People, place and action: reflecting on the 2026 UK National Parks Conference
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Date posted: 01/10/2026
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Time to read: 2
From recovering wildcats to restoring habitats for capercaillie, Natalie Harvey reflects on the people, partnerships and practical action helping nature and communities thrive across the UK’s National Parks.
There is something particularly fitting about bringing people together who care deeply about our National Parks in the landscapes that inspire so much of their work.
This September, representatives from across the UK’s National Parks came together in the Cairngorms National Park for three days of discussion, learning and shared experience, focused on how we can work together to deliver for both people and nature in a rapidly changing world.
Three days in the Cairngorms
The 2026 UK National Parks Conference brought around 200 people together in the Cairngorms, including representatives from all 15 UK National Parks, public agencies and conservation and community organisations. The central theme was Dùthchas – a Gaelic concept encompassing ideas of kinship, heritage and deep-rooted connections between nature, people and place.
Across three days, we explored some of the biggest questions facing National Parks: how we restore nature at scale, respond to climate change, work with communities, navigate changing approaches to land use and ensure that National Parks continue to deliver for people and nature.
These conversations are integral to our collective work, but one of the most valuable parts of the conference was the opportunity to get out into the landscape and see some of that work happening in action.
Back from the brink
I joined the Back from the Brink field trip to Rothiemurchus Estate and Glenmore Forest Park, exploring some of Scotland’s rarest and most threatened species.
Walking through native Scots pine forests, we saw first hand how conservation teams are managing habitat for capercaillie, the world’s largest grouse. We heard how woodland grazing and innovative habitat management are helping to improving conditions for this iconic species to thrive.
We also explored wildcat conservation, examining tracking data in an area where the wildcat is beginning to slowly recover. Later, a visit to the Pine Hoverfly breeding centre at Highland Wildlife Park highlighted the extraordinary care, expertise and long-term commitment involved in species recovery.
There was also time for hands-on volunteering and to hear directly from the conservation teams about both the successes and the ongoing challenges of bringing threatened species back from the brink.
What stayed with me most was the reminder that behind every conservation project, every restored habitat and every recovering species are people. People bring knowledge, passion and determination to complex challenges, often over many years. People who are prepared to try new approaches, learn from what doesn’t work, collaborate with others and keep going when recovery takes time.
National Parks full of people and action
It is easy to think of National Parks simply as beautiful landscapes – somewhere to visit, explore and enjoy.
Of course, the landscapes matter enormously. But these three days were a powerful reminder that National Parks are places of action, collaboration and innovation.
They are shaped by the people who live and work in them, the communities who care for them, the visitors who experience them and by the many partners working together to protect and restore them.
The challenges facing our National Parks are significant, and there is no single solution. But bringing people together creates the space to share what we are learning, challenge our thinking and find new ways of working together.
If there is one thing I will take away from the Cairngorms, it is a renewed sense of optimism. Across the UK, people are working together to restore nature, support communities and find new solutions to complex challenges. The future of our National Parks will be shaped not only by the landscapes we protect, but by the collective action of the people who care enough to make a difference.
15 National Parks. One shared challenge. Our climate is changing, and with it comes an increased risk of wildfire across our landscapes.
That’s why we’ve committed to taking action through our new Wildfire Management Position Statement. Together, the National Parks will work to support nature recovery to help manage wildfire risk, plan for and strengthen wildfire response and coordination, improve risk management and preparedness, and share clear, consistent public messaging.
But we can’t do it alone.
Communities, organisations, land managers and visitors all have a role to play in reducing wildfire risk. By working together, we can help protect our National Parks and prepare for a future where hotter, drier weather may increase the risk of wildfire.
Read the full statement by clicking on the link in our bio 🔗
Photos:
Slide 1 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Ed Smith. Slide 2 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith. Slide 3 - View across Loch Morlich during Glenmore wildfire, July 2026, © Brenna Jessie. Slide 4 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith. Slide 5 - View from the cab of a tractor aiding in fighting the wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park, CPNA. Slide 5 - Firefighting vehicles at the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith.
#Wildfires #NationalParksUK
It’s not every day you get to see one of our National Parks in biscuit form on @britishbakeoff!
Last night, The Great British Bake Off contestant @itsdoctoryan created a beautiful biscuit mosaic inspired by the Broads National Park, perfectly capturing the view at St Benet’s Mill, Thurne.
And it wasn’t just a feast for the eyes as the mosaic was made using treacle and ginger, honey and lemon, cocoa and malted milk, and pistachio biscuits.
