Environment, Food and Rural Affairs CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by the British Mountaineering Council
Background
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is the representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers in England and Wales. With over 70,000 members who participate in a range of activities from hill and coastal walking to climbing and bouldering, the need to respect the natural environment is never more apparent than to those who visit, explore and enjoy the landscape in which they undertake their activities.
The BMC interest in the publication of The Natural Choice is focussed around chapter 4, Reconnecting People and Nature. The BMC gives advice to our broad membership on how best to engage and respect the natural environment whilst enjoying its unique qualities. As a land owner and manager with responsibility for over 90 acres of recreational space, our expertise in environmentally sensitive land management practices for the benefits of both recreation and conservation is increasingly called upon.
The BMC welcome the commitment to restoring our natural environment, and the central place given to people in the White Paper. However, we believe it fails to fully recognise the important role that access and recreation play in facilitating the public’s understanding and enjoyment of the natural environment; in particular wider access provision through the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) and through the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA).
The BMC supports:
1.1
1.2
1.3
The BMC believe the following could be improved:
2.1
Government should rectify the following omissions in Chapter 4:
3.1
3.2
Action for Government:
Commit to a timetable for opening stretches of the English coastal path each year.
Support current access provision and support existing bodies in the delivery of public access and wider recreational opportunities.
Recognise the importance of outdoor recreation in any new landscape designations.
Protect long-term access to recreational land now owned by public bodies.
Continue to promote the benefits of, and opportunities for all types of quiet, open air recreation.
21 June 2011