Natural England

What makes some people go out for a Sunday walk while others stay at home playing computer games? New research into the future of outdoor recreation has been launched. more

The Civic Trust has beaten off stiff competition to deliver the Country Parks Network on behalf of the Countryside Agency. more

‘Out to play in the Thames Gateway,’ a film voicing young people’s views on their local environment, is to premier at the Thames Gateway Forum on 23/24 November.  more

This special award recognises outstanding environmental practice and consumer education. Church Farm Organics is a family run registered organic holding in the Wirral. more

The new right of access to the countryside will be completed across England on Monday 31 October 2005. The introduction of the new right, for which people have been campaigning for over 100 years, allows people to walk freely across mapped access land without the need to stick to paths. more

The outdoors must be made more accessible for disabled people, according to the Countryside Agency in guidance published today (12th October). more

Hundreds of people will set off on walks to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Walking the Way to Health Initiative. more

The Countryside Agency and Groundwork are promoting better management of the countryside near urban areas.  more

New places to walk will become available in the South West later this month when the new right of public access is introduced in Cornwall, Devon and western Somerset. more

The 2005 State of the Countryside Report, published today by the Commission for Rural Communities, provides a comprehensive picture of the quality of life in rural England. more

A new and interactive zone has been created for children of all ages in time for the summer holidays. more

Graham Garbutt, currently Regional Director of the Government Office for the West Midlands, has been appointed Chief Executive of the Countryside Agency. He will be taking up his post in September.   more

New research carried out as part of the Countryside Agency’s Diversity Review is published today. more

Walkers will be able to enjoy more than half a million hectares of the most spectacular landscapes in England when the right of open access is launched in northern England this weekend (May 28). more

National Parks Boundary Review - Countryside Agency Board gives go ahead to tackle ‘unfinished business’ in the North WestAt today’s (5th May) meeting of the Countryside Agency, the Board agreed that additional land in the North West meets the statutory designation criteria¹for a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  more

Hundreds of people will step out onto the Pennine Way today (Sunday 24 April) to celebrate this landmark day in the Trail’s 40-year history.  The ‘Walk the Way in a Day’ celebrations, organised by the Countryside Agency, will see the entire 268-mile trail walked, as the route is divided into 50 one-day circular walks between seven and 19 miles long.   The walks have been devised to help walkers of all abilities to celebrate this ‘ruby’ day for the Trail.    more

Clear evidence of the complex distribution of disadvantage in rural areas is published today (9 March) at the launch of the Countryside Agency’s  Commission for Rural Communities¹. The Commission starts work next month, in a shake-up of rural delivery arrangements following the Government’s recent Rural Strategy², with a clear remit "to make sure the rural voice is heard – and listened to – at all levels of policymaking." more

The Countryside Agency welcomes England’s eighth National Park, the first to be created in the South East.  more

High demand for advice to help village pubs revitalise and maintain essential local services, while increasing their own viability, means the successful Pub is the Hub scheme is set to expand.   A new national board and regional help groups are being established to enable the scheme to provide local guidance for many more rural pub projects from the summer onwards, thanks to initial funding from a variety of supporters.  more

Countryside Agency good practice guide passes on lessons learned

Local communities are taking on the challenge of tackling climate change, thanks to the Community Renewables Initiative (CRI), supported by the Countryside Agency and the DTI. CRI helps communities to switch to renewable sources of heat and power which do not contribute to greenhouse gases. more

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is today (18th February) launching practical support to help businesses deliver local solutions to meet the need for more affordable rural homes. Over 160 companies, government departments and charities will join His Royal Highness at St James’s Palace - their common aim, to help local people remain in their communities and keep their schools, shops, pubs and other services alive. more

At today’s (20 January) meeting of the Countryside Agency, the Board agreed to pursue its objections to proposals for a substantial wind farm development at Whinash in Cumbria at the forthcoming public inquiry (from 19 April). more

Community projects will continue to receive funding through the Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) as the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Countryside Agency announced today that the scheme will run for a further two years and that the 1,000th grant has been awarded to a project in Croydon. more