Our new report: moving the governance debate forward

Published: 20 April 2026

Campaign for National Parks Chair of Trustees Andrew McCloy introduces our new report and how we’re committed to embedding social justice within our organisation.

The way in which National Parks are set up and go about their work, who makes the decisions and how they are made, are really important if they are to deliver effectively for nature and people. We know there’s lots of commitment and talent already on the Parks’ Boards; but we’re also aware that there are plenty of others, especially young people, who want to get involved and help shape the future of National Parks – their future, their National Parks.

This is why, at Campaign for National Parks, we’re already supporting young campaigners and through our National Lottery Heritage Fund project, National Parks Reimagined, we aim to increase diversity in National Parks by providing opportunities for hundreds of aspiring young leaders to gain skills and experience. Development programmes, leadership pathways, mentoring, Board apprenticeships and ambassador schemes will all be part of the mix; and we’re looking forward to doing much of this in partnership with the National Park Authorities, who we know share our aspirations, so that together we can make help make National Parks more representative, inclusive and ultimately effective.

The discussion and recommendations in this report are part of this ongoing dialogue; but at Campaign for National Parks we realise that as an organisation we, too, must show how we are committed to social justice and ensure we are inclusive, open and equitable. That’s why we’ve placed social justice at the heart of our own strategy, policies and internal systems, so that 90 years after we were founded, we remain true to our radical roots. For us, social justice is ensuring National Parks are truly for everyone. This means confronting racism and inequalities in accessing, working in and governing these places. Our own governance is purposefully becoming more diverse and intergenerational, with more opportunities for reflection and increasing skills and confidence to be courageous in our leadership, and support our member organisations and partners. We have made changes, including to our own recruitment processes and ways of working, such as reporting via the Race Report; and we are exploring new approaches like giving nature ‘a seat on the Board’.

We hope that you find our new report, Leading National Parks into the future: modernising National Park Authority governance, constructive and thought-provoking and that it helps move the wider debate forwards.