New plan for Chilterns countryside

HOW can we make sure that our green and beautiful countryside is not spoilt by development? How do we help the woodlands cope with the diseases and pests threatening them?

Cricket at Greys Green near Henley (By Clive Ormonde)

These are just two of the many issues that are tackled by a new plan that has been published on how the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) should be looked after over the next five years.

The plan has been published by the Chilterns Conservation Board, which has responsibility for protecting and promoting the Chilterns. It was put together with the help of many local organisations and communities, including parish councils, wildlife trusts, the National Trust and the Chiltern Society.

“The Plan is a collective expression of the interests and wishes of many individuals and organisations that care about the Chilterns and as such it is truly a plan for the whole AONB,” said Ian Reay, Chairman of the Conservation Board.

The Chilterns AONB is a nationally-protected landscape, designated as one of the country’s finest areas of countryside along with 45 other AONBs and 15 National Parks. Despite this national recognition it faces many pressures, especially from the plans for the High Speed 2 rail line which will slice through the middle of the AONB. Plans for many new houses in towns around the edge of the Chilterns, the loss of traditional rural skills and the impacts of climate change are other examples of pressures the area faces. A co-ordinated approach to keeping the Chilterns special in the face of these issues is more important than ever and this is what the new Management Plan for the Chilterns AONB provides.

Copies of the new Plan are available to read in local libraries. The Plan can also be downloaded from www.chilternsaonb.org/management-plan