Issues in National Park Administration

The history of the national parks of England and Wales involves a succession of issues, both large and small, but inevitably hard fought by the interests concerned. In the paper are reviewed the development and resolution or demise of what are seen to have been the three main issues in park administration from the late 1940s to the present day. They concern the composition of the park authorities, their position within the local government system, and the interests and experience of the members appointed to them. All three issues concern the nature of the parks, in which many different interests have a legitimate concern. But in the first two, the conflict is between the national park and the county council lobbies. In the last more recent issue, these lobbies are joined and the conflict is with other interests. Seemingly, the national–local dichotomy on which park administration is based is breaking down. It is a change that could have profound implications for the future of park administration and this is highlighted.