understand the Yorkshire Dales National Park

‘Engagement work’ highlighted in progress report

 

Bainbridge, 28 June 2022

 

Many people have been helped to enjoy and better understand the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the past year, a meeting has heard today.

 

Farm open days, outdoor classes for schools and volunteer-led nature walks were among the activities run by a wide range of local partners participating in the National Park Management Plan.

 

Nearly 6,000 young people engaged with the natural environment through organised activities in the year to the end of March.  This work has continued into this year, for example with families from Leeds spending a day in Malham earlier this month (pictured).

Under-represented groups were also attracted by days out, such as those who went on a Muslim Hikers-organised trip to the summit of Whernside in March (pictured).

 

An overview of the progress being made on the Yorkshire Dales National Park Management Plan was presented to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority this morning.  The progress report had been put together by the Management Plan Steering Group – made up of 15 local organisations and representatives of local businesses and landowners.

 

The Management Plan covers the period 2019 to 2024 and commits the organisations behind it to achieving 49 objectives.   The meeting of the National Park Authority meeting heard that good progress was being made on most of the objectives.  In particular, all 11 of the objectives relating to being a ‘welcoming place’ had been achieved or were on course to be achieved.

 

One member of the Management Plan Steering Group, Anthony Bradley, representing the Yorkshire Dales Farming Network, is getting personally involved in meeting one of the objectives.  A few weeks ago he led a walk from Long Preston in Craven to his livestock farm nearby, as part of a programme of farm and estate open days

 

He said: “Some people are gawping at the landscape without understanding it.   Having badgered for the farm open days to be an objective I thought I better put my hand up and run one.  We used Eventbrite and about a dozen or more people came along.  We chatted, looked at livestock, I answered questions. I dug a hole for them to see what carbon was. And people enjoyed it.

 

“I explained the different species of plants, the system of permanent grassland and ruminant livestock, the reason the fields sizes are as they are and the hedges that have been planted for wildlife corridors.  We hope we’re raising awareness, promoting the value of farming activity in the National Park.   The feedback I got was along the lines of ‘O, so that’s why you do that.’”

 

Chair of the Management Plan Steering Group, David Sharrod, who represents the charity, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, said: “There is much to celebrate in this year’s progress report.  A real highlight of the past year has been the engagement work, with young people particularly, from all of the partners – organisations, local communities, farmers, businesses –as we welcomed back visitors, especially the many visiting for the first time or those who might not have thought the Dales was a place for them.”

“‘Lockdowns’ made so many appreciate what the Dales has to offer everyone: physical and mental refreshment, a connection with nature, and a sense of shared community between those who live here and those from further away.”

 

 

Notes

 

Images:

 

1    A family from Leeds visits Malham in the spring half term.   The Leeds family day was a family visit organized by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Engagement and Wellbeing Officer, Kiri Wood.  Families from Barca and The Feel Good Factor, both Leeds-based organisations, met at Leeds station and caught a train to Skipton and then a coach to Malham. The families from both organisations spent a day at Malham with Kiri Wood and National Park Authority volunteers. The visit was planned as a family day out in Malham using public transport as much as possible to reduce the carbon footprint of the visit and explore getting to the National Park by public transport.

 

2    People who came on the Muslim Hikers-organised walk up Whernside in March.   Note:  If using this photo on social media please tag @MuslimHikers and also @ATPhotographs and associated hashtags #YorkshireDales #MuslimHikers #ActiveInclusion

 

For more information, please contact the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Media Officer Andrew Fagg (Andrew.Fagg@yorkshiredales.org.uk) or Communications Manager Mark Sadler (Mark.Sadler@yorkshiredales.org.uk).

 

 

1. The Yorkshire Dales National Park is one of 15 National Parks in the UK. It is administered by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, which has two main purposes: “to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage” and “to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the National Park”. In carrying out these purposes, the Authority has a duty “to seek to foster the economic and social well being of local communities”. The National Park Authority comprises 25 members, made up of county and district councillors and members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment to represent parishes or in recognition of their specialist skills or knowledge.

 

2. All of our work is guided by the vision for the future of the National Park set out in the Yorkshire Dales National Park Management Plan: “Through their passion for this special place, local people and businesses will keep the Yorkshire Dales National Park a thriving area. Its unique cultural landscape will be treasured for its stunning scenery, exceptional heritage and wonderful wildlife, and every year millions of people will be inspired to be a part of it.”

 

You can contact me via email, or for other officers and departments you can email info@yorkshiredales.org.uk

For more information on how we are working and for the latest guidance on COVID-19 please visit https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/category/covid-19/

Thank you