Landscape protection, recreation and public access
Find out more about Defra's responsibilities for public access, recreation and landscape conservation in the countryside.
- Common land, town and village greens and
the Commons Act
Four percent of England and Wales is designated as common land. Find out what common land is - and is not. - Countryside legislation
Find out more about implementation of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW). - Landscape
protection, including National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty
Why we have National parks and how Defra sponsors them; new National Parks - the South Downs and New Forest; and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) - Public rights
of way
Find out about rights of way in the English countryside - Recreation
Find out more about the Government's proposals to give all sectors of the community equal opportunity to particiapte in outdoor recreation - Byelaws
A guide to making byelaws for local authorities - Coastal byelaws
A guide to managing coastal recreation activities - Camping certificates
a guide to camping certificates and how to apply - Caravan site
exemptions
a guide to caravan site licence exemptions - what is exempt and how to apply - Evidence and Innovation Strategy – statement of needs for access to the natural environment
(52 KB)
The statement of needs for Defra’s Evidence and Innovation Strategy as it relates to our strategic outcome ‘More and better access to the natural environment for recreation, especially for those who find it difficult to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits which access to nature can bring’. This is relevant to Defra’s consultation on our proposed Evidence and Innovation Strategy 2005-08.
See also the Modernising Rural Delivery pages to find out about reforms to the delivery of the Government's rural policies, including the creation of Natural England, which are aimed at delivering services in a more streamlined, customer-focused way.
Page last modified: 20 July 2006