What is a Park ?
Comparison with national parks in other larger, less populous lands is of no value, for this reason, that there is no question of the Government or any one else finding the money to buy the land, most of which in all the suggested districts, not least in Snowdonia, is privately owned. The most that could be done would be to purchase a few little circles within the park where precious plants or animals needed sanctuary or where holiday-makers needed refreshment. A national park, therefore, is a wide area of uncultivated land with which interference is strictly prohibited by regulation embodied in a regional plan. Trespass will be a meaningless word within the bulk of the area. All the world shall be accorded free access. The park shall be an enclave of liberty. Such is the foundation of the idea ; but the intention is that a more or less constructive body shall be created with the control of a moderate sum of money—a £10,000 initial fund has been suggested for Snowdonia—which shall be spent in providing the public with comfortable facilities, such as footpaths and camping grounds and parking places ; and, one hopes, in such guardians as they call watchers in the bird sanctuaries, men who shall see that the park is not abused, that the mountain shall in some sort be a holy mountain where no one hurts or destroys.
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