Yorkshire Dales Management Plan

CNCC · Feb 3, 2025

Last week, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) published their proposed objectives for their Management Plan 2025-2030, and they are now available for public consultation.

There are 40 specific objectives listed, mostly too broad-reaching to call out individual activities such as caving.

The last time there was a Management Plan consultation, we were able to mobilise a significant number of northern cavers to feed back their thoughts. We know that getting a specific action item into the management plan related to caving is unlikely. However, the sheer number of caver responses did not go unnoticed, and did achieve positive recognition and mention of caving in the final plan document - a good result!

The new Management Plan 2025-2030 - Yorkshire Dales National Park

National Park Authorities are under a statutory duty to review National Park Management Plans at intervals of not more than 5 years. The aim of the Yorkshire Dales National Park […]

www.yorkshiredales.org.uk

Note: There is one survey for individuals, and one for organisations.

If you're wanting some ideas for the kinds of things you might consider feeding back, see our full article below. We don't want hundreds of cavers just to submit a copy-paste version of these, but hopefully this should provide some ideas for you to personalise your own response to help ensure that caving achieves some recognition in future versions of the Management Plan.

Your response to the recent Yorkshire Dales Management Plan objectives for 2025-2030 could help us keep caving on the table for future discussions.

cncc.org.uk

CNCC · Feb 4, 2025

We should have added... the deadline for responses is Monday 10th March

CNCC · Feb 10, 2025

A Monday morning bump to this thread. Your small amount of time to participate in this consultation can have a big impact on how caving is recognised and acknowledged as an important activity in the Yorkshire Dales.

To save you having to click through to our website, here are some things we might be feeding back...

Section B feedback:

Emphasise that access to caves still lacks the iron-clad security that other above-ground activities enjoy.
Highlight the importance of good parking and inclusive access for a selection of novice-compatible sites if caving is to play a part in helping the National Parks meet their objectives. Access to some popular novice caves (at High Birkwith) has already been lost with a change in land ownership, putting increased pressure on other sites.
Should the role that local caving clubs and other organisations can play in developing opportunities for people to enjoy the special qualities of the National Park, be better acknowledged?

Section C feedback:

Emphasise the role cavers play in helping with monitoring of many SSSI locations and our proactivity in undertaking conservation projects at underground sites. Urge for increased future collaboration with cavers.

Section E feedback:

Section E4 should emphasise that clubs and outdoor pursuits providers are critical to encouraging takeup of outdoor activities, citing the large number of caving clubs who operate, and even have bunkbarns in the area.
Implore the National Park to see the caves of the Yorkshire Dales as one of its highest potential natural resources for enticing new visitors. They should engage with local cavers and caving organisations to forge collaborations or obtain information and media to support promotional materials and social media efforts.

Section F feedback:

There is no recognition of the communities that activities such as caving create, or how these communities help sustain local economies and amenities such as bunkbarns, hotels, shops, cafes and pubs.

But of course, please personalise your feedback, or at least adapt the wording. Multiple copy/paste responses of the above will have less potency than numerous personalised responses

ChrisB · Feb 22, 2025

Personalised response sent. Tried not to make it too caving focussed as I think caving in a mix of comments may be taken as more genuine and less of a 'campaign'. Pointed out that the objectives are mostly about the human features, and the natural qualities of the park are not stressed. In particular, the list of 'Special Features' mentions the limestone landscape and the importance of the area for caving, but these are not mentioned at all in the objectives. Visitors and tourists don't get much mention, in particular there is more scope for adventure activities (like walking, caving, expeditioning).

Badlad · Feb 27, 2025

I've sent in my response. It does take a little time especially to read through the plan first. However the CNCC have offered some very useful tips listed above so you can skimp it a lot quicker if you want.

The feedback the YDNP received from the previous management plan went down very well and as a consequence boosted our status in the authority. It is really important to keep making sure they recognise the importance of the caves and caving as a sport here in the NP.

Go on, go on, go on..... give it a go.

CNCC · Mar 5, 2025

Only five days until the deadline.

Anyone who caves regularly in the Yorkshire Dales, please take some time to participate in this. As Badlad has mentioned, we have suggested some ideas for feedback if you are pushed for time: