Dales 2011 A newspaper for the residents of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Autumn 2011 Changing times The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority budget is being communities have experienced this with proposals cut by a third over the next four years. With less money and affecting schools, libraries, tourist information centres fewer resources the organisation must embrace a new spirit of and public transport. partnership to keep important services going, say Chief There is some danger of this doom and gloom becoming Executive David Butterworth and Chairman Carl Lis. endemic. However, if the Authority is to prosper and The last year has been extremely difficult for the National continue to make a positive contribution to peoples' Park Authority, certainly the most difficult since it was experience of the National Park, it must meet the future created in 1997. with a bit of backbone and confidence. The impact of the Government's budget cuts, which took Although we took a 'big bang' approach and dealt with effect this financial year, has been severe. It has resulted in many of the cuts we have to make in year one, we still the scrapping of a number of our services and the face difficult decisions, including what to do with our reduction of many more. Eight work programmes, National Park Centres and public toilets which we cannot including education, events and public transport, have continue to run at the same level. Maintenance of David Butterworth, left, and Carl Lis at Dentdale Show in August. The been deleted. While there is a commitment to continue footpaths and bridleways is also likely to be hit. Dentdale Community Initiative is a pilot between the Authority and the some activity in these areas no budget has been allocated. local community, working towards shared objectives. However, the changes that we have undertaken have put Consequently, there has been a requirement for a major us on a solid footing and should enable us to achieve our provide. But for those activities that we continue to re-structure and 37 members of staff have left the target: a reduction in the size of the Authority and its undertake we will need to ensure they are delivered in organisation. activities by about a third by 2014/15. the best possible way. As you will be all too aware, this has taken place within This is a significant reduction and will be evident in the Culturally, this will be quite a shift. `Good enough' will the context of general public service cuts. Our local number - and, in some cases, the level - of services we have to do for some services but by paring down we can continue to strive for excellence in others. A smaller, leaner organisation should lead to a more focussed and personal service. Our centre page feature - 'Meet the team' - outlines that intention. 2020 vision builds The Yorkshire Dales has always had a set of resilient communities and many are looking at new and innovative ways of ensuring they continue to receive services, not just public services but those things which are considered on conservation success important to their long term viability. Populations of many threatened wildlife species are stable Our primary focus will remain on conservation and or improving in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, recreation. Nonetheless, this new spirit of working in thanks to a 10-year biodiversity plan - and in some cases partnership is one that we, and many other public bodies, this bucks the trend nationally. need to embrace on a much greater scale. The skill will be As well as animals, a number of plants and habitats are in managing these new relationships, and the expectations also doing well, due to the Local Biodiversity Action Plan they create, during a time of considerably less cash and (LBAP) which has guided the work of local organisations, fewer resources. groups and individuals and lead to some highly effective Should we be successful, it will mean the continuance of collaborations over the last decade. service to some of the most remote communities in the Red squirrels (below) have increased their distribution country. We're up for the challenge! over a wider area, northern brown argus butterfly (right) populations - which are in decline nationally - have remained stable with no colonies lost, and we have undertaken a programme of juniper bush planting to A trends and status report published this summer KIDS QUIZ preserve this nationally threatened species. showed that over the last decade there has been major Can you spot how many progress in bringing some of the most important habitats Coordinated by conservation experts in the Authority times Ewe-nice the Sheep into positive management and the last full assessment and launched by umbrella body the Yorkshire Dales highlighted that 81% of declining species were now stable appears in this paper? Biodiversity Forum, the first LBAP in 2000 - 'Nature in or increasing. With the next one due in 2013 we hope the Dales' - identified a range of nationally and regionally this trend will continue. Answer on back page. important habitats and species in the National Park that were at risk, and set out the work needed to protect Adrian Shepherd, Head of Land Management, said: "This them. is great news and highlights how beneficial the LBAP has been to the conservation of biodiversity in the National Park. It is a real testimony to the work done over the last 10 years by landowners, farmers and other agencies In this edition in delivering partnership projects." Despite these successes, there is still much to do and the Support for tourism businesses - p2 conservation actions for the next decade are set out in the new LBAP - '2020 Vision'. Making a splash: hydro schemes And you can play a part. We are asking for volunteers to help with survey and monitoring work. You will receive mentoring launch - p3 and advice on methodologies. Look out for information on our website and in the local press. Apprentices View ‘2020 Vision’ and the trends and status bridge gap - report on www.natureinthedales.org.uk p5 Page 2 Dales 2011 A charter for success Rural transport Businesses involved in tourism in the Dales will be aware that this year has seen some major changes in the organisations receives grant that promote it - including the end of the Yorkshire Dales & Harrogate Tourism Partnership. Recreation and Tourism A new grant of £1.1 million will be used to find long- Manager Mark Allum explains what role the National Park term solutions to rural transport problems, benefitting Authority will play. residents and visitors alike in the Yorkshire Dales. In 2008, the National Park and Nidderdale Area of The Department of Transport award has been made to Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) were jointly the Dales Integrated Transport Alliance (DITA), a awarded the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism. partnership of over 50 local organisations, including the This internationally-recognised award is given to National Park Authority. protected areas that support tourism that contributes to social and economic development while preserving the Over the next four years DITA hopes to specify, secure area's natural and cultural resources. and promote an agreed network of demand-led, public and community transport services in the Dales. As part of this, we are looking to support tourism businesses, particularly around areas such as reducing The money will fund packages that address area-specific energy costs, providing information on local walks and The Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey runs its vehicles on biofuel and produces its own vegetables, and has made savings of nearly £20,000 problems and cut carbon emissions whilst supporting cycle rides, how to source local food and making use of per year. economic growth. It will not be used for subsidising those distinctive Dales characteristics that make a visit currently funded bus services. really memorable. Members will receive newsletters and the opportunity to find out what others are doing and take part in training The heart of DITA's approach is to understand needs Working with Susan Briggs of marketing company and events. It will be a way to reinforce links between and facilitate best choices, from cycling and walking to The Tourism Network, an informal and free-to-join businesses and organisations promoting the area, community buses and social car schemes. DITA will organisation has been established to bring businesses complementing, rather than duplicating, work being done begin by working with local communities and visitors to together - the Dales Tourism Business Network. by Welcome to Yorkshire (the official tourism agency) and find out their transport requirements based around key business associations in specific dales. 'hubs' in the Dales. It will audit the different ways that New accommodation listing We have started by putting four of our National Park transport is currently provided including school and health services. The Authority's annual newspaper for visitors to the Centres through the Green Tourism Business Award National Park will feature an accommodation listing for Scheme. They picked up either bronze or silver, which is To find out more, visit www.dalesconnect.net the first time this year. great news, and the quality of our information provision was described as a strength. We still need to reduce our With its massive 200,000 circulation, The Visitor energy use and look at cleaning products and paper 2012 is an ideal opportunity for accommodation wastage, so the Centres' sustainability will continue to providers to get advertising exposure to visitors and develop and we hope to pass on what we learn to other potential visitors to this beautiful area. Dales businesses. And it could prove key in promoting your business - especially in the absence of the Yorkshire Dales If you are a local tourism business or food Accommodation Guide which the former Yorkshire producer which has links to or benefits from being Dales & Harrogate Tourism Partnership produced.