The Friends of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park charity is giving its support to a new 112 page “Health Check” report by Campaign for National Parks (CNP) assessing the effectiveness of nature recovery initiatives across our National Parks.

The Friends’ aims are to help protect, conserve, enhance and promote the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for all who live, work or visit here. It has over 400 members and runs social events, conservation work and community projects around the National Park. FPCNP and the other National Park Societies of England and Wales are contributing members of CNP.

This year sees the 75th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. National Parks are special places which contain many of the last fragments of priority habitats and are often the last refuge for many species on the brink of extinction.

Amongst the findings of the report specific to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park are:

– Only 14 per cent of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) within the Park are assessed as ‘in favourable condition’.

– Pembrokeshire Coast National Park has a relatively small amount of woodland coverage, but the report highlights that it is doing less well than other Parks when it comes to the amount by which woodland coverage has increased.

– Freshwater bodies in at least ‘Good’ overall health declined from 48.3 per cent to 28 per cent between 2017 and 2021.

This poor state of nature is due to a lack of resources, data and significant powers to make the systemic change needed. The Friends and CNP are calling for urgent action to halt and reverse these declines so National Parks can help tackle the nature and climate crisis.

The health check calls for reforms to make National Parks nature designations, as well as landscape designations; increased levels of funding; enforcement of existing laws and new legislation to prevent damaging practices; and creation of a new ‘People’s Charter’ to ensure everyone can access and connect with nature.

To find out more about the Friends and how you can join or support the charity, visit www.fpcnp.org.uk.