Peak District Moorland Group tackle 'unprecedented amount' of rubbish discarded by visitors

A job well done by these litter-pick volunteers.

With lockdown easing, many people furloughed or working from home and sweltering temperatures, the Peak District National Park has attracted an increasing number of visitors week on week.

The influx of visitors has meant a huge increase in the amount of rubbish discarded, particularly as police pres ence to ensure good behaviour is limited.

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.

To combat the problem, the Peak District Moorland Group enlisted gamekeepers, their families and others living in the area in a taskforce to collect 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 anddisposable barbecues – which cause problems in themselves, having been the cause of a number of moorland wildfires in recent weeks.

Since 1976 there have been more than 350 reported incidents of 'wildfires' of which the majority are commonly started by barbecues, campfires, discarded cigarettes or arson.

Peak District gamekeeper Richard Bailey, who helped mastermind the clean-up, said: “It was especially encouraging to meet like-minded moorland visitors tackling the rubbish along with us, in particular Rosie and Stacey from University of Derbyshire (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 fiires”.

The Peak Distirct Moorland Group is urging anyone visiting the national park to take home with them everything they bring - and refrain from having barbecues or camp fires to avoid the risk of wild fire.

The group was set up in 2015 by gamekeepers and land managers, to promote the positive contribution that good moorland management has on habitat, wildlife diversity, rural jobs, community, water quality and fire mitigation on the area’s moors.