Millions of people visit the Peak District every year, with an estimated 20 million living within an hour's travel time.

The uplift in the number of visitors after Covid lockdown showed just how important the National Park is for recreation, and physical and mental health and wellbeing. Research carried out by Campaign for National Parks (opens new window) showed that visitors would like to see ’wilder’ National Parks which better conserve wildlife.

As has been shown at several sites across the UK, there is potential for income generation from nature-based tourism and incidental nature tourism opportunities.

For nature

• Integrate experiences in nature into existing visits, increasing nature connectedness.
• Marketing and business support can help maximise opportunities for delivering nature recovery.
• Enigmatic species which are likely to underpin nature tourism, also act as flagship species to raise conservation funds which can help less exciting yet still important species.
• Encourage integrating nature into land-based businesses, and potentially reduce conflict issues.
• Increased awareness and income for nature recovery.
• Integrating nature recovery into tourism can help make visitors more conscious of the environment and encourage respectful behaviour.
• Raise awareness about the surrounding natural environment, including less iconic species that can often be overlooked.

What else can nature tourism deliver?

• Diversification of farm income.

• Encouraging increased spend in the local economy.

• Enigmatic birds of prey offer nature tourism opportunities.

• Recreation and exercise outdoors in green spaces has huge benefits for both physical and mental health.

• Webcams and livestreams can help make nature accessible to those who struggle to physically access the natural environment.

• Added value, for example opportunities for direct to consumer sales.

• Opportunities for other types of business to benefit, such as bicycle hire, or cafes, which in turn can support use of local produce.

• Interpreting nature recovery action and the natural environment for visitors can help integrate them into the story and promote a better understanding of the countryside, ultimately leading to responsible behaviour.

• Other messaging about responsible visiting and the countryside code, for example the importance of dogs on leads and not dropping litter.

In practice

• Working with neighbours to suggest circular walking routes.
• Use of traditional, e.g. interpretation boards, and modern, e.g. QR codes, methods of communication can help tell the story of what is being done for nature.
• Webcams and livestreams to involve people and help monitor species.
• Viewing or photography hides.
• Use Instagram and other social media channels to promote nature-friendly business opportunities.
• Link into National Park Rangers walks and others to provide low cost options for people to learn about nature recovery activity.
• Link to other businesses that complement the nature tourism offering.
• Raise awareness of the countryside code and #PeakDistrictProud.
• Planning permission will usually be required for restoration or change of use of buildings, and potentially other associated infrastructure.
• Explore innovative ways of encouraging greater visitor contribution to the local economy and to farmers and land managers and owners who deliver public goods.