National Parks

National Parks are areas set aside by the state because of their outstanding natural beauty, ecological, archaeological, geological and other features, and not least of all, recreational value. The current formal National Parks cover around 5292 square miles, which is about 9% of the land area of England and Wales. 

National Parks are not publicly owned land but are special protected because of their landscape quality. This means that resources are available to promote and manage such things as tourism within each 'National Park' and special funds may be available to owners of land in the designated areas.  Certain restrictions usually apply on many types of development.

Many National Parks have large areas which are accessible to the public. The National Trust, which is a private charity, owns about 12% of the Peak District National Park, the oldest National Park, and more than 25% of the Lake District. It also owns many other large areas within other Parks. The National Trust, although a body independent of the 'National Parks',  allows most of the land it owns to be open for public access.

The Parks are controlled by National Park Authorities which act rather like Councils for the Park area they govern. They have powers much like a local council anywhere else. They are centrally funded by Government and are charged with (amongst other things) exercising oversight of development.

Park Wardens or Rangers have an environmental 'policing' role and are concerned mainly with the protection of the landscape, which comes under severe pressure from tourists during the holiday seasons.