People making our glorious countryside a better place celebrated in national awards
Published: 25 June 2019
The shortlist for the Park Protector and Year of Green Action Awards are announced
Six outstanding projects making a difference in National Parks have been shortlisted for national awards run by Campaign for National Parks, the charity for England and Wales’ 13 National Parks.
“The projects are each making an outstanding difference in some of the most famous countryside in the world, they are more vital than ever. When the natural world is under threat like never before and in the year of the National Parks’ 70th anniversary no less!”
“From introducing asylum seekers to the Yorkshire Dales to rescuing endangered butterflies, it’s testament to the power of the National Parks that they are inspiring people to make our countryside a better place for all.” said Corinne Pluchino chief executive of Campaign for National Parks.
Launching the competition, Lord Gardiner of Kimble, the Government minister for National Parks said: “From my experience travelling the diverse and beautiful landscapes of the Parks I know that there is work to be done, whether that is work to enhance nature or introduce more people than ever to the glory of the countryside. But I also know that very challenge is being embraced by projects up and down the country.”
The shortlisted projects are competing to win the Park Protector Award and the very first Year of Green Action Award for National Park projects from the Government’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This year saw the most applicants apply in the competition history.
The six shortlisted projects are:
| LOCATE – New Forest National Park | This project is mapping precious archaeological sites in the New Forest, training volunteers in the specialist skills this requires. This project has helped to map Neolithic long barrows, Iron Age hill forts and Roman pottery kiln sites! |
| People and the Dales – Yorkshire Dales National Park | Enabling people from a truly diverse range of backgrounds, including asylum seekers, disabled and inner city youths, to have life changing experiences in the beautiful countryside – improving community relations and introducing thousands to the National Park. |
| SWEPT – Pembrokeshire Coast National Park | This project is training citizen scientists to go out and collect vital pollution data in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. This data has led to clean-up events and has shone a light on the relationship between land and marine environments. |
| Skill builder – Peak District National Park | Skill builder is engaging offenders on probation in conservation work across the Peak District, teaching them new skills, improving the offenders’ health and wellbeing and helping their rehabilitation. They boast that no participant has re-offended with the project. |
| Carlton Marshes – Broads National Park | An ambitious restoration of 1000 acre landscape for wildlife alongside Lowestoft, one of the UK’s most socially deprived towns. Carlton Marshes is proving that people and wildlife alike can benefit from conservation and has been supported by the likes of Sir David Attenborough. |
| All the Moor Butterflies – Exmoor & Dartmoor National Parks. | This project by Butterfly Conservation is rescuing butterfly populations from collapse in South-West England. Through working with farmers and other organisations the project aims to save six threatened species of butterfly and moth. |
Stephen Ross, of the Ramblers Holiday’s Charitable Trust which sponsor the Park Protector Award said: “This year we’ve had an unprecedented number of high quality applicants, judging has been exceptionally tough and because of that I know what we have here are some of the very best projects run by the most passionate people. I wish there was a way to award every project.“
The winning projects will be announced at a parliamentary reception on July 10th. The winner of the Park Protector Award will receive a £2000 grant towards their work, while the winner of the Year of Green Action Award will receive £1,500.
The annual Award is generously supported by Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust.
Additionally, supported by Breedon Group.
Ends
Notes to Editors
Andrew Hall: 0207 981 0891, 07394388645 or email andrew@cnp.org.uk
Pictures
A gallery of high quality pictures can be downloaded here.
| 1 LOCATE | LOCATE using pony power to map heritage. Photo credit: New Forest National Park Authority |
| 2 People and the Dales | People and the DALES in Malham. Photo credit: Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust |
| 3 SWEPT | A SWEPT volunteer measuring nitrate pollution. Photo credit: Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation |
| 4 Skill Builder | Skill Builder participants hard at work in the Peak District. Photo credit: Peak District National Park Authority |
| 5 Carlton Marshes | Carlton Marshes scrape. Photo credit: Steve Aylward |
| 6 All the Moor Butterflies. | A marsh fritillary, one of the species at the centre of conservation efforts. Photo credit: Tom Cox |
About us
The Campaign for National Parks is the only national charity dedicated to campaigning to protect and promote all the National Parks of England and Wales.
The Park Protector Award is supported by the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust who are funded and supported by Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. For more information please go to www.ramblersholidays.co.uk/page/ramblers-holidays-charitable-trust
Additionally, supported by Breedon Group.
For more information visit www.cnp.org.uk.
More information on the Year of Green Action can be found here: https://www.yearofgreenaction.org/