Yesterday the Campaign for National Parks, which operates in England and Wales, launched a new blog and survey http://www.cnp.org.uk/blog/we-need-talk-about%E2%80%A6national-parks which I received via the Scottish Campaign for National Parks (I am on their Executive).
What I like about the blog piece and the survey is that is aimed at everyone, residents and visitors, and that it says changes are needed to make National Parks “even better”. Its openness and its clear statement that all National Parks could be improved are welcome.
I am one of the many people from Scotland who visit the English National Parks, particularly Northumberland and the Lake District 
when the weather is poor up north, so filled in the survey. Anyone with an interest in National Parks will have some criticisms of the survey questions. Two of mine were:
- there was hardly anything on nature conservation and no questions about what role National Parks could play in rewilding. A shame because its George Monbiot from south of the border who has done as much as anyone to put rewilding on the map
- and, as access veteran, I wonder why organisations in England who value access to the countryside find it so hard to see beyond rights of way and don’t ask people whether they would like Scotland’s system of access rights (minus byelaws of course!)
It will be interesting to compare the results of this survey with the visitor surveys that have been conducted by our two National Parks
