National glory for efforts to connect people with nature in Yorkshire

At a parliamentary reception, the Campaign for National Parks recognised projects in the Peak District and North York Moors for engaging members of the public with voluntary conservation work.

Such projects have come at a time when national parks have sought to tap into the goodwill of the public to help protect the environment following years of cuts to their core government grants.

The Campaign’s Park Protector Award was presented to the Community Science project run by the Moors for the Future Partnership in the Peak District which trains volunteers to monitor environmental changes and record the effects of climate change.

Joseph Margetts, a spokesman for the project, said: “Community Science has inspired a wide range of people to start monitoring the health of blanket bog habitat in the Peak District and South Pennines. Our fantastic volunteers have been champions for the uplands, surveying animals like mountain hares and bilberry bumblebees as well as regularly taking readings such as temperature and rainfall to record long-term climate trends.”

The North York Moors National Park Authority was highly commended for its Explorer Club which sees families with children aged four to 14 undertake conservation tasks to look after the area’s protected landscape once a month over a six-month period.

Examples of activities include stream-dipping, species identification, litter-picking and drain and path clearing. Park chiefs hope to encourage a life-long passion among young participants for exploration and nature.

The president of the Campaign for National Parks, actress Caroline Quentin, said: “National Parks are important, inspirational national assets that require dedication and support at this time of great national uncertainty to make sure they flourish in the future.”