Lifting the lid on England’s landscapes

23 Jun 2014 04:12 PM

Natural England’s National Character Area project, defining all of England’s 159 major landscape areas, has been completed. The result is a unique, free and highly accessible information resource, highlighting how England’s varied landscapes function and how they can be cared for. 

National Character Areas (NCAs) integrate a wide range of environmental information to create a ‘profile’ for each of England’s 159 major landscape areas, exploring the characteristic landscape, wildlife, cultural and geological features to be found, and providing information on how the landscape is changing, how it supports economic activity, and what are the local environmental opportunities for the future.

Each profile follows natural lines in the landscape rather than administrative boundaries, making them an invaluable aid for planning environmental projects and decision making for the environment. Awarded ‘Highly Commended’ in the Landscape Institute Awards 2013, the profiles are set out in an accessible tabbed format, creating an easy to use, one stop shop, and designed to help equip local communities with the tools needed to understand and shape their natural surroundings.

Jim Smyllie, Natural England Executive Director said:  “NCA profiles talk about places which people can relate to very personally.  They explore what makes those places distinctive, and explain how they function.  I’m delighted that the complete set of these profiles is now available to help decision making at a really local level”.

Developed through close engagement with partners and stakeholders, NCAs are already being used for a wide range of purposes which include:

• A local evidence base supporting applications to Heritage Lottery funded landscape projects - £20 million this year alone.

• Environmental information and opportunities for Local Nature Partnerships and Local Enterprise Partnerships.

• Providing land use planning authorities with the natural environment context necessary for local development strategies.

• A geographical framework for the New Environmental Land Management Scheme (NELMS).

• Information support for development and land management plans and strategic environmental assessments.

• Information to support local environmental protection initiatives and action plans.

• Support for national policy development and implementation.

• Providing local context and a sense of place to support local tourism marketing. 

• A resource for schools and students.

Richard Rampton, a consultant with Rural Advice Ltd. said: “The NCA profiles are being very useful, not to say essential, in providing background for what will become Local Development Strategies and bids to Defra for funding the two LEADER areas proposed for Suffolk and North Essex: the Heritage Coast and the Wool Towns.  […] the Character Area profiles have provided us with really thorough descriptions and pointers to opportunities for the Local Area Groups to pursue.”

Until now the landscape sector, has relied on Joint Character Area descriptions to underpin knowledge about management and shaping of the landscape character of England. These former character areas have now been fully revised and updated to create the National Character Area Profiles. With all 159 NCA profiles now complete, the series forms a definitive and free landscape information resource, meeting a commitment made in the government’s Natural Environment White Paper (2011). 

The National Character Area Profiles can be accessed via the Natural England webpage.

- ENDS

Notes for editors

For media queries, please contact Ellen Softley, Natural England’s Press Office. Tel: 0300 060 0213 e-mail:ellen.softley@naturalengland.org.uk.

Images available

1. The National Character Area Project

• The National Character Area Project commenced in spring 2011 and became part of Natural England’s responsibilities in delivering the Natural Environment White Paper (2011), Biodiversity 2020 and the European Landscape convention to make environmental evidence and information easily available to a wider audience.

• NCAs were highly commended in the Landscape Institute Awards 2013 under the Landscape Policy and Research category for, “…the integrated approach, linking environmental topics within a single spatial framework, and the emphasis on linking landscape and ecosystem services thinking”.

• NCA profiles are working documents which draw on current evidence and knowledge. We aim to refresh and update them periodically as new information becomes available to us.  Feedback can be sent to the NCA team by emailing ncaprofiles@naturalengland.org.uk.

2.   About Natural England

Natural England is the government’s advisor on the natural environment. Established in 2006, our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.

• We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.

• We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and advising on their conservation.

• We run England’s Environmental Stewardship green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.

• We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.

• We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.

For further information see Natural England’s website.  Twitter:@NaturalEngland