Cotswolds AONB Farm Forum March 2016
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The document discusses the history and designation of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the UK. It notes that the AONB was designated in 1966 to protect both the natural landscape and built environment of villages in the Cotswolds region. While early descriptions focused on natural features like limestone cliffs and beechwood forests, later reviews in the 1980s recognized the importance of traditional land management practices and drystone walls to the landscape character. The document reflects on how farming and development have changed the landscape over time and considers future trends in land use, climate change, and the rural economy that may further impact the Cotswolds landscape in the coming decades.
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Cotswolds AONB Farm Forum March 2016
- 1. + Cotswolds@50 an enduring landscape? Richard Wakeford March 2016
- 2. + Treasured in the past; treasured in the future
- 3. + The AONB has always been special; we want it to remain so
- 4. + No development here in the AONB, thank you!
- 5. + So, what did legislators intend AONB designation to provide? 1931: Cotswolds mentioned in the report of the National Parks Committee, established by Ramsay MacDonald Unwin need not only to protect wild land, but also the conservation of historic villages and typical pieces of scenery such as parts of the Cotswolds Post war report: Cotswolds a possible conservation area of high landscape quality, scientific interest and recreational value 1947 Act creates the AONB concept land which appears to be of such outstanding natural beauty that the provisions of the Act shall apply thereto principal powers/duties around development planning, landscape enhancement and public access
- 6. + Driver of the Cotswolds designation: natural landscape or built environment? CPRE (1957): designation needed urgently to prevent further disfiguring developments in the area Nearly 10 years of local engagement about boundaries eg: although the two villages were attractive, the surrounding country was not of sufficient high quality for inclusion the whole area had become so developed that it could hardly claim to being a predominantly natural landscape July 1966; England won the World Cup 19th August 1966: amidst the celebrations the Cotswolds designation confirmed still the second most extensive protected landscape
- 7. + Designation descriptions 1966 The most striking feature of the Cotswolds is the great limestone escarpment which overlooks the Vales of Gloucester and Evesham. The remainder is a pleasant pastoral region, with high undulating plateau and bare upland alternating with deep narrow valleys, well-wooded, and traversed by shallow, rapid streams. The area contains some of the most beautiful villages in Britain. The Cotswolds have considerable wildlife interest. A number of sites have been scheduled as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The Cotswolds are generally regarded by ecologists as representing the westerly limit of natural beechwood in Great Britain. The area is interesting on this account, and for its characteristic limestone flora and insects.
- 8. + Characteristic drystone walls didnt get a mention in the 1966 designation!
- 9. + The relevance of land management No mention of dry stone walls until 1982 boundary review! 1982 criteria for inclusion: landscape character (land form, tree cover, natural flora etc) Cotswold characteristics, eg. oolitic limestone building materials, stone slate roofs, drystone walls and Cotswold vernacular building types So, does farming and land management have anything to do with the outstanding landscape? Does land management have any relevance in making land appear to be of such outstanding natural beauty that the provisions of legislation should apply? Or is landscape purely the underlying topology and the natural vegetation?
- 10. + Land management in the mid 20th Century Farms in one Cotswolds borders survey area (in the 1940s): Average farm size 109 acres Largest farm 525 acres 89% of fields less than 20 acres Agriculture 31% of the occupied population Post war change driven by Agriculture Act provisions, technological advances, and government capital grants to make agriculture more efficient Landscape change driven by field amalgamation, removal of walls and hedges, land drainage and conversion of pasture to arable
- 11. + Land management in the late 20th Century since formal designation membership of the EEC; Arable Area Payments incentivise change (eg 贈246 per hectare just to grow oil seed rape) further intensification and an increase in arable footprint to maximise crop area - only off-set by set-aside some reversal with the abandonment of area payments and the introduction of agri-environment schemes continuing loss of field boundaries due to abandonment; walls and hedges not needed to keep crops in the field -> essentially redundant and too expensive to maintain
- 12. + New colours, old spots
- 13. + Cotswolds@50 will explore landscape change objectively
- 14. + and the built environment too
- 15. + Landscape impacts of new development
- 17. + Looking forward therefore What will shape the future landscape? And how will people benefit from the ecosystems services that landscape provides? Start from current trends Land management Equine businesses The wider economy What future landscape might be envisaged?
