Rights of way - ranger services
The maintenance of rights of way outside the National Parks is managed by the public rights of way maintenance team in North Yorkshire.
There are seven area rangers who deal with practical maintenance issues, and three countryside access officers who are responsible for obstruction and improvement projects on the public rights of way.  The rangers look after the rights of way in their area by:
- Repairing broken stiles and gates;
- Installing signposts and waymarking paths;
- Liaising with landowners to resolve problems on rights of way;
- Checking obstructions and surveying paths;
- Surveying and maintaining long distance and promoted routes; and
- Supervising volunteers and contractors working on rights of way.
If you come across issues affecting rights of way whilst out enjoying the countryside please fill in our online report form or contact us at paths@northyorks.gov.uk and a report will be passed to the ranger for that area. If you come across issues in the National Parks, please contact either the Yorkshire Dales National Park on info@yorkshiredales.org.uk, or the North York Moors on info@northyorkmoors-npa.gov.uk. The area rangers also work with colleagues from the countryside service to manage sites of importance for nature conservation (SINCs) and heritage sites. Much of this work is carried out with volunteers and includes: - Hedgelaying;
- Clearing invasive non-native species such as rhododendron and Himalayan balsam to protect native plants and flowers;
- Scrub clearance on limestone grassland to protect rare plants such as orchids;
- Grass cutting on meadows to help wildflowers grow; and
- Scrub clearance on archaeological sites such as tumuli (ancient burial mounds) to stop them from being overgrown.
 Volunteers also work with rangers to carry out repairs to rights of way and there are regular tasks in most of the ranger team areas. For more information about what the volunteers do and how you can get involved see our countryside - volunteers page.
You can find out what the countryside rangers have been up to in your area on our rights of way - news page. Your local public rights of way maintenance teamPublic rights of way team leader
Aidan Rayner Senior ranger
Iain Burgess Countryside access officers
Nicky Bunting - Craven and Harrogate
Brian Mullins - Hambleton and Richmondshire
Ben Jackson - Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby Area rangers
Gary Atkinson - Craven
Mike Gurney - Harrogate
Catherine Smith - Nidderdale AONB
Andrew Brown - Hambleton
Steven Green - Richmondshire
Andrew Hall - Ryedale and Scarborough
David Ottoway - Selby
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Latest rights of way news
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Rights of way - enforcement
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Rights of way - information and advice
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Rights of way - maintenance
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Rights of way - report an issue
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