Peak Visitor Survey To Help Preserve Moors

If you're out in the Peak District over the next six months, there's a chance you'll be collared and interrogated over what the heck you're doing there. Don't panic though, it's all part of a major visitor survey by the Moors for the Future Partnership aimed at helping to protect and enhance moorland areas.

Catherine Flitcroft, Moors for the Future Research Manager, explain: "This unique visitor survey will record the nature of the public's visit to the moors and their awareness of a range of management issues. This valuable information will help advise on the best ways to communicate with visitors and to help protect moorland habitats and wildlife into the future."

The first phase of the survey took place in late August with more questioning scheduled for January and March 2005 and complete repeat in a year's time. The partnership has identified 14 key acess points where visitors will both be asked questions on the spot and invited to return a longer, post-back questionnaire with a 50 quid draw as an incentive...

'Me, I go walking in the Peak in the vague hope of winning £50, ahem...' The partnership's also going to be installing eight new pedestrian counters at key access points to measure the volume of visitors. Should be interesting to see how many actually get out into the hills, given that the Peak Park is famously one of the most popular in the world with an estimated 22 million day visits per year.

You can find out more about Moors for the Future and it's work in preserving and restoring damaged moorland in the Peak - think last year's fires on Bleaklow - at www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk.