Natural beauty and the National Landscape’s special qualities:

• Landscape & landform

Many of the landscape features of today are the result of around 8,000 years of land management choices for food production and human settlement, including the extent and type of woodlands and hedgerows, the presence of grasslands, heathlands, downlands and arable land. The ongoing management and existence of those features most frequently depends on viable land management businesses.

In 2024 32% of the National Landscape was covered by environmental stewardship and 58% of woodlands were managed.

• Wildlife

Relatively continuous land management practices for hundreds, even thousands of years, has created the National Landscape’s main valued terrestrial habitats. Agricultural intensification (and in some cases, abandonment) over the last century has caused the loss or shrinkage of these. There is a significant coverage of biodiversity designations with 13 Special Areas of Conservation (three of which have marine components) and four Special Protection Areas in the National Landscape (one of which has marine components) plus three Marine Conservation Zones on its boundary. Together with 75 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 679 Sites of Nature Conservation Importance, they form the building blocks of a wildlife-rich landscape.

• Living textbook

The National Landscape’s history of agricultural occupation has left significant marks in the landscape, from ‘Celtic’ field systems to vernacular farm buildings and related structures. Many of the National Landscape’s villages’ historic buildings also relate to an agricultural background.

In 2025, there were: 4,009 listed buildings (10 at risk); 542 scheduled monuments (83 at risk); 19 registered parks and gardens; a World Heritage Site and ten National Nature Reserves.

• Cultural legacy

Over the centuries, Dorset’s landscapes and their management have inspired poets, authors, scientists and artists, many of whom have left a rich legacy of cultural associations.

Their output is part of the record of rural life, as well as a collection of emotional and artistic responses to the place. Some of Dorset’s strong current cultural sector have engaged with land management, in some cases raising questions or making provocations about sustainability, the origins of our food and the artistry inherent in managing the land.

There are also rich cultural community events, such as wassailing and Apple Day, which help foster a connection between people and place.

Opportunities

• There are significant opportunities for the Dorset National Landscape Partnership to support delivery of national and regional policy ambitions, including The Environment Improvement Plan, he Land Use Framework, The National Food Strategy, Wilder Forests, The Local Nature Recovery Strategy and the Dorset National Landscape Nature Recovery Plan, Catchment Management Plans, Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans and the Poole Harbour Nutrient Management Plan. This also includes aligning with evolving and innovative approaches to nature recovery, climate resilience, and sustainable land management.

• Environment Land Management Schemes provide an opportunity to deliver numerous public benefits. These schemes support regenerative land management while recovering nature, through the creation and restoration of habitats, including grassland, woodland, hedgerow, heath, and wetland. They also mitigate the impacts of climate change, conserve heritage, and reduce the impacts of natural hazards.

• There is scope to expand woodland and forestry, and particularly those that deliver multiple benefits for climate, nature, and people, as well as timber that is produced sensitively, particularly in continuous cover systems. Opportunities also exist to promote agroforestry, and trees outside woodlands. There is opportunity to bring existing woodlands into sensitive active management. All this should lead to increased local materials for construction and fibre.

• Rivers, wetlands, and particularly valley mires and chalk streams, present opportunities for habitat restoration and creation, flood risk management, carbon sequestration, and other ecosystem services. Integrated catchment management can help improve water quality and resilience to climate change.

• The Food, Farming & Countryside Commission’s Farming for Change research shows that a transition to agroecology can significantly reduce emissions, support species abundance and maintain food production, growing enough healthy and sustainable food for all. This scenario also ensures we do not export environmental impacts overseas and provides a broad pathway for resilient and sustainable farm businesses to take responsibility for food security.

• Farming clusters, both geographic and topic-based cover a large part of this landscape. Clusters enable rich knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer support for a farming transition.

• The Dorset National Landscape can act as a convenor and showcase successful approaches to regenerative land management and nature recovery. Particularly, there is significant opportunity to facilitate delivery of innovative and effective partnerships across catchments, farms, and communities, that support collaborative approaches to regenerative land and water management.

• Investment in citizen science can further help deliver nature recovery at scale.

• The adoption of a Natural Capital approach, and accessing green finance, can facilitate investment in the conservation and enhancement of the landscape, whilst mitigating the impacts of climate change, nature loss, and nutrient pollution.

• There is potential to support small rural businesses, local food and fibre processing infrastructure, and markets for sustainable products, including wood fuel and building retrofit materials.

