Reshaping the future of National Parks

National Parks in England and Wales are on a precipice; threats are mounting but change is happening too slowly – It’s time to transform National Park governance to drive nature recovery, social justice and put young people at the heart of decision making.

There are some brilliant people currently working within National Parks at all levels, but their efforts are continually hampered by rules that constrain diversity, innovation and nature recovery, as well as dictating who can make final decisions.

Right now, we have a once in a generation opportunity to overhaul the systems in place. Last year the UK Government committed to making new laws to reform how English National Parks are governed, and the Welsh Government has committed to an ‘exemplar’ National Park in north east Wales with a new governance model. We’re determined to hold them to these promises.

Change on this scale would be monumental. Together we can fix outdated, unrepresentative, ineffective systems and radically reimagine our Parks.

Will you help us reshape the future of National Parks?

National Park Authority Boards

National Parks Authorities all have Boards who have overall power and responsibility to run the Parks, including taking the key decisions on housing and planning, land management, tourism and nature recovery.

The independent Glover Review of English National Parks, concluded that the way these Boards operate is “poor” because they are “far too large to be effective”, are “lacking in diversity” and “lacking people who emphasise the purposes of securing nature and connecting people”. Like us – many Board members and Park staff were “exasperated at the system”. 

The Auditor General for Wales has also highlighted weaknesses in National Park Authority governance, including “lack of diversity” and urged Welsh Government to reform the model to ensure it is “fit for purpose” for both the new and existing Parks.

Joining a Board

Complex, time-consuming, inaccessible

For most Board members, the route to being part of the leadership of a National Park Authority is to work your way up to become a candidate for local council or parish elections, then run for election and become a local councillor, and then you need to be selected by that council to join the National Park. This process can take decades, is it any wonder that the average age of a Board member is 64? 

Not only are the systems in place hugely complex and intimidating, this often means that even people who have little interest in the National Park can end up in decision making roles – it’s madness! For example, some local authority appointed members told the Auditor General for Wales that they’re on the Board because “no-one else wanted to go on it” and that they’re there “to make up the numbers.” 

While it is also possible to join a Board through national appointments based on skills and ability to deliver National Park purposes, these only make up about a third of members and the process is infrequent, difficult to navigate and has inherent bias. Independent reviews in England and Wales have found that not enough is done to support and gain the most from these members.

Take action

Reshaping National Parks

We’re calling on Ministers in England and in Wales to reform National Park Authority Boards.  

In England, we are calling on Minister Mary Creagh to quickly implement the UK Government’s commitment to new law to overhaul National Park governance. 

In Wales, we are calling on Minister Huw Irranca-Davies to commit to reforming governance and establish the new National Park Authority Board as an exemplar. 

If National Parks are to survive into the future and give stronger emphasis on supporting nature recovery, fighting the climate crisis and improving public access, they need a major system reboot. 

We need to see changes such as: 

• Reduction in the size of National Park Authority Boards  

• Ensuring all Board members are appointed on merit and their ability to deliver National Park purposes, increasing the proportion of members who are nationally appointed to half (currently one third)   

• Ensuring that Boards are representative of the general population, including changes to recruitment, culture and practices to enable diversity in participation. 

• Supporting young people to be at the heart of decision-making, including appointments to Boards supported via accessible pathways for young people to engage with governance, including improved training and mentoring. 

Help us reshape the future of National Parks by writing to Mary Creagh and Huw Irranca-Davies today using our quick and easy tool. 

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