PEAK District farmers and landowners, ramblers and conservationists are working closely together to help prepare the way for greater public access to open countryside.
The Peak District Local Access Forum - set up by the National Park Authority in 2000 - has just published its annual report and it has been welcomed by the National Park Authority.
It sets out the success of the forum at pulling together representatives from groups involved in countryside access.
Their combined expertise, local knowledge and guidance are proving crucial to the National Park Authority during the countdown to the opening up of more areas of local countryside later this year.
The forum is helping finalise the areas to be opened up, liaising closely with local landowners and recreation groups and developing designs for the signs that will identify the new access areas.
Chair of the Peak District National Park Authority's park management committee Lynn Crowe - who is a member of the forum - said: "The National Park Authority is committed to extending access to the countryside, and the forum has been instrumental in the progress towards this goal. By working together we will ensure that all interests are involved at the heart of this important process."
The forum is chaired by Peak District farmer and Derbyshire NFU chairman Andrew Critchlow. He said: "The role of the forum is to provide an important balance - helping to deliver greater access to open countryside, whilst ensuring that this is not at odds with nature conservation and land management."
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