editor David Jordan

The Editor Writes Welcome to the Spring issue of Outdoor Focus. We have an exciting couple of months ahead. March sees both the annual Photography and Video Show, and the National Outdoor Expo, both in Birmingham. OWPG will be at National Outdoor Expo with a stand and banner promoting the OWPG and members’ work. A little further ahead in early June, Liverpool hosts the 20th annual Outdoor Trade Show in partnership with the Outdoor Industries Association( OIA). If you are going to be at any of these events and would be willing to write up a short report for Outdoor Focus, please do let me know. In the meantime, we also have upcoming Zoom talks with Author and Natural Navigator Tristan Gooley on the 18th March and Adam King, CEO of Harvey Maps on the 15th April.

In our main feature for this issue, Guild vice president and former Head of Information at the Peak District National Park, Roly Smith explores the events that led up to the founding of the park which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year on the 17th April. It is a significant milestone for Britain’ s first national park and is being celebrated with events that include‘ Unearthed’, a photographic exhibition in partnership with Buxton

International Festival, alongside talks about the past, present and future of the park. There will also be a special programme of guided walks led by park rangers across the year, and a new‘ tube-style’ map of the Peak District highlighting trails, travel links and lesser-known places.

Perhaps most significantly, the event marks the launch of an anniversary report commissioned with three other national parks calling for policy change and sustainable funding to secure the future for our most treasured landscapes. It would be easy to assume that our parks are well-established and secure, but the UK is one of the few countries in the world that doesn’ t own the majority of land in its national parks. Consequently management of land is a complex issue. In addition to the funding issue, there are threats from energy and infrastructure projects, major road development, access and inclusion challenges, water pollution and ecological health issues linked to land use, habitat and wildlife protection, and of course, the ever-present issue of second homes and holiday lets. There is much to celebrate, but much still to do, so as media professionals whose life and work depends on people’ s access to the natural landscape, let’ s keep the issues at the forefront of our work.

Do you know someone who could benefit from and enjoy membership of the Guild? Why not reach out to them with the‘ new member discount’ offer found on the website under‘ downloads and discounts’.

Submission deadline for the Summer issue is 30th April.

If you’ re heading to the National Outdoor Expo in Birmingham on the 21st-22nd March come and find the OWPG stand! OWPG Member Natasha Sones is speaking on the 22nd on the Interactive Stage from 10:15am.

ZOOM 18th March: Author & Natural Navigator Tristan Gooley talks to OWPG member, Rachel Mead, about his career. Book here or details on email from 26th Feb.

6

8 14

WORDS AND PICTURES FROM THE OUTDOORS

Editor David Jordan ISSN 2043 8605 editor @ owpg. org. uk Design David Jordan, Ronald Turnbull Cover‘ Spring’ Photographer Chris Howes

The Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild( OWPG) is the only UK-based association of media professionals working largely or entirely on outdoor subjects. Our membership covers every field of activity and all corners of the globe. We include writers, journalists, bloggers, photographers, publishers and editors, all with a passionate interest in the outdoors. For information on who we are, what we do, and where we’ ve been, visit www. owpg. org. uk – or join us on Facebook.

2 OUTDOOR FOCUS Spring 2026