Sandford principle

Last updated

The Sandford principle is a concept in the management of protected landscapes in the United Kingdom. It is called the Sandford principle after Lord Sandford who chaired the National Parks Policy Review Committee which reviewed national parks of England and Wales in between 1971 and 1974. [1]

Contents

National Park Authorities can do much to reconcile public enjoyment with the preservation of natural beauty by good planning and management and the main emphasis must continue to be on this approach wherever possible. But even so, there will be situations where the two purposes are irreconcilable... Where this happens, priority must be given to the conservation of natural beauty.

— Lord Sandford, 1974 [2]

The two purposes of national parks are, in short,

  1. conservation of the natural environment and
  2. access for the public.

(Considering the economic and social well-being of the community is also a duty which was subsequently introduced and applies to more recently created parks).

The purposes were amended by the Environment Act 1995. They are now, firstly, to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area and, secondly, to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the area by the public. [3]

Most of the time it is possible to achieve both the original two purposes by good management. Occasionally a situation arises where access for the public is in direct conflict with conservation. Following the ethos of the Sandford principle, the Environment Act 1995 sets down how a priority may be established between conservation and recreational use. Similar provision has been made for Scottish national parks.

The Sandford principle is often misquoted as "conservation has priority over recreation"; however, importantly, it is better summarised as, "where those two purposes cannot be reconciled by skilful management, conservation should come first".

The Sandford principle was first used in UK national park management, and is still most commonly encountered in that context. [4] However, where this dilemma has occurred in the management of other sites where public pressure and wildlife conservation might be in conflict, the principle is sometimes cited.

The impact of the Environment Act 1995

Key words in the 1974 National Parks Policy Review Committee report are 'priority must be given to the conservation of natural beauty.' Although these words have been used in policy-making and decisions for many years, they were not a legal statement. When the principle was eventually translated into law in 1995, its interpretation and impact were subtly changed.

The Environment Act 1995 s62 (1)(2) states:

In exercising or performing any functions in relation to, or so as to affect, land in a National Park, any relevant authority shall have regard to the purposes specified in subsection (1) of section five of this Act and, if it appears that there is a conflict between those purposes, shall attach greater weight to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area comprised in the National Park. [5]

This wording enshrines in law the issue at the heart of the Sandford principle, and hence, since 1995, consideration of the Sandford Principle has only been possible through the Environment Act. This is an important distinction because the Environment Act expresses the issue in more equitable terms by saying that the national park authority shall attach ‘greater weight to the purpose of conserving....’ rather than the phrase ‘priority must be given’ as used by Sandford and which was more absolute and directly in favour of conservation.

Use of the term ‘greater weight’ indicates clearly that evidence must be collected and weighed when deciding where public enjoyment might be considered a less desirable purpose than conservation. The word ‘purpose’ is significant in that it places a legal requirement on the national park authority to consider and demonstrate why it is conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, rather than doing so for no particular reason or simply suggesting an arbitrary priority.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental law</span> Branch of law concerning the natural environment

Environmental laws are laws that protect the environment. Environmental law is the collection of laws, regulations, agreements and common law that governs how humans interact with their environment. This includes environmental regulations; laws governing management of natural resources, such as forests, minerals, or fisheries; and related topics such as environmental impact assessments.Environmental law is seen as the body of laws concerned with the protection of living things from the harm that human activity may immediately or eventually cause to them or their species, either directly or to the media and the habits on which they depend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National parks of Scotland</span> Area of landscape in Scotland

The national parks of Scotland are managed areas of outstanding landscape where some forms of development are restricted to preserve the landscape and natural environment. At present, Scotland has two national parks: Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, created in 2002, and the Cairngorms National Park, created in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Site of Special Scientific Interest</span> Protected area in the United Kingdom

A site of special scientific interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an area of special scientific interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man. SSSI/ASSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in the United Kingdom are based upon them, including national nature reserves, Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation. The acronym "SSSI" is often pronounced "triple-S I".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation in the United Kingdom</span> Overview of the structure of environmental and cultural conservation in the UK

This page gives an overview of the complex structure of environmental and cultural conservation in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NatureScot</span> Scottish government agency for natural heritage conservation

NatureScot is the operating name for the body formally called Scottish Natural Heritage. It is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for the country's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government on nature conservation, and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e. national nature reserves, local nature reserves, national parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and the national scenic areas. It receives annual funding from the Government in the form of Grant in Aid to deliver Government priorities for the natural heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty</span> Designated area of countryside in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, that has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value. Areas are designated in recognition of their national importance by the relevant public body: Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency respectively. In place of AONB, Scotland uses the similar national scenic area (NSA) designation. Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty enjoy levels of protection from development similar to those of UK national parks, but unlike national parks the responsible bodies do not have their own planning powers. They also differ from national parks in their more limited opportunities for extensive outdoor recreation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wales</span> Designated area of countryside in Wales

