Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Centre of Social Justice in Sport and Society
Leeds Beckett University, in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, is leading a project for Natural England, whose remit is to help conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
The balance between nature protection and recovery and Natural England’s commitment to open access for the public, however, creates a tension on National Nature Reserves (NNRs). As visitor numbers have increased this has negatively impacted the species and ‘protected site characteristics’ which each NNR is designed to protect. Furthermore, recent recreation trends, such as the growth in dog ownership or increased popularity of mountain biking, has created new and complex management challenges.
Responsible Recreation is a project which aims to understand the barriers and facilitators of responsible recreation on NNRs in England. Leeds Beckett University and Sheffield Hallam University are trialling and evaluating onsite interventions which aim to encourage responsible recreation, trying to strike a balance between conservation and recreation.
Six NNR sites across England are involved in the project and trailing a range of interventions:
The project will inform Natural England’s Protected Sites Strategy and provide evidence to support the activities of site managers across England’s National Nature Reserves in their efforts to balance conservation with providing the public with space for recreation and engagement with nature.
Study for a research degree at Leeds Beckett and you'll join a thriving academic community in an inspiring and supportive environment. The Graduate School supports our increasingly active postgraduate research community and encourages students to make a difference to the university’s research culture and environment.
Leeds Beckett University can conduct research on your behalf to help you to implement change and realise your business potential. Validating your ideas with academic evidence can be an essential part of winning contracts and fuelling business growth.
