“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” The Yorkshire Dales National Park is akin to Eden: wild animals and livestock, seeds and plant, trees and meadows, hills and streams. Generations before us have worked it: farmers, miners, weavers and more. It is a beautiful God-given landscape blessed with and amazing heritage and wonderful people.
Yet we face a worsening climate and wildlife crisis, dramatic degradation and loss of flora and fauna, and pollution of our water. And among our Dales communities we experience negative impacts from inequalities in transport, housing, education, access to communication and opportunities for young people. This is our challenging agenda.
As I became Chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, it’s was a moment to accept and honour the commission that “God took the man … to take care of it”.
Our two statutory purposes as a National Park are to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage, and to promote opportunities for the public understanding of the Park’s special qualities. The first of these is, in effect, to fulfil Genesis 1:15; the second is a commission for mission.
We look to treat all people with respect, whether they be residents or visitors, or in addressing how we deal with the impacts of tourism and leisure, whilst ensuring open access for all; or when reaching out to engage all communities. For a person of faith, all these things are shaped by that faith.
At an emotional level, being out in the Dales gives a sense of awe, both at the landscape and the heritage. It’s wonderful to share that with people of different faiths, coming together in a place where we can walk and feel closer to our common creation. In the same way that experiencing the outdoors is recognised for its physical and mental health benefits, it’s beneficial for our spiritual awareness and growth.
We have much to do to address the serious challenges of our time, but we do so with prayer, hope and faith.