The changing face of parks etc etc

As an ex local authority park manager I dont see where park and countryside management is going much at the moment, its not hard to see why morale in the sector is low. Any staff left must be constantly fearful of their jobs longevity.

Locally to me Cambridge Past Present and Future who amongst other things manage Wandlebury Country Park and Coton Countryside Reserve have agreed a new management plan which sees there future site specific staffing more geared to visitors rather than the practical work needed to maintain it.

As a result of this three full time staff who carried out the bulk of the practical work as well as visitor liaison are to be made redundant on 30th March 2015 losing there jobs and there houses which were tied to the job. A situation similar to the one I was in back in 2008.  In  the place of three full time staff there will be one new full time post and a number of part time posts all of which will be paid at a much lower hourly rate. Practical work will be mainly carried out by contractors. The rest of the work of Cambridge PPF will go on as usual with them saying we have been running the park for 60 years we know what we are doing.

Parks and countryside are so important to all of us, they are vital to our physical and mental well being and yet the way they are being managed in a time of austerity is  unbelievable to many in the business of looking after them.

Cambridge PPF is a small charity but not on its own in making quite large changes. Probably without exception all local authorities and other land managing charities are having to cut back on the number of staff they have to maintain them and keep them as places people feel safe to visit. 

Parks are going backwards, staff are dealing with now and not planning for the future, its not how our heritage whether its buildings or landscapes should be managed.