And in Derbyshire, we’re spoilt with the UKs first and one of the most visited; the Peak District National Park. It’s a place where millions of people come to get away from it all, cycle, walk and watch wildlife. It’s an inspiring place steeped in history, tradition and full of wonder. But, sadly, as with other National Parks across the UK, it is no better for wildlife than places without National Park status.

That’s the conclusion drawn from an independent report from Sheffield Hallam University, commissioned by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust which looked at ten of the UK's National Parks.

The report showed that National Parks, particularly those in upland areas, were struggling, seeing little improvement for wildlife since 2003. We are very lucky in the Peak District that we have many innovative and successful projects such as Moors for the Future and The Eastern Moors Partnership where many sites are recovering, however, most are yet to reach favourable condition.  

Dr Jo Smith, CEO of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust said, “We want the Peak District National Park to be much wilder – somewhere where wildlife thrives and people can get close to nature. To achieve this we believe significant areas of our Parks should be dedicated to the restoration of nature.  We also need policy changes and investment to ensure our National Parks are comparable with those in mainland Europe and America. We want to see a Wilder Future - wilder National Parks are an essential part of nature’s recovery.”

Designated Landscapes Review - Sheffield Hallam University

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's summary of the Glover Review