What actually IS a national park – and why does the UK do them differently?

What actually IS a national park – and why does the UK do them differently?

Unlike the vast wildernesses of the US or Africa, the UK’s national parks are lived-in landscapes shaped by people as much as nature. Here’s how they work

Perfectly still water at sunset, Loch Morlich, Glenmore Forest, Cairngorms National Park (credit: Getty Images)

Freya Parr

National parks exist around the world to protect landscapes and wildlife – but in Britain, they’re something quite different. Far from being untouched reserves, UK national parks are places where people live, farm and work the land, all while under a unique legal framework.

Unlike in much of the world, the UK’s national parks aren’t government-owned or managed. Most of the land remains in private hands. They don’t, therefore, adhere to the internationally accepted standard of national parks as set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

They also differ in another key way: many UK parks contain permanent settlements and communities – something rarely seen in national parks elsewhere.

What is a national park?

A national park is an area protected for its natural beauty, wildlife, cultural or historical significance, with the aim of preserving it for future generations.

Giant iceberg, glacier and red rock mountains of Northeast Greenland National Park. Summer fjord landscape with blue sky background.
Icebergs, glaciers and red rock mountains of Northeast Greenland National Park, the world's biggest national park (credit: Getty Images)

How do UK national parks differ from the rest of the world?

National parks in the UK are areas of countryside that are protected by law. These laws are put in place to protect and improve the history, land and wildlife of the area, while also ensuring public access.

In the US, national parks are designated, owned and managed by the federal government and remain government property – whereas the UK national parks operate a little differently.

UK national parks can include villages, farmland and privately owned estates. Even so, they are recognised as areas of outstanding natural beauty, with stricter planning controls than other parts of the country.

Who manages the UK’s national parks?

Following the Environment Act 1995, each national park in England and Wales has been managed by its own national park authority. These bodies work with other organisations, such as the National Trust, to manage and protect these landscapes.

Best walks in UK national parks

Landscape view of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska is the US's largest national park at 13 million acres, bigger than the size of Switzerland (credit: Getty Images)

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Top image: Perfectly still water at sunset, Loch Morlich, Glenmore Forest, Cairngorms National Park (credit: Getty Images)

Freya Parr

Deputy Editor of the National Trust Magazine and freelance journalist

Freya Parr is the Deputy Editor of the National Trust Magazine and a freelance journalist working across multiple titles including BBC Countryfile and BBC Wildlife. She is the former Digital Editor & Staff Writer at BBC Music Magazine, where she has stayed on as a regular critic. She is a keen trail runner, surfer and outdoor swimmer, enjoying scrambling up mountains and reviewing kit for titles such as Trail Magazine.
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