Blackdown Hills National Landscape – our new name
In November 2023, along with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty across England, Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty was renamed to Blackdown Hills National Landscape.
This name change, coupled with the new logos and branding:
- Creates a unified national identity.
- Better reflects the national importance of landscapes such as the Blackdown Hills, and the vital contribution we are making to protect the nation from threats such as climate change, nature depletion and the wellbeing crisis.
- Demonstrates how National Landscapes work collaboratively and underlines the impact we have as a network.
- Supports our work to attract funding for our projects.
- Provides us with a more accessible and inclusive visual identity, extending a warm welcome to everyone.
- Signifies a step change in our work to protect and regenerate our landscape, with a focus on nature, climate, heritage, culture, and people.
- Gives us an opportunity to raise awareness and understanding of what we do.
We feel that the initial costs associated with making this change will be offset by the long term benefits:
- We can now more easily demonstrate to potential funders our individual impact and the impact of the National Landscapes network, thereby attracting more funding for our work.
- We can work with other National Landscapes on design projects, creating economies of scale.
National Landscape Family
The Blackdown Hills is one of 46 National Landscapes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 34 of which are in England. The National Association for National Landscapes supports the work of National Landscape partnerships and provides a strong collective voice.
National Landscapes and National Parks
National Landscapes enjoy levels of protection similar to those of UK National Parks but unlike National Parks, the responsible bodies do not have their own planning authority.
How National Landscapes work
National Landscapes are living landscapes inhabited by lively communities of people. So, the care of National Landscapes are entrusted to local authorities, organisations, community groups and the people who live and work within them. National Landscape teams bring these people together, working collectively to conserve and enhance these special landscapes.
Each National Landscape has a management plan which is reviewed every five years, and an National Landscape partnership which creates the management plan and oversees the work of the National Landscape. Within a National Landscape, the relevant local authority is charged with ensuring development and planning proposals take into account the aim to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area.
Designation
In England, Natural England is responsible for designating Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000.
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designation and management in England
Origins
National Landscapes and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have their origins in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949. As part of the reconstruction of the UK after the second world war, the Act improved access to the countryside, addressed public rights of way, and provided the framework for the creation of National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales.
Protected landscapes worldwide
While National Landscapes are a uniquely British phenomenon, they are recognised internationally by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as part of a global family of protected areas.
