Farming, forestry and land management in the National Parks

Farming and forestry are the main land uses in England’s ten National Parks, shaping their landscapes, biodiversity and cultural heritage. Since Cumulus and ICF GHK produced “Valuing England’s National Parks” for National Parks England (NPE) in 2013, land-based businesses have faced major changes, including the shift from direct payments, evolving Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, greater expectations for nature recovery and climate action, and increased market volatility. NPE therefore commissioned an update and expansion of the 2013 evidence to inform future policy and initiatives. This project updated farming, agri-environment, forestry and land management statistics, and estimated their contribution to Gross Value Added (GVA) and local economies. It analysed the latest official and ONS data, reviewed relevant literature, and produced a report with topical case studies.