Campaigners are demanding that national parks in the UK should own more of the land contained within their borders to help restore the country’s nature. The Campaign for National Parks (CNP) wants governing authorities overseeing national parks to have greater power to buy up private land with a ‘People’s Charter’. While 5.7 million acres of land in the 15 parks across Britain are under UK protection, just under 600,000 acres are owned by the public. The CNP has estimated that private owners hold almost 90 per cent of the land in the national parks.
National park authorities (NPAs) are responsible for managing legally protected landscapes, usually offering tourists access and conserving the natural beauty and wildlife of the area. Dr Rose O’Neill, chief executive of the CNP, said the UK’s national parks need further resources, governance and ownership reform. The CNP’s proposed charter would require land over a certain size be offered for community purchase, supported by a Treasury-backed capital fund for buying this land within national parks.
The government said it still aims to protect nature on 30 per cent of UK land by 2030, and to make national parks greener, wilder and more accessible.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
