HISTORY OF NATIONAL PARKS
The idea of National Parks dates back to 19th century America where the new country was rapidly being developed and settled. It was realised that some areas were so beautiful that they deserved protection. In 1872, Yellowstone became the first National Park and others soon followed. These early National Parks were large, uninhabited areas of natural scenery, which were owned by the government so that they could be protected.
Britain had few natural, uninhabited areas but from the late 1800s a number of groups, such as the National Trust, the RSPB and the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, had formed to protect our heritage.
In the 1940s several government reports were written which showed the need for National Parks in England and Wales, to allow the millions of people in the towns and cities to enjoy open countryside and fresh air. The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act was passed in 1949 and the Peak District became the first National Park in 1951. During the 1950s, ten National Parks were established in England and Wales. The Norfolk Broads was given National Park Status in 1989 and similar protection may be given to the New Forest.
The Environment Act of 1995 defined the purposes of National Parks as:
conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage
promoting opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of their special qualities.
The National Park must also foster the economic and social well-being of the local communities.
THE PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY
For a number of years only the Peak District and the Lake District were run by an independent authority. Following the 1995 Act, a National Park Authority was established to administer the affairs of each of the National Parks.
The Peak District covers parts of the counties of Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire. The National Park Authority consists of members from each of these counties and also from the District and Borough councils within the Park and from the local Parish councils. A number of members are also appointed directly by the Department of the Environment. These are people with valuable knowledge and experience of different aspects of the Peak District.
The National Park Authority acts as the local planning authority and produces a Structure Plan and National Park Plan setting out its management policies. These policies have to balance the needs of conservation with the needs of the local community (houses, jobs, services), the needs of visitors to the Park (car parks, information) and national needs (minerals). Around half the money needed to run the Park is provided from government funds. The rest is provided by local residents through the Council Tax and by park users through charges for facilities.
|
|
||||
 |
|
|||
| POINTS TO CONSIDER | ||||
|
|
||||