BMW UK and UK National Parks Celebrate 3-Year Partnership Delivering EV Access and Nature Restoration Across the UK

BMW UK and UK National Parks today celebrate the success of their three-year “Recharge in Nature” partnership, revealing the project’s impact on the electric vehicle (EV) charging network, nature restoration and wellbeing across all fifteen National Parks.

Beginning in 2022, the Recharge in Nature partnership has seen BMW UK invest a total of £1 million in biodiversity and community projects, as well as funding the installation of 135 new EV charging sockets across the fifteen National Parks. To date, eight National Parks now have chargers live, with installations in the remaining seven National Parks set to be completed by November.

With chargers now installed in many of the National Parks including the Lake District, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors, Dartmoor, New Forest and Bannau Brycheiniog, BMW has worked closely with UK National Parks to ensure that these charging points benefit both local people and visitors, by being placed in high traffic areas or areas where infrastructure is lacking.

Emily Barrow, Brand Communication Manager at BMW UK said "Recharge in Nature is a shining example of how partnerships with business can drive meaningful progress. Through investment in electric infrastructure and nature restoration, we've created a lasting legacy that supports not just the environment, but also the communities that care for and enjoy these incredible spaces."

The partnership has also funded 15 critical biodiversity and community projects developed and delivered by the National Parks expert teams, ensuring BMW’s support was received exactly where needed most.

Examples of this include in Eryri National Park, Llyn Tegid – the largest natural freshwater lake in Wales – which is now better protected against pollution. Through engagement with local farmers, Recharge in Nature has supported a range of natural flood management initiatives including creating three new dew ponds and eight natural dams, and planting over 20,000 new trees. These measures help reduce the speed of rainwater run-off, lowering the amount of phosphates leaching into the lake, which would damage its delicate ecosystem and encourage the growth of algae. The project will help Llyn Tegid stay healthy for tourism, and for precious wildlife like the glutinous snail - a tiny creature that’s only found here.

Young people have been at the heart of a project funded in the North York Moors National Park, where they have improved their wellbeing, employability and potential to become tomorrow’s conservationists through 3,000 hours of participatory activity that included learning transferable skills and volunteering. In addition, funding for a new Youth Engagement Ranger in Dartmoor National Park has helped give 1,329 young people, many of whom might otherwise not have opportunities to visit the National Park, a chance to experience and explore the great outdoors.

Catherine Hawkins, Chair of National Parks Partnerships said: "This partnership exemplifies what can be achieved when organisations unite around shared values. BMW UK’s support has not only helped dramatically increase access to EV charging across our National Parks, but also enriched biodiversity and empowered communities. Its success marks a powerful model for future partnerships that protect nature while enabling responsible access for all.”

While the Recharge in Nature project reaches its third year, the final phase includes new charger installations in Northumberland and South Downs National Park together with the Broads who are also expanding EV access further with boat charging posts. Along with the EV charger programme, projects being delivered in the third year of the partnership include the creation and restoration of 35 dew ponds in the Cairngorms, a hay meadow project in the Lake District and am inclusive transport project in Bannau Brycheinog.

Sustainability is at the heart of the BMW Group’s strategy, with a holistic 360° sustainability approach that integrates environmental, social and governance considerations across the value chain. As part of its commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, the company aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. On the road to net zero, the BMW Group has set science-based CO₂ targets, including a goal to reduce CO₂e emissions by 40 million tonnes by 2030 compared to 2019. Key measures driving this progress include powering production with renewable energy, electrifying its vehicle fleet and increasing the use of renewable energy and secondary raw materials in the supply chain. With a growing range of more than 15 all-electric models, battery electric vehicles continue to gain traction, accounting for 26.9% of the BMW brand’s UK sales in 2024, while battery electric and plug-in hybrids together made up nearly a quarter of BMW Group global sales in the same period.

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The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2024, the BMW Group sold over 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2024 was € 11.0 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.4 billion. As of 31 December 2024, the BMW Group had a workforce of 159,104 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products from the supply chain and production to the end of their useful life.

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About UK National Parks

The UK is home to fifteen National Parks, with ten located in England, three in Wales, and two in Scotland. Combined they span almost 10% of land and are more than just protected landscapes; they are living, working environments where people and nature can thrive together.

Each National Park is managed by an Authority, an independent body funded by the central government and other sources. These authorities do not own all of the land within the National Park but are tasked with conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of these areas. They promote opportunities for the public to experience and understand the unique qualities of National Parks while fostering the economic and social wellbeing of local communities.

2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, which laid the foundation for the creation of these protected spaces. Today, National Parks continue to play a vital role and are committed to leading a transition toward a fairer, greener, and healthier future. By embracing large-scale nature-based solutions to create natural resilience, our National Parks continue to inspire, sustain, and benefit generations to come.

National Parks are open for everyone to explore, with more than 104 million visits each year, offering a chance to connect with nature and experience the beauty of the outdoors.

For more information, visit www.nationalparks.uk.
 

National Parks Partnerships (NPP)

Working across all fifteen National Parks in the UK (Peak District, Lake District, Eryri, Dartmoor, Pembrokeshire Coast, North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales, Exmoor, Northumberland, Bannau Brycheiniog, The Broads, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, Cairngorms, New Forest, South Downs), National Parks Partnerships (NPP) creates purpose-driven partnerships with the private sector and funders to help protect and improve National Parks for people, nature and climate. Since its inception in 2016, NPP has developed partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands to support the UK’s National Parks including BMW UK, Santander UK and Estée Lauder Companies UK & Ireland. Working with global impact firm Palladium, NPP launched Revere: Investing in Nature to deploy green finance at an unprecedented scale in National Parks and has an in-house Nature-Based Solutions team that supports National Parks to do more for nature.

www.nationalparks.co.uk
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For more information on National Parks Partnerships, please contact Bec Butler at bec.butler@nationalparks.co.uk.

For further information please contact:

Chris Overall
BMW Media Relations Manager
Tel: 07815 370 990
Email: Chris.Overall@bmw.co.uk

Christina Burnham-Hepe
Corporate Communications Director
Tel: 07815 371 206
Email: Christina.Burnham-Hepe@bmw.co.uk