Читать книгу The Outdoor Citizen. Get Out, Give Back, Get Active онлайн

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According to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), the fourteen greenbelts England has today “cover more than 6,000 square miles (15,500 square kilometres) of land, around . . . [its] largest, most historic towns and cities.” England’s greenbelts showcase the country’s work to combat unbridled sprawl while underpinning the sustainable vision of a compact city.43 They have permanent protection, but still face constant threats from developers emboldened by the introduction of a new National Planning Policy Framework in 2012 that allows local municipalities to redesignate greenbelt land and remove conservation restrictions.44 A 2018 report from the CPRE states that nearly 12,000 acres of greenbelt have been lost—“the equivalent of around 5,000 football pitches”—since 2012.45

Other greenbelts around the world include the thriving and beautiful Congo Nile Trail in Rwanda, Milford Track in New Zealand, and the Île-de-France greenbelt just outside Paris. Where greenbelts have been developed, they’ve flourished and proven sustainable catalysts for communities to spend more time outdoors.