There are five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in Wales. AONBs are areas of countryside that have been designated for statutory protection, due to their significant landscape value, by initially the Government of the United Kingdom and later Welsh devolved bodies. Of the current five areas designated, four are wholly in Wales, with another spanning the Wales-England border, and in total AONBs account for 4% of Wales' land area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom implemented to comply with European Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. In short, the act gives protection to native species, controls the release of non-native species, enhances the protection of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and builds upon the rights of way rules in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The Act is split into 4 parts covering 74 sections; it also includes 17 schedules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parks Canada</span> Agency of the Government of Canada that administers parks

Parks Canada, is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, three National Marine Conservation Areas, 172 National Historic Sites, one National Urban Park, and one National Landmark. Parks Canada is mandated to "protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National parks of the United Kingdom</span> Areas of landscape in the United Kingdom

National parks of the United Kingdom are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape across the country. Despite their name, they are quite different from national parks in many other countries, which are usually owned and managed by governments as protected community resources, and which do not usually include permanent human communities. In the United Kingdom, an area designated as a national park may include substantial settlements and human land uses that are often integral parts of the landscape. Land within national parks remains largely in private ownership. These parks are therefore not "national parks" according to the internationally accepted standard of the IUCN but they are areas of outstanding landscape where planning controls are a little more restrictive than elsewhere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dartmoor National Park Authority</span> English national park authority

The Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) is a national park authority in England, legally responsible for Dartmoor in Devon. It came into existence in its present form in 1997, being preceded by a committee of Devon County Council and the Dartmoor National Park Committee from 1 April 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National parks of Wales</span> Area of landscape in Wales

The national parks of Wales are managed areas of outstanding landscape in Wales, United Kingdom where some forms of development are restricted to preserve the landscape and natural environment. Together, they cover 20% of the land surface of Wales and have a resident population of over 80,000 people. Each National Park Authority is a free-standing body within the local government framework.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of New Zealand</span>

Protected areas of New Zealand are areas that are in some way protected to preserve their environmental, scientific, scenic, historical, cultural or recreational value. There are about 10,000 protected areas, covering about a third of the country. The method and aims of protection vary according to the importance of the resource and whether it is publicly or privately owned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Wilderness Preservation System</span> Protection of wilderness areas in the U.S.

The National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) of the United States protects federally managed wilderness areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. Activity on formally designated wilderness areas is coordinated by the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness areas are managed by four federal land management agencies: the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the National Wildlife Refuge System</span>

The National Wildlife Refuge System in the United States has a long and distinguished history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</span> Ministry of the Government of India

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is an Indian government ministry. This ministry is headed by Secretary Rank senior most IAS officer. The ministry portfolio is currently held by Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service</span> Government agency of New South Wales

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is a directorate of the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment and responsible for managing more than 890 national parks and reserves, covering over 7.5 million hectares of land across the state of New South Wales, Australia. Despite its name the NPWS is a state government agency rather than federal government, likewise as other states and territories National Parks agencies around Australia. However the states and territories agencies around Australia do still work closely together.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exton, Somerset</span> Human settlement in England

Exton is a village and civil parish 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Dulverton and 9 miles (14 km) south-west of Dunster in Somerset, England. It lies on the River Exe on Exmoor. The parish includes the village of Bridgetown and covers 2,017 ha, all of which is within the national park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, also referred to as the NERC Act (2006), is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In a reorganisation of public bodies involved in rural policy and delivery, the measures dissolved English Nature, the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service, and established Natural England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wamberal Lagoon</span> Lake in the state of New South Wales, Australia

Wamberal Lagoon, an intermittently closed intermediate saline coastal lagoon, is located on the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Wamberal Lagoon is located between the beachside settlements of Forresters Beach and Wamberal, and adjacent to the east coast, about 87 kilometres (54 mi) north of Sydney.

References

  1. ↑ "Obituary: Commander the Rev Lord Sandford". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  2. ↑ Sandford, Lord (1974). Report of the National Parks Policy Review Committee. (Sandford Report). London: HMSO.
  3. ↑ Countryside recreation journal, 2002
  4. ↑ "The Sandford Principle". National Parks UK. National Parks UK. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Environment Act 1995". The National Archives. The National Archives. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.