Andy Parsons, chief executive Cotswolds National Landscape celebrates a national moment for AONBs as they rebrand to National Landscapes.

A huge step forward

On November 22 2023, all Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales rebranded to National Landscapes.

The new name, inspired by the Landscapes Review from 2019, is a fantastic celebration of these landscapes – what they are now, what they have been in the past, and what they will be in the future.

The new name much better describes our status as family of national places, managed at a local level. Beautiful, thriving landscapes – that everyone can feel a part of: those living and working here, and those who visit.

Stories brought to life

These are the places where stories come to life – ancient stories, new stories, and stories yet to be told. They are the places that make us who we are.

Our national landscapes are a living patchwork across England and Wales where beauty isn’t only found in nature, but also in communities working together to grow, and change, and thrive.

As the teams that work to manage these places, our mission, as it has always been, is to look after these special landscapes, and make sure everyone can enjoy them – because there’s space for many more stories to be told.

Cotswolds National Landscape

Stories here in the Cotswolds are many and varied: from those who walk the Cotswold Way National Trail and other routes; to work with community groups introducing them to the joys of exploring the countryside and creating adventure; to stories of nature recovery; stories of volunteer work to help support our team; stories from those involved in improving access for everyone; stories from farmers and those who work the land to produce food, help wildlife, and help tackle climate change; and stories from the thriving communities who live and work in the ‘picture postcard’ towns and villages here – historic places, yes, but also living and breathing. Now and into the future.

What are your stories?

What are your Cotswold National Landscape stories? Are you ‘born and bred’ Cotswolds? Do you farm here?

Perhaps you’re one of our many amazing volunteers – devising and leading guided walks, or maintaining the many thousands of miles of footpath across the Cotswolds? Are you part of a community group that regularly gets out into the countryside to breathe the fresh air and take in the views?

Or maybe you work in conservation, and your days are spent helping nature, wildlife, and the soil to recover? Perhaps you’re none of these things – yet. In that case, reach out – there are so many ways to get involved… our Glorious Cotswold Grasslands team would love to hear from landowners with patches of land they’d like to return to wildflower grassland.

Or maybe you’ve been thinking about volunteering but aren’t sure in what way? Perhaps you’re an educator, and want to encourage your students to spend more time learning outside?

Or maybe you’re passionate about climate action and want to help communities develop routes to net zero?

Our door is always open. To find out more about the work our team does and how you could be involved, visit www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk