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National Geographic: Got 100 seconds? Use them to tour Britain’s National Parks from the air

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National Geographic: Got 100 seconds? Use them to tour Britain’s National Parks from the air

“An exhilarating new film by National Geographic Explorer Daniel Raven-Ellison takes the high road to visual variety – and scientific insight – in tribute to the country’s wildest places.

In a period when even local travel is in woefully short supply, a nostalgia for both spectacle and variety is understandable. But to Daniel Raven-Ellison, the National Geographic Explorer behind UK National Parks in 100 Seconds, there is a deeper rationale at play behind his new film.

“I’m really interested in the gap between what we think the UK looks like and the reality on the ground,” Raven-Ellison tells National Geographic. “Back in 2018 I ran a poll with Friends of the Earth and we found that nearly 1 in 3 people think that over half of the UK is built on. Depending on how you measure it, the reality is closer to 5%.”

“That gap in people’s geographical imaginations is a big issue,” he adds, “as people are forming opinions and making decisions based on a misunderstanding of what makes up our country. That matters because people are voting, consuming and acting on issues such as migration, housing and making space for nature based on it.” Simon Ingram

Read the whole article on National Geographic’s website.

BBC News: Slow map – Mapping Britain’s intercity footpaths

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BBC News: Slow map – Mapping Britain’s intercity footpaths

“Would you know the best way to walk from Leeds to Manchester? From Tring to Milton Keynes, or Carlisle to Inverness? If not, then you’re not alone.

We live in a time when our phones will show us the quickest route to almost anywhere – if we are driving, that is. Walking? Well, that’s a different matter.

Geographer Daniel Raven-Ellison is offering a solution; a new map created by volunteers during lockdown to show the best walking routes between all of Britain’s main towns.

All that is needed now is 10,000 keen walkers to test out the routes on his “slow map”. David Sillito

Read the whole article on BBC News.

The Guardian: How the Slow Ways network could change walking in Britain

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The Guardian: How the Slow Ways network could change walking in Britain

“Once you’re allowed to visit family or friends around the UK, why not ditch the car or train and go on foot instead? That’s what the creators of Slow Ways want to encourage. It’s an ambitious new project to create a network of walking routes between all of Great Britain’s towns and cities, as well as thousands of villages.

The brainchild of geographer and explorer Dan Raven-Ellison, and supported by Ordnance Survey, the idea is to get people walking between locations they might otherwise drive or take public transport to – via existing off-road paths and bridleways – and to promote slower types of travel.” Jane Dunford

Read the whole article on The Guardian’s website.

National Geographic: London becomes world’s first ‘National Park City.’ What does that mean?

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National Geographic: London becomes world’s first ‘National Park City.’ What does that mean?

“The National Park City idea is all about making cities greener, healthier, and wilder, says Daniel Raven-Ellison, a geographer and National Geographic explorer who originated the concept six years ago.

“What an amazing moment for London. Celebrating, honouring and recognising the biodiversity and greenness of this great city,” said Jayne Miller, Chair of World Urban Parks. It’s a challenge to cities around the world to venerate, protect, and increase the green spaces, Miller said in a statement.”

Read the full article on National Geographic.

Positive News: London, the world’s first national park city

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Positive News: London, the world’s first national park city

“As part of our United Kingdom of Solutions focus, we meet Daniel Raven-Ellison. The former geography teacher has spearheaded the movement for London to become the world’s first national park city – and it’s happening later this month.

“I feel proud, excited and most of all, really hopeful.” After six years of campaigning, Daniel Raven-Ellison has his sights firmly fixed on 22 July: the day when London will officially become the world’s first national park city. This former geography teacher – the driving force behind the movement to make the capital greener, healthier and wilder – has proved a natural at enthusing people to join his imaginative leap about how and what cities can be.”

Read the full article on Positive News.

CNN Going Green: How London will become the world’s first National Park City

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CNN Going Green: How London will become the world’s first National Park City

“London is not just a city, it’s a landscape,” he said. “It’s a landscape that’s home not just to nearly nine million people, but there are as many trees. We share this city with 15,000 other species of life and I don’t think that urban life is worth any less than that life that we see in maybe those more distant places from cities.”

CNN’s Going Green covers the London National Park City. Read the full article here.

Walk Magazine: Walk & Talk… Dan Raven-Ellison

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Walk Magazine: Walk & Talk… Dan Raven-Ellison

“The urban explorer and ‘guerilla geographer’ is leading the campaign to make London a national park city.

What is the London National Park City campaign?

The concept is my own ‘invention’, although it’s not a new idea. We have enclosed and protected green spaces for centuries. Urban nature conservation is in the DNA of town and city dwellers, from private gardens to sprawling nature reserves. Britain has already exported the idea of urban nature conservation around the world, so the only contribution I am making is stressing that the whole of London’s urban landscape should be part of the National Park City. That means all the parks, gardens, rivers, industrial sites – a recognition of the collective value of the whole urban landscape.”

Read the whole interview on the Ramblers website.

Lonely Planet: The world’s first ‘National Park City’ is set to be in the UK

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Lonely Planet: The world’s first ‘National Park City’ is set to be in the UK

“London is preparing to become the world’s first ‘National Park City’, with thanks to the backing of the Mayor of London, members of the London Assembly and many of the city’s councillors.

“London becoming a National Park City is the perfect way to celebrate everything that has been done to make the capital so green and diverse. It’s also an exciting challenge to make the city even more green, wild and enjoyable,” Dan Raven-Ellison, founder of the London National Park City campaign, told Lonely Planet.”

Read the full article on Lonely Planet.