Two great things combined: a beautiful National Park view and delicious biscuits. What could be better than that? 💚
Photo: Channel 4
#GBBO #BakeOff #NorfolkBroads @broadsnationalpark
You’ve likely heard of one - but what does it actually do?
Our 15 Parks wouldn’t be able to function without the authorities working behind the scenes to keep them running.
And each authority relies on people. People within the community, volunteers, staff and members. People that run businesses, or partner as organisations. People that are skilled and knowledgeable in a variety of areas from wildlife to accessibility.
Our National Parks are full of people and action, and it’s the Authorities that bring them all together.
💚
#NationalParksUK #NationalParkAuthorities
The Yorkshire Dales has one of the highest concentrations of caves and caverns of any of our 15 National Parks - a whole landscape hiding beneath the ground.
Our National Parks don’t just protect and preserve the landscapes we see every day. They also help care for historic and unique places discovered by our ancestors, like Ingleborough Cave and Gaping Gill, both of which were shrouded in myth and legend until they were explored by Victorians in the 1800s.
There’s so much more to our National Parks than meets the eye and sometimes, quite literally beneath the surface 👀
#YorkshireDales #GapingGill #Ingleborough
A week on from National Parks UK’s Big Volunteer Weekend, we’re still celebrating the people who make a difference across our National Parks.
Last weekend, hundreds of people came together across all 15 National Parks to give their time, share their skills and support our landscapes.
But volunteering in our National Parks doesn’t happen just one weekend a year. All year round, volunteers play an incredible variety of roles – from leading guided walks and supporting education, to conservation, planting and caring for our landscapes.
Every volunteer makes a valuable contribution to protecting our natural and cultural heritage. We simply couldn’t do what we do without you. 💚
So, to all our volunteers: thank you for your time, energy, enthusiasm and everything you bring to our National Parks.
If you know someone who volunteers in a National Park, help us spread the thanks by sharing this post. 🌿
#Volunteers #NationalParks #NationalParksUK
Mae’r Bele yn un o famaliaid prinnaf Cymru, ond mae eu niferoedd yn tyfu yn raddol. Mae hynny’n newyddion da i’n coetiroedd ac i’r Parciau Cenedlaethol, sy’n darparu rhai o’r cynefinoedd pwysicaf ar gyfer bywyd gwyllt ledled Cymru a Phrydain.
Ym Mannau Brycheiniog, mae’r prosiect adfer wedi gosod blychau nythu yn y coed, ac mae gwaith monitro wedi nodi presenoldeb y Bele, gan gynnwys grwpiau teuluol. Mae’r ffilm arbennig hon yn dangos un ohonynt ar waith. 🐾
Mae’n atgof hyfryd o’r hyn sy’n bosibl pan ddaw coetiroedd iach a gwaith cadwraeth arbenigol at ei gilydd i roi’r gofod sydd ei angen ar rywogaethau prin i wella.
Pine Martens are one of Wales’ rarest mammals, but they’re slowly making a comeback. That’s good news for our woodlands, and for National Parks, which provide some of the most important habitats for wildlife across Wales and Britain.
In Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons), the recovery project has installed treetop den boxes, with monitoring identifying pine martens, including family groups. This special footage shows one in action. 🐾
It’s a lovely reminder of what can happen when healthy woodlands and specialist conservation work come together to give rare species the space they need to recover.
#BreconBeacons #BannauBrycheiniog #PineMartins #Wales
It’s the Autumn Equinox 🍂
Our National Parks are always changing in time with the rhythm of nature, but this becomes particularly noticeable when autumn arrives.
Deer begin to rut, spiders’ cobwebs glisten in the fresh light, fungi become more prominent, and leaves begin to change colour.
What changes have you noticed so far? 🧡
#Autumn #AutumnEquinox #NationalParks
“You look after the National Park not for yourself, but for people who are coming, the ones who are following you.”
These are the words of Ron Wood, who has been volunteering for the Lake District National Park for over 60 years. His story reflects the vital role volunteering plays across our National Parks: keeping them thriving, communities invested, and people connected to and caring for our landscapes.
Over the decades, Ron’s incredible journey has seen him remain steadfast in his commitment through droughts, hand, foot and mouth disease, and the ever-changing rhythms of nature. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: his dedication to looking after the environment for those who come after him.
You can read Ron`s full story by clicking the link in our bio or learn more about volunteering at nationalparks.uk/volunteering 🔗
📸Photos by @lakedistrictnpa
#LakeDistrict #Volunteering #NationalParks
