National Parks are protected areas
The Legislation - 60 years of protected areas in the UK
Protecting Wildlife in National Parks, Painted Lady © NNPA
What is a protected area?
Protected areas in the UK are part of a worldwide network of more than 100,000 protected areas.There is one organisation called the International Union for Conservation of Nature, known as the IUCN, that helps to look after protected areas globally.
"A clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values”.
In other words: A protected area is a location which has a clear boundary. It has people and laws that make sure that nature and wildlife are protected and that people can continue to benefit from nature without destroying it.
Protected areas in the UK
In the UK, there are some areas which have international designations, and some areas, including our National Parks, which have national designations.
Internationally designated areas:
Ynyslas beach in the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve in Wales © Bill & Mary Green
These are areas which have been designated internationally by organisations such as UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).
Here are two examples of internationally designated protected areas in the UK, designated by UNESCO:
Biosphere Reserves, currently there are 9 Biosphere Reserves in the UK. Example: Dyfi Biosphere Reserve in Wales
World Heritage Sites, currently there are 28 World Heritage Sites in the UK. Example: St Kilda World Heritage Site and National Nature Reserve
Map of protected areas in the UK showing National Parks in yellow and AONBs in orange
Nationally designated areas:
There is a government agency in each country with the power to designate national protected areas. They are:
There are three types of nationally protected areas in the UK;
- National Parks - in England, Scotland and Wales
- Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - in England, Northern Ireland and Wales
- National Scenic Areas - in Scotland
National Parks
National Parks are areas of countryside that include villages and towns. They have an authority to help look after them, including planning controls.
Find out more about National Parks
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
AONBs are areas of countryside that include villages and towns. They have the same legal protection for their landscapes as National Parks, 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 authorities.
National Scenic Areas (NSA)
These are areas of land which are conserved because of their beautiful scenery and a mixture of richly diverse landscapes including prominent landforms, coastline, sea and freshwater lochs, rivers, woodlands and moorlands. Parts of the two Scottish National Parks are also National Scenic Areas.
This table shows some facts and figures about the three types of nationally protected areas in the UK:
| Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty | The National Park Family | National Scenic Areas | |
| Where are they? |
35 in England 4 in Wales 1 in both England and Wales 9 in Northern Ireland 0 in Scotland |
9 in England 3 in Wales 2 in Scotland 0 in Northern Ireland |
40 in Scotland 0 in any other country |
| How many? | 49 | 14 | 40 |
|
How much land? (sq kilometers) |
19,596 in England 844 in Wales: 2861 in Northern Ireland 23,301 in total |
10,504 in England 4141 in Wales 5664 in Scotland 20,309 in total |
13,783 in total |
| The First | The Gower Peninsula - 1956 | The Peak District - 1951 | Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon - 1981 |
| The Largest (sq kilometers) | The Cotswolds - 2038 | The Cairngorms - 3800 | Wester Ross - 1452 |
(Source: "A Clear View" by Europarc Atlantic Isles, 2006)
The Legislation - over 60 years of protected areas in the UK
2009 was the 60th Anniversary of the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act which made the designation of protected areas in the UK possible.
The Act set out how land could be designated as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. It also set out how National Trails could be created, to give people access across land on foot, bicycle or horseback.
Read about how people's protests and campaigns helped to make the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act:
The shaping of National Parks
