Frequently asked questions
Who looks after the National Parks?
Where are the National Parks in the UK?
When were the National Parks designated?
How are National Parks different to the National Trust, AONBs and Nature Reserves?
Who owns the National Parks land?
How can you protect a National Park if people live it in?
How can you encourage lots of visitors to National Parks and protect the landscape?
What's the biggest, most populated, most visited National Park?
What is a National Park?
National Parks are beautiful, spectacular and often dramatic expanses of countryside. In the UK people live and work in the National Parks and the farms, villages and towns are protected along with the landscape and wildlife. They are also areas where everyone can go to enjoy the outdoors.
In 1945, before any National Parks had been created in the UK, John Dower wrote a report to the government, describing what National Parks should do. He said that for 'the Nation's benefit' the government should make sure;
- the characteristic landscape beauty is strictly preserved;
- access and facilities for open-air enjoyment are amply provided;
- wildlife and buildings and places of architectural and historic interest are suitably protected;
- established farming use is effectively maintained.
See the whole history of National Park in our timeline
Who looks after the National Parks?
Each National Park has an organisation called a National Park Authority to help look after it. By law, each National Park Authority has to:
- conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage; and
- promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of National Parks by the public; and
- seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities.
The Broads Authority also has an extra duty to protect the interests of navigation, and the two Scottish National Parks also have objectives to promote the sustainable use of natural resources, the sustainable economic and social development of local communities.
Find out more about us and how we are run, and find out how we are looking after the National Parks.
Where are the National Parks in the UK?
The UK has 14 National Parks.
- There are nine in England - Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Lake District, the New Forest, Northumberland, North York Moors, the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Broads which has equivalent status to a National Park;
- two in Scotland - Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs;
- and three in Wales – the Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast and Snowdonia.
The South Downs, on England’s southern coast, is proposed as a National Park and its designation is currently under review.
Download a big map showing all 14 National Parks.
When were the National Parks designated?
1951 - Peak District, Lake District, Snowdonia and Dartmoor
1952 - Pembrokeshire Coast and North York Moors
1954 - Yorkshire Dales and Exmoor
1956 - Northumberland
1957 - Brecon Beacons
1989 - The Broads given equivalent status to a National Park
2002 - Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
2003 - Cairngorms
2005 - New Forest
How are National Parks different to the National Trust, AONBs and Nature Reserves?
There are lots of different types of protected areas in the UK all with different names and different purposes.
Area's of Outstanding Natural Beauty or AONBs - AONBs were created at the same time as National Parks in 1949. There are 49 across the UK and like National Parks they are areas of countryside that include villages and towns. They have the same legal protection for thier landscapes but don't have their own authorities for planning control and other services like National Parks do, instead they are looked after by partnerships between local communities and local authorites.
The National Associaion of AONBs website has more information.
National Nature Reserves or NNRs - These are smaller sites that are important areas of wildlife habitat, with no buildings or roads in them like AONBs and National Parks. There are over 210 National Nature Reserves in the UK that have high ecological value and are used as study areas for students and scientists.
Sites of Special Scientific Interests or SSSIs - These are sites that contain important wildlife species, habitats or geological features. You are not allowed to build on SSSIs and even planning applicaitons nearby an SSSI can be called in by the government to make sure that it won't affect the SSSI area.
National Trust and the National Trust for Scotland - These are charities that own land, buildings and coastline across the UK. Most of their properties can be visited by the public. They are totally independent from government and rely on their members and visitors for funding.
The National Trust website has information about England and Wales
The National Trust for Scotland website has information about Scotland
Who owns the National Parks land?
The National Parks are mostly private land, just like everywhere else in the country. Farmers, private landowners, the forestry commission and charities like the National Trust are some of the landowners, along with the thousands of people who live in the villages and towns. National Park Authorities sometimes own some bits of land, but we work with all the landowners in the National Parks to help protect the landscape.
How can you protect a National Park if people live it in?
The people that live in National Parks play an important part in protecting the landscape. Lots of habitats that look like wild countryside - moorlands, fells and mountains, meadows, woods and wetlands - were created by people using the land in different ways.
Grazing animals, harvesting wood, digging for peat, shooting gamebirds, thatching houses with reeds, growing hay and other types of farming all help to create habitats and wildlife in National Parks. Find out how we work with local communities to protect National Parks in our living in section.
How can you encourage lots of visitors to National Parks and protect the landscape?
Managing a National Park is a balancing act between conservation and the economy. People who live and work in National Parks need the support of the one hundred million visits that take place each year. If each of these visitors uses local services and buys local produce during their visit, it helps local businesses survive in a sustainable way.
We also try to give visitors a better understanding of National Parks and hope that will enjoy their visit and want to protect the National Parks for the future.
