals aimed at centralising the management of England’s ten National Parks.
Speaking on the launch of the “Save our National Parks” petition, Mike Coombes from Dartmoor’s Two Bridges Hotel commented:
“We are surprised and frankly alarmed at the proposals tabled following the government- commissioned Landscapes Review, which pose a threat to the independence and individual character of England’s ten National Parks. We wholeheartedly support the review’s message that the National Parks should be a positive force for the nation’s well-being, and the recognition of the need to do more for the parks’ natural beauty, for its people, and for its visitors. We also agree that the National Parks should work more closely together on areas of shared interest. However, to combine the management of the National Parks into a single centralised entity would throw away the very things which make them special – their individual uniqueness, diversity and local understanding.”
The proposal to combine England’s national parks comes at a time when the UK economy is battling for recovery in the wake of the Covid19 pandemic. With strong demand for domestic tourism “Staycations” due to international travel restrictions, the National Parks and their fragile economies are well placed to gain sustainable growth in visitor numbers and spend. The Save our National Parks petition aims to force a debate in parliament, to fully examine the impact of the loss of independence and local governance which would be the result of a combining of the National Parks.
Mike Coombes went on to say:
“Each of England’s ten national parks offers a unique visitor experience, and a unique set of challenges for its own local economy and natural environment. Each National Park also has its own management, which understands the local needs, challenges and opportunities. The National Parks need to be managed by local people, not by a centralised bureaucracy.”
Richard Hassell from the Ilsington Country House Hotel commented:
“Given the geographical diversity of all of the National Parks along with the economic considerations reflected on their location within the country it would seem irresponsible to centralise their management. Each one has its own unique requirements, objectives and aims which only comes with years of experience and knowledge by those who know the area and its people. Dartmoor is a living, working environment which should be protected and nurtured and not merged into some money saving corporation.”
Jenny How from Visit Dartmoor commented:
“As the Destination Marketing Organisation for Dartmoor, we work closely with the management and staff of the Dartmoor National Park Authority. We see first hand the strength of their wide ranging local knowledge and deep understanding of this special environment, together with a ‘hands-on’ relationship with our Dartmoor farmers, the local economy, the tourism businesses and countless thousands of visitors. No one centralised body could possibly function as efficiently as the existing individual National Park
Authorities who already have the vital knowledge and understanding of their own unique areas.”
A link to the petition, and further information regarding the Save our National Parks campaign, can be found at www.saveournationalparks.co.uk