This has been another busy year for Moors for the Future Partnership’s conservation activities, and working in the face of a global pandemic with snowy weather that seemed to have been blanketing the moors more often than not, it has been one of the most challenging yet. The feat of innovation demonstrated by the Partnership to keep the restoration works on schedule has been recognised in the Park Protector Awards 2021, with Moors for the Future Partnership being awarded one of the two runner-up positions.
The Park Protector Awards is an annual event held by Campaign for National Parks. The awards aim to celebrate projects making a big difference in National Parks in England and Wales. ‘’Whether the project is improving biodiversity, restoring built or natural heritage, protecting or campaigning against a threat, involved in rural skills, volunteering or youth engagement, we look for the most innovative and impactful project.’’ This year, Campaign for National Parks has teamed up with Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust and BBC's Countryfile Magazine for the Park Protector Awards 2021, and the theme of the awards is ‘'Innovation and Agility in the Face of a Global Pandemic’'. The Partnership is delighted to be a runner-up for the awards this year; it has certainly presented many challenges to overcome in order to deliver the restoration works season to schedule.
David Chapman, Chair of Moors for the Future Partnership, said:
I am delighted that Moors for the Future Partnership is a runner up for the Park Protector Awards 2021. Nestled into a snowy backdrop that seems to have carpeted the moors this conservation season (October – March), and a global pandemic that has re-written the rulebook, Moors for the Future Partnership has successfully carried out over £5,000,000 of restoration works on the moorlands.
The Partnership has done a fantastic job in keeping delivery going and supporting contractors and others who are also facing similar challenges that come with working in the face of an ongoing global pandemic. I am very proud of the way the Partnership has, not just kept the wheels on, but continued to keep things going at some pace.
A Herculean effort that has seen restoration work continuing to be delivered across the Peak District and South Pennines, landscape-scale monitoring continued, with a total combined distance walked by volunteers in 12 weeks of over 1800km and public engagement mainly via online talks and media coverage.
