Caver input needed into the Yorkshire Dales Management Plan
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!
CLICK HERE for a link to the YDNPA webpage containing the objectives and a link to the surveys.
Note: There is one survey for individuals, and one for organisations. Deadline is 10th March.
Below are some things that CNCC may include in our response. 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.
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.