The Protected Landscape Approach - Centre for Mediterranean ...

9. Protected landscapes in the United Kingdom
them as Category V protected areas: that is as lived-in, working landscapes of great value for
their natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage.
In 2000, many powers – including that of maintaining an oversight of the national park
policy – which were previously undertaken in England, were devolved to Wales with the
establishment of the Welsh Assembly. The assembly was given a specific mandate to promote
sustainable development. In 2003, Welsh Ministers called for a review of the national parks,
one purpose of which was to establish how these areas could contribute to the delivery and
promotion of sustainable economic and social development.
The review report was published in 2004 (Land Use Consultants, 2004). It concludes that the
parks could indeed be managed as models of sustainable rural development. It describes some
excellent existing examples of this kind of activity; projects include small-scale renewable
energy, recycling initiatives, promotion of local foods, sustainable transport and green tourism.
But if real progress is to be made – the report concludes – it will be necessary for the Welsh
Assembly to give more encouragement and support to the national parks for this kind of work.
But also the parks should be given a new purpose to “promote sustainable forms of economic
and community development which support the conservation and enhancement of the natural
beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the areas.” While this would be subordinate to the other
park purposes – conservation, and access and public understanding – it would represent an
important step towards linking conservation and development.
Making sense of such words will call for partnerships between the national park authorities
and other bodies in the public, private and voluntary sectors. The report says “conservation and
enhancement of the special qualities of the parks has to be a shared responsibility, requiring an
integrated and purposeful approach to environmental conservation and enhancement, support
for the land-based and wider rural economy (including tourism) and development of the park
communities together.”
To reinforce partnerships for the park among bodies with responsibility for such services as
roads, farming, tourism, jobs and housing, the report recommends that the law be changed so
that all public bodies operating in the national parks would have a duty not only to “have
regard to national park purposes” (as now), but to “contribute to” these purposes. This means
that each and every scheme would have to be tested against the question – what will it do for the
national park
The report is now the subject of public debate and it is far from certain that these important
proposals will be acted upon, as they will strengthen the standing of the national parks and thus
may threaten some established interests. But even if the proposals are not quickly adopted, the
review report on the parks in Wales offers a way forward that could have application in other
Protected Landscapes.
So what can be learnt from the Welsh review that might have wider application That there
are many practical examples of linking conservation and development in sensitive environ -
ments; that it is possible to relate economic and social development to conservation purposes;
and that this can be done through partnerships reinforced by a legally binding obligation on all
sectors to help deliver the purposes of the protected area.
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