The Lake District is a popular National Park. More and more people enjoy its fantastic scenery each year, due 30 _________ increasing numbers of car owners and improvements to local roads and motorways. This, 31 _________, is placing an ever increasing pressure on this beautiful and valuable environment.

Traffic jams in and around the Lake District create air pollution. Parking facilities at most tourist sites are overflowing in peak season causing visitors to park on the grass which, 32 _________, causes soil erosion. Litter is also a problem, 33 _________ many bins are provided and people are 34 _________ to take their litter home.

Activities 35 _________ hiking, camping and mountain biking cause severe footpath erosion. Visitors often leave the designated trails, risking nesting birds and animals being disturbed, vegetation being destroyed and water courses

becoming polluted.

In addition, the traditional hill farming of the Lake District has effects on the landscape. Grazing sheep 36 _________ the grass short and eat other vegetation, including young saplings. The difficulty faced now is how to preserve the beauty of this area without lowering the enjoyment of visitors or impairing the livelihoods of local farmers.