- 18. + Trends in the farming and forestry business sectors Less maize grown; less rough grazing; reducing livestock numbers (down a quarter in 6 years) More spring barley; more on-farm renewable energy Fewer large commercial farms; more smaller non-commercial farms Land value tripled in a decade Continuing decline in farm labour force Shift from coniferous to broadleaved woodland, but very little new woodland planting
- 19. + The equine business sector (based on estimated data) Equine sector in perspective: farm gate income estimated at 贈111m equestrian sector gross output 贈76m 1646 farm holdings wide range of equestrian businesses racehorse training through to riding schools and polo clubs Equine sector probably employs about 1,000 directly and 2,000-4,000 indirectly
- 20. + Impact of diversified land management on landscape file:///.file/id=657136 7.4725263
- 21. + Business in the rural Cotswolds Almost 10,000 businesses in the AONB (cf 1,646 farm holdings) 18% professional, scientific and technical 14% agriculture, forestry and fishing 14% wholesale, retail and repair of motor vehicles 11% construction Over 50,000 employed in the AONB (many relatively small businesses) Over 1,000 tourism businesses (and more not registered) serving 23 million visitors a year, generating revenue of 贈425m a year Double the proportion of self employed people than in Great Britain as a whole
- 22. + Government policy to make more of rural potential?
- 23. + Defras view of what protected landscape areas can foster Havens for nature, beacons for wildlife Drivers of the economy National wellbeing
- 24. + and more specifically Increase youth volunteering (national citizen service) Inspire more young people through nature Promote world class culture in NPs Achieve a better environment (natural capital, catchment management) Broaden visitor base New apprenticeships Promote best of British food Improve wellbeing (promote outdoor recreation- walking & cycling - and green prescriptions)
- 25. + And what will farming businesses need to address in the longer term? The next CAP reform (or not?); and TTIP (or not?) Need to optimise resource yields in renewable flows eg a bioeconomy (lots of current research under way) and reduced food waste Not only energy efficiency - but urgent action to address the nitrogen cycle and reduce emissions of methane and nitrous oxide More trees needed for mitigation under LULUCF climate change action Changing climate demands more resilience eg flood alleviation measures on a catchment basis Global population growth (in number and wealth) demands more food; will new crop varieties keep up with demand? Plant, tree and animal disease? Driverless tractors and big data uses
- 26. + In the longer term; still a landscape of outstanding natural beauty? Continuing land investment => owners; tenants; contractors Genetically modified crops? Pest resistant plant strains, reducing chemical use Higher edible yields per cultivated hectare How much livestock outside at all? Fast growing trees for carbon capture Balance different ways of using solar energy (food, biofuels, trees or solar arrays?) This year the AONB Board will publish the latest Landscape Strategy and Guidelines; how different will 2040 version be?
- 27. We have some choices in shaping tomorrows world
Editor's Notes
- #3: Outline of presentation: What do you remember about the summer of 1966? While many of us were watching the football, Ministers were signing off the creation of Britains most extensive AONB So, the Cotswolds AONB is celebrating its 50th birthday this year at least, the celebration of its designation bringing with it responsibilities to conserve and manage the outstanding landscape To kick off this Farm Forum, Ill reflect a bit on what the designation meant, why it was justified, how things have changed over 50 years and more where we are now and what the future might bring for the landscape say 25 years from now
- #4: RW leadership of a Neighbourhood Plan for a town council in the AONB! What was interesting in the Neighbourhood Plan process was a complete lack of understanding or interest in what happens on the land around town; whats more, our plan extended over two parishes, one urban and one very rural yet involving farming interests proved almost impossible except where their land might be suitable for housing development. In my own roles, the links between town and country have featured strongly, so I was disappointed not to be able to stir up interest in how the landscape was used now, and how it might be used in the future. Why should we protect productive land, was one question. But there was a widespread belief that the AONB is not to be built on; no understanding of the difference between AONB and Green Belt; and no sense of how the community might thrive in the future if no more homes are built! Partly justified by a desire to protect property values; and of course, the less new housing is built when people want to live in beautiful countryside, the more their investment will be worth!
- #5: Many people wanted development to go elsewhere. Why should our town be charged to provide housing for incomers? So, I asked people to find their homes on this aerial photo from the time in the 50s when about 1500 lived in a small market town, compared with nearly 6,000 now. It was a very different world, and yet this was when our AONB designation got under way.
- #12: Farmers have had to focus more on efficiency and business margins. The more marginal areas of the farm have either been agriculturally improved, used for woodland creation or agri-environment options or semi-abandoned in the case of poor pasture. This has often led to the loss of important habitats and landscape features. This shift is continuing driven by globalisation of the market place and now by the reduction in agri-environment budget. Now we have the requirements of the WFD (water quality) and growing concern about the impacts of land management on flooding.
- #28: In the UK, people are increasingly aware of the challenges and opportunities. These illustrations appeared in the food magazine of the major British food retailer Waitrose. Part of the point was to illustrate the opportunities that climate change will bring to rural Britain. In the last 7 years, the number of vineyards in the UK has increased from 333 to 416. And, the article claimed, the character of French champagne is set to change so much in a warmer climate, that Britain will take over the true champagne economy. The images also project a significant change in countryside character, with wind turbines on the hills, more locally grown speciality products under high hoop structures, and new housing in the traditional village community. The message is that even with climate change its possible to envisage a thriving countryside benefiting from new business opportunities in a nation that is sometimes reluctant to embrace development with enthusiasm.