The National Trust has prepared a Statement of Environmental Principles, based on the core purpose of the Trust laid down in the 1907 National Trust Act, viz."the promotion of the permanent preservation of lands and tenements of historic interest or natural beauty...for the benefit of the nation".
The Trust recognises that it should promote the protection of the environment and, in particular, strive to:
- prevent avoidable damage caused by human impact on the environment;
- protect the Trust’s long-term interests from environmental damage;
- be an exemplar of good environmental practice.
The Trust has functioned as a conservation organisation since its incorporation in 1895; and is now assessing its work as an environmental organisation.
An internal Environmental Audit was initiated in 1990 to review all the Trust's policies and practices for their actual and potential environmental impacts.
This Audit reported in 1992 and in consequence the Trust has committed itself to a full time Environmental Practices programme in order to attempt to minimise the environmental impacts arising from all its activities.
Priority areas for changes in policy and practice and for further evaluation are:
- energy conservation;
- water conservation;
- waste minimisation and re-use;
- pollution control (principally sewage and other effluents);
- transport;
- agriculture and land management (especially soil protection);
- building restoration, construction and management;
- office management.
- climate change
Training in environmental awareness and detailed environmental management skills is fundamental to this initiative.
The Trust has already invested considerably in improving standards of property management for energy conservation, sewage treatment, control of farm effluents and water conservation.
Integral with this investment has been an innovatory, environmentally-benign approach to problem-solving in many related areas of management, including:
- pre-emptive waste minimisation
- whole farm plans
- energy awareness training & conservation measures
- water conservation initiatives
- a risk assessment for private water supplies
- buffer zones
- soil conservation measures
- peatland conservation and peat substitutes
- sustainable tourism projects
- green buildings
- catchment management
- promotion of non-car access to the countryside
- renewable energy generation
- dry compost toilet systems
- reedbed and wetland dirty water treatment systems
The Trust makes representations to Government, local authority and statutory agencies to promote conservation and environmental management objectives.
The Trust has an active Education Department which organises events and projects and produces information for schools and for adult groups: Environmental Education is a key component.
The Trust is involved with a wide range of other partners in environmental projects and research - NGOs, business, University Departments, professional institutes, Government agencies - at both UK and European levels.
The Trust is committed to the development and demonstration of best environmental practice in all its operations. A programme for implementing this has been prepared and is regularly updated.
Rob Jarman
Environmental Practices Adviser
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