Taskforce tackle increase in Peak Park litter as visitors return

The Peak District Moorland Group said that, with lockdown gradually easing, the last few weeks has seen the number of visitors to the Peak District growing week on week.

A spokesman said: “Sadly, we have seen that a combination of huge visitor numbers and a limited police presence to enforce good behaviour has resulted in ‘unprecedented amounts’ of rubbish being left behind in the Peak District National Park.

“At the same time, many of the staff employed by the national park authority have been furloughed and their usual volunteers are out of action, meaning that the usual litter picking has not been carried out.

“The Peak District Moorland Group, therefore, put together their own taskforce of gamekeepers, their families and other moorland residents, who collected the litter which had accumulated in some of the most remote and idyllic areas of the National Park.

“Much of the detritus consisted of empty alcohol containers and disposable barbecues – which cause problems in themselves, having been the cause of a number of moorland wildfires in recent weeks.”

The campaign stresses the need for everyone who visits the national park to take their rubbish home with them, in order to protect the natural environment.

Richard Bailey, a Peak District gamekeeper, helped mastermind the clean-up.

He said: “It was especially encouraging to meet like-minded moorland visitors tackling the rubbish along with us, in particular two university students, along with their dog, and a gentleman from Glossop who was clearing rubbish up on Snake summit.

“He made particular reference to broken glass and its potential to cause moorland fires.”

C4PMC – Campaign for Protection of Moorland Communities - describes itself as “a campaign group dedicated to protecting moorland communities and driven grouse shooting across England’s uplands”.

For more information, visit c4pmc.co.uk or email [email protected]

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