Working with partner organisations

National Park Authorities cannot manage National Parks in isolation. Increasingly we work with partner organisations and communities to achieve objectives set out in each National Park's individual management plan or vision.

Working in partnerships is one of the most efficient and cost effective ways of making a difference. But partnership is not just about traditional ways of working together. It is about finding new links, where people discover common ground and bring together different skills for mutual benefit.

The National Trust and National Parks

The National Trust is the largest non-government landowner in the UK. Along with the National Trust for Scotland this charity owns properties in all the National Parks, with substantial ownership in the Lake District, the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales and Exmoor National Parks. Although they are completely separate organisations from the National Parks, they work closely with the National Park Authorities and other partners to look after the land and buildings they own.

More than huff and puff

A great example of partnership working is the Footprint project in Windermere, which is creating a straw bale building to be used as a classroom. The Lake District National Park Authority is helping the National Trust to fund the project using money from the sustainable development fund.

Other National partners

Other organisations that work with National Park Authorities include:

• the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds who own many nature reserves and work to enhance areas for wildlife
• the Wildlife Trusts who carry out local volunteer projects
• the Forestry Commission and the Woodland Trust who both own and manage woodland areas

The links below show some of our key national partners, as well as local partnerships involving individual National Parks.