Our 2025 Highlights

1. New Perspectives

Our Radical Future event in Parliament

End of an era 

2025 marked the final year of our New Perspectives project which launched in 2024 thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. We successfully delivered two further Future Leaders Courses in the Yorkshire Dales and Bannau Brycheiniog, welcomed 7 new Ambassadors to our team and launched 18 storytelling projects exploring themes from folktales and history to identity and belonging. 

The project culminated in an event in Parliament where we were joined by young people from across National Parks in England and Wales. They met with ministers and those in power to sign a joint declaration, committing to ensuring young people from all backgrounds are heard and valued in key decisions about National Parks. 

2. Rivers at Risk

Ashvi Daia with the Tideswell and District Environment Group

In September, in partnership with The Rivers Trust, we launched our Rivers at Risk Report, setting out the latest full assessment of the state of rivers across the National Parks of England and Wales. It provides evidence of the current situation and identifies the changes needed to policy, legislation and practice to secure the step-change in progress that is so urgently needed. 

The waterways of the UK’s National Parks are iconic: internationally renowned wetlands, glacial lakes, chalk streams and some of the most biodiverse and sensitive rivers, they support natural flood management, help tackle climate change, and are much valued by millions of people as places for recreation and relaxation. These waterways are the lifeblood of our most precious landscapes.

3. Coming together to protect National Parks

The Royal Courts of Justice

Victory in landmark legal case 

In February we played a crucial role in securing a vital victory for National Parks and National Landscapes after Secretary of State Angela Raynor admitted “an error in law” in planning test case.  

We were granted permission from the High Court to intervene in a judicial review, on the grounds that this case will set an important national precedent for all National Parks and National Landscapes (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty / AONBs).  

Following submission of our legal evidence in January, Government lawyers admitted defeat, just weeks before the case was due in the High Court. This was one of the first cases to consider this duty, which came about after decades of us campaigning for change and culminated with a new duty binding all public bodies in England to take action to conserve and enhance National Parks and National Landscapes.

Over 200 signatories calling for stronger protections 

When reports came that the Government was considering amending or removing the Protected Landscapes duty, we knew we had to throw everything we had at keeping this vital protecting in place.  

More than 200 organisations representing charities, businesses, scientists, farmers, and landscape experts from across the UK joined us in writing to the Prime Minister urging the Government not to weaken or remove the legal protections for National Parks and National Landscapes. 

The letter expresses deep concerns that such a move would be a significant step back for the nation’s most cherished natural spaces, which are central to Britain’s identity, economy, and public wellbeing. 

Subsequently, the plans to weaken the Protected Landscapes Duty were quietly dropped. 

4. Growing National Parks

National Marine Park Roundtable Event in November 2025

National Marine Parks 

In 2025 we took forward the next phase of development work for National Marine Parks by increasing awareness, appetite and interest of the project through our National Marine Park Alliance, secured political support and furthered our collective understanding on how National Marine Parks could deliver for nature and communities. 

Glyndŵr National Park 

We supported the next step towards a new National Park in North East Wales now named Glyndŵr National Park. After successfully campaigning for the inclusion of coastal areas in the proposed boundary, we have been encouraging support for the latest public consultation by providing helpful and factual resources. 

Now it is up to Welsh Government to decide whether to designate the new National Park. We expect the news in early 2026. 

5. National Parks in Parliament

Don’t bulldoze National Park protections 

In the summer the proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill aimed to accelerate housing and infrastructure development across England and Wales. While addressing these issues is essential, we could not allow it to come at the cost of weakening the protections that keep our National Parks nature-rich and safe. 

 Thanks to action taken by our supporters and many others the government has finally agreed to make changes to the Bill that address our major concerns. But we’re not out of the woods yet. We need to keep up the pressure to ensure the government follows through on their promises and the Planning Bill delivers a nature-rich future for everyone. 

New All-Party Parliamentary Group 

We were thrilled to welcome Parliamentarians to the launch of our new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in Westminster, showing strong cross-party support for protecting and enhancing the country’s most treasured natural spaces. Barry Gardiner MP was nominated as Chair, with Campaign for National Parks proudly serving as the Secretariat. 

The new APPG will provide a powerful voice in Parliament to: 

• Drive ambitious action on nature recovery and climate resilience 

• Promote inclusive access and wellbeing through connection to nature 

• Support rural economies and communities that depend on these landscapes 

• Shape new legislation and long-term investment to secure their future 

Ambassadors outside of Parliament with their ‘Stepping Up’ boot

Young people stepping up for National Parks 

Our amazing Ambassadors met with Protected Landscapes Minister Mary Creagh CBE MP to talk about the future of our National Parks in early December – from reforms to governance and purposes, to how young people can play a central role in shaping what comes next. 

Armed with their ‘Stepping Up’ walking boot, our Ambassadors put forward clear solutions: 

• modern, accessible, youth-friendly governance 

• a strategy for dynamic, diverse Boards 

• and rapid progress on promised reforms 

Young people are already stepping up – leading conservation work, driving climate action, and inspiring others in their communities. They stand ready to work with the government over the long term, bringing fresh ideas, lived experience, and energy to help shape greener, wilder National Parks for all.