A Lake District charity has welcomed DEFRA's plan detailing how it intends to protect, promote and enhance National Parks between now and 2020.
It includes plans to connect more young people to the environment through National Parks, and to increase visitor numbers.
It also aims to increase the diversity of visitors from the UK - and to better promote the area worldwide.
DEFRA’s 8 point plan in brief:
• Connect young people with nature
• Create thriving natural environments
• Drive growth in international tourism
• Deliver new apprenticeships in national parks
• Promote the best of British food from national parks
• Promote the idea of everyone’s national parks
• Promote landscape and heritage in national parks
• Encourage health and wellbeing in national parks.
Douglas Chalmers, Chief Executive at Friends of the Lake District, said: “Any Government statement on the future of our National Parks is especially relevant in Cumbria, where we have the largest proportion of landscapes designated as National Park or Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) in England.
“We should welcome any action that recognises that our National Parks are places with “special qualities” and establishes them squarely at the heart of Government’s thinking on the environment being managed for future generations.
“Of course, this has all to be delivered, but there are some exciting features in this document. We expect and welcome the environmental plans, but health and wellbeing and the link to food production will create new opportunities for these incredibly attractive parts of the land.
“The landscapes in National Parks are fundamental, but by recognising that there are also people, their communities, and their activities there, we can get everyone working towards a secure future for these “jewels in our landscape”.