What is the Three Peaks Project
The Three Peaks Project was announced in April 2009 and aims to ensure that the area is maintained and improved in the long term by:
generating a sustainable income to help pay for its management
creating new opportunities for businesses, groups and visitors
promoting understanding of the area’s special qualities
encouraging people to help look after the area
Background
In 1987, a report by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology claimed that the path network in the Three Peaks area was the most severely eroded in the UK, with some paths across the more fragile parts of the route having grown to 50m wide in places.
Since then, a great deal of effort and money has gone into improving of the network and helping the surrounding vegetation to recover. So far, about 27kms of public footpath and bridleway have been transformed, but the number of staff managing the rights of way in the Three Peaks has dwindled from 13 at the start of the original Manpower Services-supported project in 1987 to two.
This means that, despite the support of a team of Dales Volunteers, the National Park Authority is slowly but surely falling behind with maintenance.
The knock-on effect is that some sections of path need major work doing to them far more frequently – perhaps as often as every five years – when we might have expected a 10-year lifespan before. As well as the extra work, every additional project adds to the maintenance burden.
Generating income
The area has benefited from grants in the past to help pay for major work and the new Three Peaks Project aims to build on this success and to introduce new ways of generating cash.
One of the main ways will be by giving users of the network the chance to support the area and the work of the Authority by raising money for it.
This can be by:
asking participants in sponsored events like charity walks to donate part of their entry fee to the project
providing merchandise to celebrate walking one, two or all of the peaks (whether in one go or over an extended period);
joining the Friends of the Three Peaks
building business and community interest in the area that will help support it.
A number of major charities like the NSPCC and Heart Research UK are using the Three Peaks area to raise money for their causes this year and have already pledged their support for the project. They will be donating cash to be used directly in the upkeep of the Three Peaks path network.
Much of the money the project generates will be used to fund an additional member of staff – a project ranger – who will be focussing on the continuing maintenance of the ever-increasing length of paths in this special area. The aim is for the ranger’s costs to be increasingly met by the income the project generates.
Creating opportunities
The Three Peaks Project aims to highlight the inextricable link that exists between residents, visitors, local tourism businesses and the landscape.
It is hoped that the project will enable visitors to the Three Peaks and businesses that benefit from the area to make a positive contribution towards its conservation and ensure they are recognised for this contribution.
Hopefully, as the project grows, a unique network of businesses will be created that will be actively sought out by visitors and local people who share this commitment to the conservation of our area.
How will businesses benefit from the scheme?
Many tourism businesses benefit from either being located in the Three Peaks area or by supplying others that operate in the area. Their customers are visitors to the area who put their abilities to the test in some of the Dales’ most fragile, wildest and more challenging scenery. This project gives businesses the opportunity to make a genuine contribution to the conservation of the local area.
There are a number of benefits to being involved:
Green credibility – Involvement with the project gives businesses a unique selling point that will appeal to the many people who love this area.
Free publicity – The project and its supporters will benefit from frequent press releases, coverage in newsletters, websites and National Park Centres.
Marketing opportunities through official use of the Three Peaks Project logo on websites and in advertising will enable businesses to promote their commitment to improvement of the local environment.
Stockists of Three Peaks merchandise – merchandise specifically created to raise funds for the Three Peaks routes will be supplied to businesses that support the scheme.
How will their customers benefit?
From the ‘feel good factor’ of financially contributing to the maintenance of the area by purchasing Three Peaks merchandise
The opportunity to benefit the environment/community directly.
Project updates will be provided via www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/threepeaks so customers can track progress and maintain any affiliations or connections they feel they have with the area.
What would supporting the Three Peaks Project involve?
Clearly the project is still in its development stage. However, supporting the Three Peaks project will require businesses to support the principles of the project, take an active interest in its progress and provide a quality source of information on the project to their customers and visitors to the Three Peaks Area.
The aim of gaining business support for this project is that:
Customers of every participating business should be highly aware that the business is a supporter of the Three Peaks project
Customers should be able to obtain information about the project from the business
Customers should be enthused enough to want to find out more and support the project
There would also be additional opportunities for businesses to stock Three Peaks merchandise on a similar basis to merchandise already available from YDNPA Retail.
If you would like to know more about the project or would like to support us in any way then why not contact us!
