Now is the time to truly nationalise our National Parks
With National Parks appearing to struggle, Andrew McCloy (Chair of Trustees at Campaign for National Parks) looks into the underlying issues and how systematic changes could help them flourish.
The North York Moors National Park contains one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in England and Wales at 44,000 hectares. Recognised nationally and internationally as an important habitat for wildlife, the Park provides a haven for many threatened bird species such as the golden plover and the merlin. As well as brooding moorland and dramatic windswept North Sea coastline, the North York Moors has a rich cultural heritage, being an important region for mining and transport during the industrial revolution and remaining an important farming landscape today.
Did you know? Though ancient woodland covers less than 5% of the total area of the Park, the North York Moors is home to one of the largest concentrations of ancient and veteran trees in northern England.
Designation: 1952
Habitats: Ancient woodland, moorland, coastal cliffs, estuaries, beaches and seashore
Common wildlife: Red grouse, adder, brown hare, ground nesting birds such as the golden plover and meadow pipet
Star spots: Merlin
Notable towns and cultural sights: Roulston Scar Hillfort, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Notable nature sights: Forge Valley, Dalby forest
Popular activities for visitors: Hiking, stargazing
Highest peak: Urra Moor at 454 meters above sea level
Annual visitor numbers: 8.38 million in 2019
Threats: Increasing pressures from farming, fire, visitor pressure, forestry
