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New Forest National Park Rural affairs minister Alun Michael has announced today (28 June) that the New Forest will become a National Park. The decision is in line with recommendations made after a seven-month public inquiry. National Parks in England and Wales are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. Their designation is for the purposes of conserving their natural beauty, wildlife and human heritage and promoting the understanding and enjoyment of their special qualities. National Park budgets come from the Government. Mr Michael said: "I have carefully considered the Inquiry Inspector's report. I agree with his recommendations that the New Forest meets the criteria and purposes of a National Park and should be managed by a National Park Authority established under the Environment Act 1995. "Our National Parks have a vital role conserving our natural heritage, but conservation alone is not enough - the Parks must balance environmental priorities with those of communities. Today's decision will help protect the unique character of the New Forest - valued by so many people, and acknowledged as a national treasure for nearly a thousand years - whilst recognising that it is a working, living place with social and economic needs". The current National Parks in England are Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Lake District, the North York Moors, Northumberland, the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales. Each of them has a National Park Authority, which looks after conservation issues and helps people to understand and enjoy their special qualities, as well as seeking to foster the social and economic well-being of communities the National Parks. The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads has a similar status to a National Park but is designated under separate legislation. Source: www.defra.gov.uk |
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