Many sites offer formal facilities such as Visitor Centres with toilets and gift shops and all are accessible to disabled visitors. Teams of Countryside Rangers are based at each of the town’s main Country Parks to look after and manage them for conservation, education and recreation. Stockton’s Country Parks are run for the benefit of both wildlife and people and management for biodiversity is high on the agenda.

Each site provides a comprehensive environmental education programme for schools and other groups such as scouts and brownies, teaching youngsters about the environment using a fun and hands-on approach. Contact the individual site-based teams to request further information or an education pack. The health benefits of walking and other forms of recreation outdoors is now widely recognised and all Country Parks provide good networks of paths to encourage visitors to explore. Some sites also provide cycle routes and most offer orienteering courses.