The report, based on a survey of 3,000 people across England, Scotland, and Wales, highlights strong public endorsement for the broader role National Parks play in people's lives. Key findings indicate that 75% of people consider feeling connected to nature important, and 89% value reducing stress in daily life. Furthermore, 76% expressed strong concern about pollution and damage to natural places, with 69% caring about flooding and extreme weather.
National Parks are actively translating these public priorities into practical action. Examples include supporting individuals with dementia to engage with nature in the Cairngorms National Park, planting hedgerows and restoring grasslands in the North York Moors National Park, providing specialist beach wheelchairs for coastal access in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and growing native trees to restore woodlands in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.
Gordon Watson, Chief Executive of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, stated, ‘This report shows that National Parks are more than beautiful landscapes: they are places where people and nature can thrive together, and where significant action is already well underway to help tackle some of society’s biggest challenges.’ He added that the projects highlighted are a ‘snapshot’ demonstrating that ‘despite the scale of those challenges, we can and should still have hope.’
The research, underpinning the initiative 'The Answer Is National Parks', identified four connected priorities: health and wellbeing; nature recovery; access and communities; and resilience and readiness. The full report is available at www.nationalparks.uk/answer-is.
National Parks UK, representing the UK's 15 National Parks, aims to showcase their positive impact on people, nature, and communities. They are described as living, working landscapes where action is taken to restore nature, respond to climate change, support communities, and enhance outdoor enjoyment.
