Rural Affairs

Rural Strategy 2004 Fact Sheet: Countryside recreation and use

Why does recreation matter?

  • The countryside is of intrinsic value both to rural communities and to society in general. It contributes hugely to the social and economic well-being of the nation.
  • Rural tourism supports around 380,000 jobs and 25,000 small and micro businesses in rural England,
    contributing around £13.8bn annually to the rural economy.
  • Countryside recreation – ranging from walking, cycling, horse-riding, angling and water sports to visits to parks and gardens – can do much to improve physical and mental health, and general enjoyment of life.
  • The beauty and tranquillity of the countryside has a huge emotional pull for very many of us.

What will be different?

  • We are creating a large and powerful Integrated Agency, as an independent statutory public body, to champion access and recreation hand in hand with conserving and improving nature. It will:
    • have a strong voice in regional decision-making, to champion improvements in the quality and accessibility of England’s countryside and coasts, and green spaces in our towns and cities;
    • ensure that sustainable use of the countryside is considered as an integral part of good land management;
    • work closely with local authorities and land managers to improve access and help develop local rights of way improvement plans;
    • build on the success of the Countryside Rights of Way Act in opening access to mountain, moor, down and registered common land; and
    • work with the Forestry Commission to ensure a comprehensive approach to promoting our natural heritage, including woodlands.
  • We will also streamline the many funding streams used to protect and enhance our countryside, green space, woods and forests into a single fund for natural resource management.

What will be better?

  • Enhancing the value and beauty of our countryside for rural communities and for the benefit of society in general will bring many benefits:
    • more people from both urban and rural backgrounds will be helped to enjoy the benefits of the countryside at first hand – this will come from a single body having all the levers available to encourage increased access to our green spaces, and through the closer partnership with local authorities that a single point of contact will permit;
    • rights of way improvement plans will provide better networks for a range of users, such as cyclists and horse-riders;
    • there will be greater opportunities to develop links between the natural environment and education, health, community development and combating crime and anti-social behaviour [Footnote];
    • local access forums will bring land managers and users together and give them chance to have their say; and
    • a growing leisure market will help to strengthen and diversify local rural economies, creating new job opportunities and reinvigorating rural communities.

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Page last modified: 19 May, 2005
Page published: 21 July, 2004

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs