The National Park Authority's aims, as a public body are inextricably linked to our mission and core values.
Our mission
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority exists to secure for the public good the conservation, enhancement, enjoyment and better understanding of the special qualities of the Yorkshire Dales: its landscape, wildlife, and cultural heritage.
Our aim is that, through our passion for this special place, we will inspire local communities and businesses to ensure the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a thriving area. Its unique cultural landscape will be treasured by those who live here and those who visit for its stunning scenery, exceptional heritage and wonderful wildlife.
We strive to deliver high quality efficient and welcoming services that are effective in helping ourselves and others to achieve that aim.
We want to be widely recognised as a centre of expertise and excellence in conservation and recreation policy and practice.
Core values
As an organisation we have adopted the following core values. These are central to the way in which we will achieve our mission and deliver key services and targets:
Improvement: We will continually strive to improve our performance in delivering National Park purposes and welcome feedback to help us do this.
Accountability: We will explain and take responsibility for our decisions and actions.
Commitment: We will do what we say we will do.
Integrity: Our relationships with the public, partners and each other will be built on honesty, transparency, equality, impartiality and consistency. We welcome and respect diversity and demonstrate equality in working relationships.
Involvement: We are open and approachable, and are proactive in encouraging wider and diverse participation in achieving our statutory purposes.
Valuing people: We value the people who work for us and will ensure that they are equipped and empowered to provide professional services to the public.
We believe that strong corporate governance arrangements are necessary to ensure that these values are put into practice.
Our vision
"Through their passion for this special place, local people and businesses will keep the Yorkshire Dales National Park a thriving area. Its unique cultural landscape will be treasured for its stunning scenery, exceptional heritage and wonderful wildlife, and every year millions of people will be inspired to be part of it".
By 2040, the Yorkshire Dales National Park will be:
- A distinctive, living, working, cultural landscape that tells the on-going story of generations of people interacting with their environment;
- A friendly, open, and welcoming place with outstanding opportunities to enjoy its special qualities;
- Home to the finest variety of wildlife in England;
- Resilient and responsive to the impacts of climate change, storing more carbon each year than it produces;
- Providing an outstanding range of benefits for the nation based on its natural resources, landscape and cultural heritage, which underpin a flourishing local economy;
- Home to strong, self-reliant and balanced communities with good access to the services they need".
(Taken from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Management Plan 2019 - 2024)
Is that it? Isn't it more complicated than that?
It may seem all very easy to quote our mission statement and core values, but of course it's more complicated - these are just the beginning of what we aim to achieve.
More detail can be found in our corporate documents including our standards of service, corporate governance and other policies that guide the way we work, standing orders for the regulation of our business and codes of conduct for National Park Authority staff and Members.
You can also find out how to access information that the National Park Authority holds here.