Most UK national parks deliver ‘negligible benefits’ for wildlife

Bluebells in a wood in Gloucestershire, within one of England’s areas of outstanding natural beauty. Photograph: Martin Bache/Alamy

The UK’s national parks should not be considered “protected areas” unless the way they look after wildlife radically improves, according to a new report.

Internationally, the UK is leading calls to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030 (the “30x30” target), but is failing to protect its own wildlife, says a report by the British Ecological Society (BES).