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The High Weald Land Management Initiative

High Weald landscape
The High Weald LMI was set up with the aim of finding ways to maintain and enhance the environmental, social and economic fabric of the area. It was centred around four parishes within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), a distinctive ancient landscape with a mosaic of small fields, used primarily for livestock grazing.


The area and the issues 

 The High Weald AONB is of national importance for its landscape and high environmental quality. Agriculture in has traditionally been based around beef, sheep and dairy enterprises. Farms are generally small and predominantly owner occupied. Production tends to be poor due to the area's landform and waterlogged soils, which have inhibited agricultural intensification and resulted in low farm incomes. 

The main issues felt to be affecting the area at the start of the LMI included:

  • A decrease in farm incomes and viability leading to increased sales and fragmentation of farms;
  • A strong dependency on labour intensive agriculture to maintain landscape character and features; and
  • High land prices driven up by outside money and land increasingly used for amenity purposes.         

Key Conclusions

The work of the High Weald LMI focused on the provision of integrated advice to farmers. Through its work the LMI identified a need for: clearly expressed area focused objectives for land management; rural development projects' aims and objectives to be clearly communicated to participants; and further training for farm business advisors on providing truly integrated advice.

The LMI finished in 2003.  Further information is included in the 'Integrated Farm Appraisal' evaluation report. 

Related Publication:
The High Weald Land Management Initiative

For further information contact:

Graeme Kerr
Natural England
20th Floor
Portland House
Stag Place
London
SW1E 5RS

Email: graeme.kerr@naturalengland.org.uk