2.4.1 Environmental Goals and Objectives
En1 Protection and enhancement of the character and diversity of the Region's environment and cultural heritage
En1.1 Enhance resource management of soil, air and water, through means which include improved understanding of, and compliance with, Codes of Good Agricultural Practice and the UK Forestry Standard
- This seeks to encourage good practice and sustainable management of land as a contribution to improving the quality of the region's environment, helping to prevent the more damaging impact of some agricultural activities. For example, a large proportion of the South West is at risk of soil erosion and soil loss into rivers contributes to poor water quality if nutrients and pesticides are also eroded. A further example would be the risk to water quality posed by acidification arising from coniferous forestry activities. Appropriate land management (e.g. integrated crop management) could help overcome such problems.
En1.2 Manage designated landscapes, habitats and historic features to improve their environmental value
- The region has a large proportion of nationally and internationally designated wildlife sites; a quarter of the heritage designations in England and 60% of the country's undeveloped coast. 37% of the region's area is designated as National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This Objective recognises the need to take specific action to ensure the protection and management of these important assets to conserve their special interest.
En1.3 Make incentives and advice available outside designated areas to enhance landscape character, biodiversity and cultural heritage in the wider countryside
- This recognises the importance of conserving the environment in the wider countryside, outside designated areas, and the vital role farmers and landowners play in this. Hence, the need for provision of expert and targeted advice and incentives
En2 The value of enhancing the environmental quality of the region is appreciated by all
En2.1 Demonstrate to residents and visitors the value of the environment and its linkages to agriculture
En2.2 Raise consumer awareness of the value of good land management practices which benefit the environment and animal welfare
En2.3 Demonstrate to those who live and work on the land the economic value of positive environmental management practices
- These objectives seek to gain a wider appreciation of the role that farmers and land managers play in maintaining environmental quality and sustaining the economy of the region as well as promoting an understanding of the contribution that good land management practices can make to animal welfare and environmental quality. A very high proportion of land in the South West is under agriculture or other rural land use but more than a third of residents live in urban areas of over 100,000 people. In 1997, tourists and visitors spent £5,574m in the region, attracted in large part by the beauty of the rural landscape. Yet only a little over 3% of the working population are engaged in agriculture.
En3 Sustainable rural land use
En3.1 Promote sustainable farming practices
En3.2 Encourage the move from intensive to extensive farming practices which bring about enhancement of landscape, biodiversity and historic features
En3.3 Promote diversified rural land use which is in sympathy with conservation of landscape character, biodiversity and historic features
- Objectives En 3.1 - 3.3 seek to encourage alternative rural land uses and land management which are sustainable and bring positive benefits for the communities and environment of the region. An example would be to address the population trends in farmland birds.
En4 Support provided reflects and links the achievement of international, national and regional priorities, with care for the environment at the local, farm and woodland level
En4.1 Achieve priority environmental objectives
- The South West contains a high proportion of some of the UK's rarest and most endangered habitats and species, many of which are of international importance. This objective reflects the need to ensure that appropriate priority is given to protection and enhancement of such critical environmental assets.
En4.2 Develop and pilot whole farm approaches to environmental land management, particularly in relation to pastoral systems
- This specifically addresses the need to conserve the wider countryside and to take an integrated, whole-farm approach to land management. Over 65% of the total agricultural area is under grass and 70% of the whole-time farm holdings are classified as either specialist dairy or cattle and sheep farms. This emphasises the importance of pastoral farming in the region. The Objective recognises this and that the incentives available for encouraging environmental land management in such systems are currently limited - hence, the need for developing new approaches through pilot schemes.
En4.3 Develop sustainable use of flood plains, wetlands and rivers
- River and coastal floodplains cover between 5 and 10% of the land in the region, providing a natural storage area for floodwaters, a valuable habitat for wildlife and a recreational resource. Wetlands are an important but dwindling resource yet the Somerset Levels remains one of the UK's largest and best surviving wetlands. The amount of water abstracted in the region increased by over 10% between 1990 and 1997, 80% of this abstracted from surface waters. Such abstractions can add to river flow and water quality problems during periods of water shortage and adversely affect habitats and fish populations. Land management practices have a major influence on the quality of inland waters and maintenance of wetland and, therefore, need to reflect best practice and wise use principles.
Page last modified:
17 August, 2005
Page published: 1 October, 2000