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Abstract
Conservation of the cherished landscapes of National Parks in Britain
takes place around the communities which inhabit them. Economic
activities of their populations are subject to both constraints and
opportunities which the statutory protection provides, with much of the
development of economies displaced into their hinterlands. Analysis of
spatial relationships between the three National Parks of Wales and the
rest of the Wales economy has been explored using a multi-regional input-output
model, based on a gravity modelling approach. This allows interregional
feedback effects to be monitored and the structural characteristics
of interdependence to be explored. Collectively, National Parks make a
considerable contribution to the economy of Wales, in terms of incomes
and employment, especially in economic sectors which either use the
environment (such as agriculture) or depend on its quality for their
existence (such as tourism). Comparison between each Park identifies
differences in economic structure and performance, and allows the
development of policy recommendations as a result.