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At the root of the issue is land ownership. Most land within national parks is privately owned and, particularly in the uplands, used for grazing by farm animals. In Dartmoor, just 7.5% of land is publicly owned, and conservation is seen as secondary to economic interests.
Across UK upland national parks, overgrazing and moorland burning are driving these areas into poor ecological health, and a heating climate is heaping on the pressure. Conservation bodies and park authorities often have limited funding to monitor and restore ecosystems.
In 2024 the first full assessment of how national parks are supporting nature recovery found that just 6% of park land in England and Wales is being managed effectively for nature.