Tourism Conservation

Tourism conservation is extremely important in South Lakeland.  The distirct encompasses two National Parks - the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales - and  the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  It is important that visitors and businesses act sustainably so that the special area can be preserved and enjoyed for many years to come.   There are numerous organisations which help to conserve this special area; information and links to their websites are detailed below.

Nuture Lakeland

South Lakeland District Council is a member of the Cumbrian conservation charity Nurture Lakeland, which works with visitors and with tourism - related businesses throughout Cumbria to fundraise for conservation and raise awareness of environmentally sustainable practices.

As members of Nurture Lakeland and with the help of our visitors, we promote sustainable tourism and assist with fundraising for conservation projects.

For more information about Nurture Lakeland and the projects we help them to support, visit www.nurturelakeland.org

Fix the Fells

Lake District high level footpaths are very fragile. With an abundance of visitors every year, the footpaths are being constantly eroded. Fix the Fells was set up in 2002 to repair upland footpaths. Volunteers work hard to maintain these footpaths. The Heritage Lottery Fund has provided some money towards the works and they match donations given by the public with £2 for every £1 donated. For more information and advice on donations to Fix the Fells, please visit www.fixthefells.co.uk

Lake District National Park Authority

The Lake District National Park was established in 1951; it is England's largest National Park. The National Park Authority carries out a variety of roles including rangers who work in the community, tourist information centres, forestry and estate teams, planning, ecology and archaeology.  Within South Lakeland, the towns and villages of Ambleside, Broughton-in-Furness, Coniston, Grasmere, Hawkshead, Lindale, Newby Bridge and Windermere are within the National Park boundary.  For more information about the Lake District National Park, including visitor information, planning and conservation issues, educational services and events, please visit the Lake District National Park  Authority website

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
The Yorkshire Dales National Park was established in 1954.  An area of Cumbria is  included in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  In South Lakeland, the Yorkshire Dales covers the area around Sedbergh, Dent and Garsdale.  For more information, please visit  the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority website

Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Arnside and Silverdale AONB was designated in 1972, and straddles the Cumbria - Lancashire border.  In South Lakeland, this area covers the villages of Arnside, Beetham and Storth.  This area is a designated landscape of special importance. It is only a small AONB but is home to half the flowering plants in the British Isles and is a birdwatchers' paradise.  For more information, visit the Arnside and Silverdale AONB website