The work of partners across the Yorkshire Dales has delivered significant progress towards a greener, more resilient and more vibrant National Park.
The first Annual Report of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Management Plan 2025-30 highlights the collective efforts of farmers, businesses, community groups, local authorities, charities and public bodies working together to conserve and enhance the National Park while supporting thriving local communities.
The report shows good progress has been made on 21 of the Plan’s 40 objectives and a further 13 are moving in the right direction. Key achievements include:
- £1.5 million awarded to farm businesses through Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes grant programme, supporting projects delivering benefits for climate, nature, heritage and communities.
- Initial restoration completed on a further 2,275 hectares of damaged peatland through the Yorkshire Peat Partnership, helping store carbon, improve biodiversity and retain water in the landscape.
- 40 km of hedgerow created or restored since 2022, providing shelter for livestock, a home for wildlife, and storing more carbon.
- More than 120 community groups supported through activities, training and partnership projects.
- Curriculum-based outdoor learning opportunities that enabled over 6,000 young people to connect with nature.
- A new Local Plan that requires all new dwellings to be lived in as a ‘principal residence’, meaning they must be lived in and cannot be turned into second homes or holiday lets. This means new developments will directly support local people.
Chair of the National Park Management Plan Partnership, Michael Devlin, said: “This report shows what can be achieved when organisations, businesses, farmers, landowners, community groups and residents work together towards a shared vision for the National Park.
“Much of this progress is down to the people who manage and care for this landscape every day. From restoring peatlands and planting hedgerows to improving habitats and supporting local communities, farmers and land managers are playing a vital role in shaping the future of the Yorkshire Dales.
“We have also seen encouraging signs of how the National Park can really contribute to healthier communities. Through the “Natural Health Service” for North Yorkshire, people living with a range of health conditions have been supported to spend time in the Dales, helping improve their physical health, mental wellbeing and social connections.
“So, while the report highlights major environmental gains, it also shows the positive difference the National Park is making to people’s lives, supporting businesses, inspiring young people, improving wellbeing and helping communities thrive.
“There is still more to do, but these achievements provide a strong foundation for the years ahead and underline the value of the Yorkshire Dales as both a protected landscape and a place people proudly call home.”
