Visitors to the Lake District this bank holiday should 'leave no trace' say National Trust
Visitors to the Lake District over the summer bank holiday are being urged to 'leave no trace' by the National Trust.
In an appeal as the long weekend commenced, the charity said its rangers were reporting considerable increases in illegal camping and littering at countryside and coastal locations over recent months.
According to the organisation, this has been affecting the trust’s conservation work as well as wildlife, grazing animals and farm tenants.
The warning came as thousands of people are expected to travel to some of the country’s favourite countryside sites. These include the Lake District and Eryri (Snowdonia)over the coming days.
Those planning on visiting are being asked to follow guidelines from the Countryside Code such as appropriately disposing of litter, using designated campsites, not lighting fires and leaving barbecues at home.
The National Trust said the Lake District, Snowdonia, the Peak District and Dunstable Downs in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty were among the areas cared for by the charity that had seen growing impacts from visitors.
It added that the increased impact puts additional strain on countryside teams, taking conservationists away from vital work, and placing popular sites and nature at risk.
Concerns were particularly growing over the rise in illegal fly camping, where people camp without the landowner’s permission and leave debris behind.
The National Trust said anti-social fly camping was damaging lakeshores in the Lake District, with campers discarding entire tents and chairs, lighting fires that scorched the ground, leaving litter and even cutting down trees.
Ben McCarthy, the National Trust’s head of nature conservation and restoration ecology, said: “It’s infuriating when a small minority of thoughtless people leave their rubbish behind that impacts both our wildlife and other visitors who have come to enjoy the nature and the outdoors.
"During the summer months, our rangers have really important work to do – restoring and managing habitats, such as wildflower meadows or peatlands, supporting visitors to enjoy our wonderful countryside by fixing footpaths for example – not having to spend time clearing up after people.
"It really isn’t acceptable.“
He continued: "We call on everyone to simply ‘leave no trace’ when out in the countryside so everyone can enjoy it and without damaging the very nature they sought out in the first place.”
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