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The Peak District National Park
It is the policy of all National Parks to work towards sustainable development. This means a commitment to improving the quality of people’s lives without using up natural resources that cannot be replaced. For example, the countryside is a valuable resource that cannot be replaced if destroyed by people or by industrial activity. Conservation is therefore an important element in sustainable development. British National Parks are spectacular landscapes with coasts, mountains, moorland and woodland. Our National Parks are not owned by the Nation or managed only for their wildlife. They are, however, mostly farmed landscapes in which many people live and work. They also contain traditional industries including forestry, quarrying and water catchment. The Peak District National Park was Britain’s first National Park. It covers 1438 square kilometres (555 square miles) at the southern tip of the Pennines. The Environment Act of 1995 defined the purposes of National Parks as:
The National Park must also foster the economic and social well-being of the local communities.
Landscape of the Peak District National ParkThe Peak District landscape has been shaped by both natural and human influences. Typically much of the Peak District would be wooded, but by clearing the land for farming, our ancestors have created a rich historical landscape and a diversity of habitats. The Peak District lies on three main rock types and it is the rocks underneath the surface that determine the type of landscape seen today. The White Peak
A landscape of rolling farmland and steep-sided dales, the White Peak lies on a rock called limestone. This sedimentary rock was deposited around 350 million years ago when the land lay under a warm tropical sea. The fossilised remains of the millions of sea creatures that form the limestone, can be seen in the rocks of the drystone walls crossing the fields on the limestone plateau. The steep-sided dales cutting the limestone plateau, contain ancient woodland and many wild flowers. Water dissolves the rock, forming underground streams and caves. Where streams still run on the surface, dippers and other water life can be seen. The Dark Peak
This is a landscape of contrast between the high gritstone moorland and the broad flat shale valleys. These are also sedimentary rocks and were formed from deposits of sand (gritstone) and mud (shale) as the Peak District area became the estuary of a vast river around 280 million years ago. The moorland area is very high (over 300 metres above sea level) and much is covered by a thick layer of peat. The soil is acid and only a few plants grow (heather, bilberry, cottongrass). Much of the moor is managed for red grouse and for sheep farming. These two activities prevent woodland regeneration. However, areas of ancient oak woodland still survive below the edges and in steep sided cloughs. The shale valleys have milder climates and contain the best farmland and many of the settlements and transport routes. Many of the valleys have also been used to form reservoirs. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Land Use in the Peak District National ParkFarming
Nearly all of the land in the Peak District National Park is privately owned. There are about 1800 farms in the National Park, most of them small (less than 40 hectares). Some of the farms may not be owned by the farmer himself but by other landowners including the National Trust and the Water Companies. Many of the farms are thought to be run on a part-time basis (where the farmer has another job as well). Dairy cattle are kept in the valleys and on the limestone plateau. Sheep and beef cattle are reared on the higher, rough grazing land of the slopes. There is little arable farming as the climate is very harsh and the growing season short. Forestry
The Peak District National Park Authority manages 480 hectares of woodland and encourages others to manage woodland for wildlife and recreation. The Water Companies and Forest Enterprise (the State timber-growing body), own large areas of coniferous woodland, mostly in water catchment areas. Water SupplyMany valleys are dammed and flooded to create reservoirs where water is stored to supply the towns and cities around the Park (such as Leicester and Nottingham). There are 55 reservoirs of over 2 hectares in the Peak District. These supply 450 million litres of water a day. Mineral Extraction
Mineral extraction is traditional and important to the local economy but leaves scars on the landscape, causes pollution and traffic congestion. Until the late 1800’s, lead was mined in the Peak District and provided income and employment for many local residents. The old mining remains are of interest to archaeologists and visitors. Limestone quarrying grew enormously in scale earlier this century and is now the biggest mineral industry. In 1999 4.7 million tonnes were quarried from within the Park. The high quality limestone has a number of uses in the iron, steel and chemical industries, in agriculture, in cement making but most is now used for roadstone. Fluorspar was once thrown away as waste material by lead miners but it is now mined in the National Park for use in the manufacture of refrigerants, solvents and anaesthetics (as well as toothpaste). In fact the majority of the fluorspar found in Britain is in the Peak District - especially the acid grade or high quality fluorspar (98%). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Conservation in the Peak District National ParkNature Conservation35% of the Peak District National Park is designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) by English Nature because of their importance for flora, fauna, geology or geomorphology. English Nature seeks agreements with land owners for SSSIs to be managed in such a way as to conserve their special interests. Nature conservation was one of the main aims of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in designating the North Peak and South-West Peak Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs). Farmers there are encouraged by grants to manage their land for conservation. Outside of the ESAs, DEFRA promotes the Countryside Stewardship Scheme which encourages farmers and other land owners to conserve ecologically important land. This scheme is also promoted by the National Park Authority. Landscape and Village Conservation
The National Park Authority is primarily responsible for landscape conservation across the National Park. This includes creating Conservation Areas in villages to protect their historical and architectural value. The Authority also works with English Heritage to help identify and designate Scheduled Ancient Monuments and Listed Buildings and raise awareness of the importance of our historic landscape. The National Park Authority carries out projects that address problems such as footpath erosion, unsightly mineral workings and traffic congestion. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Promoting Understanding and Enjoyment of the Peak District National ParkRecreation and Tourism
Around 15.7 million people live within 60 miles of the Peak District National Park (about 32% of the population of England). Overall business turnover arising from tourism in the Peak District was estimated to be £75 million in 1998. The Park is also popular for holiday homes - the 1991 census showed that 4.8% of the Park’s houses were second or holiday homes. A large number of tourists visit beauty spots such as Dovedale, places of interest such as Chatsworth House or the caves at Castleton. More active visitors enjoy walking on the network of footpaths and on the moorland, climbing on the edges of the Dark Peak, sailing on the reservoirs and also cycling, horseriding and gliding. The National Park Authority provides facilities for the visitors such as:
AccessAccess to the Peak District has not always been easy. Up to the early 20th century there were only two footpaths across the moorland in the North Peak and it was illegal to go beyond these. During the 1930’s there were several ‘mass trespasses’ on the moorland plateau and other protest meetings. Following the establishment of the Peak District as a National Park, over 32,143 hectares of the Park are now open for public access. Of this, 14,395 hectares are included in Access Agreements (2001) allowing the public to wander at will, except for a few days each year when grouse shooting takes place. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Living in the Peak District National ParkThe population of the Peak District National Park is around 38,000, most of whom live in the villages and hamlets dotted throughout the area. About 10% of the population live in Bakewell which is the largest town in the Park. The population of the Park is slightly older than the national average. Many of the residents are farmers. Others work in quarries or light industries (such as electronics) within the Park but the majority of the people are employed in service industries - including tourism. A number of people commute to jobs outside the Park and other people who live outside the Park commute to work in local firms. The buildings in the towns and villages are of local stone and the National Park Authority provides guidelines on any new building, so that it will blend in with the existing village scene. The Park Authority carefully examines planning applications for new buildings to see whether they are justified (especially outside villages) and whether they are well designed. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - History of National ParksThe idea of National Parks dates back to 19th century America where the new country was rapidly being developed and settled. It was realised that some areas were so beautiful that they deserved protection. In 1872, Yellowstone became the first National Park and others soon followed. These early National Parks were large, uninhabited areas of natural scenery that were owned by the government so that they could be protected. Britain had few natural, uninhabited areas but from the late 1800s a number of groups, such as the National Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, had formed to protect our heritage. In the 1940s, several government reports were written which showed the need for National Parks in England and Wales to allow the millions of people in the towns and cities to enjoy open countryside and fresh air. The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act was passed in 1949 and the Peak District became the first National Park in 1951. During the 1950s, ten National Parks were established in England and Wales. The Norfolk Broads was given National Park Status in 1989 and similar protection may be given to the New Forest in the near future. Most recently the first National Parks have been designated in Scotland - the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond & the Trossachs.
The Environment Act of 1995 defined the purposes of National Parks as:
The National Park must also foster the economic and social well-being of the local communities. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Peak District National Park AuthorityFor a number of years only the Peak District and the Lake District were run by an independent authority. Following the 1995 Act, each of the National Parks established an Authority to administer the affairs of each area. The Peak District covers parts of the counties of Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire. The National Park Authority consists of members from each of these counties and also from the District and Borough councils within the Park and from the local Parish councils. A number of members are also appointed directly by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. These are people with valuable knowledge and experience of different aspects of the Peak District. The National Park Authority acts as the local planning authority and produces a Structure Plan and National Park Management Plan setting out its management policies. These policies have to balance the needs of conservation with the needs of the local community (houses, jobs, services), the needs of visitors to the Park (car parks, information) and national needs (minerals). The money to run the National Park Authority is provided from government funds. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Points to ConsiderMany people live in the National Park - how do you think this affects the way the Park is managed for conservation and recreation? Almost every area of the Peak District has been influenced by humans - what might a completely natural Peak District look like? For more information on any of the subjects highlighted in this factsheet try searching the archive. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
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