Conservation is defined as the careful management of change. It is about revealing and sharing the significance of places and ensuring that their special qualities are protected, enhanced, understood and enjoyed by present and future generations.

© NTPL

We base our conservation work around six main conservation principles. These are:

Integration
Integrating the conservation of natural and cultural heritage

Change
Working with change, adapting and mitigating

Access and engagement
Benefiting society and gaining support

Skills and partnership
Developing skills and experience with others

Accountability
Recording decisions and sharing knowledge

Significance
Understanding values and spirit of place

Find out more details about our conservation principles by downloading these documents:

• Conservation principles in full (PDF / 3MB)
• The evolution of conservation principles by Ben Cowell (PDF / 159KB)
• The National Trust's approach to conservation by Katy Lithgow and David Thackray (PDF / 133KB)