• The rise of localism and circular economy approaches can help sustain rural livelihoods and strengthen community resilience.

• Built and human heritage underpins landscape character; conserving it maintains a sense of place and time depth. It also provides many opportunities for engagement to audiences beyond those focussed on nature.

• While some fishing practices such as scallop dredging and bottom trawling can be incredibly destructive of important marine habitats, we already have examples off the Dorset coast which demonstrate the rapid regeneration that can be achieved when these practices are stopped. This regeneration supports good harvestable production as well. We are well placed here to take this to the next level and demonstrate the recovery that a truly sustainable fishing industry might bring about

Pressures

• We are already feeling the impacts of climate change, and it is forecast to get more severe. This will lead to:

• Ongoing shifts in species ranges, with more cold-adapted species moving northwards and new species arriving.
• Reduced species diversity and abundance, with forecast changes favouring generalist species over specialists.
• Increased pests and diseases, exacerbated by global trade and climate change.
• Changing growing conditions requiring land managers to adapt what they grow and how they grow it.
• Increased storminess, longer dry periods, and extreme weather events leading to more wildfires, flooding (coastal, groundwater, and fluvial), and landslides.
• Sea-level rise, with impacts in low-lying areas such as the shores of Poole Harbour.
• Socio-economic impacts derived from the direct impact of climate change elsewhere in the UK and abroad.
• Increased frequency of severe wind and rain events damaging historic buildings and other monuments.

• Shifting political priorities have introduced uncertainty and reduced confidence within the farming sector. This is compounded by the closure of capital grant schemes and Sustainable Farming Incentive, which in turn could threaten the viability of smaller farms and may lead to land consolidation, reduced workforce, and diminished capacity for conservation-focussed management.

• The Agricultural Transition is putting economic stress on many farming businesses. Equally it opens a greater variety of land management choices many of which compete or are perceived to compete. Intensive food production, novel cropping, biofuel, solar, rewilding and nature are potentially competing land use choices.

• Regulatory burdens, particularly affecting the use of construction materials, reduces the viability of innovative local goods and services.

• The need for agricultural infrastructure (livestock sheds, slurry lagoons, etc.) risks impacting landscape character if poorly implemented.

• Poor succession planning in farming businesses will lead to fewer, larger agri-businesses and reduced opportunities for new entrants.

• There is a lack of processing infrastructure for meat, timber and fibre, and limited access to capital for new entrants in countryside jobs.

• Poor quality soils, air, and water creates long-term pressures on farm businesses, as the benefits these assets provide has historically been undervalued.

• Nature loss due to poor management, and the resultant habitat fragmentation, leads to local species extinctions, made worse by an already nature depleted landscape, a rapidly changing climate, and policy and funding pressures. In tandem, continued nutrient enrichment of waterbodies, such as Poole Harbour and The Fleet, will continue to slow nature’s recovery.

• Persistent threats from pests and diseases (e.g., Chalara, blue tongue), invasive non-native species (e.g. grey squirrel, sika, muntjac and Rhododenron), other unmanaged species (notably native deer), and biosecurity risks at borders, within supply chains, and nurseries present a risk to native flora and fauna.

• Lack of current data and regular monitoring hampers effective planning and response.

• Most Dorset woodlands are small and form part of wider economic units, making it challenging to operate efficiently.

• Balancing the use of woodland biomass with health impacts from particulate matter (PM2.5).

• The cost of rural housing makes it hard to enter the land-working sector and could result in a loss of the required skills; it is difficult for new entrants to farming which can stifle innovation brought about by new entrants. This is worsened by limited access to capital

• Second homes, pony paddocks, and rising rural housing costs are particularly acute in some areas, impacting the working landscape and local communities.

Defra, Natural England, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Historic England, farmers and landowners and their representatives, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group SW, National Trust, RSPB, Dorset Catchment Partnership, Dorset Coast Forum, Litter Free Dorset, Local Authorities, Dorset Food & Drink, Kingston Maurward College, Dorset Climate Action Network, Dorset Museums Advisory Panel.

Land and sea are managed to support nature recovery, conserve and enhance natural beauty, ecosystems, and the essential benefits they provide, such as clean air, water, and biodiversity. Areas of high and high potential nature value are managed primarily for nature; productive land uses in other areas are undertaken in a way which minimises or reverses environmental harms.

Policy A1a Deliver landscape-scale nature recovery and habitat connectivity

• Expand and connect habitats across the landscape, restoring grasslands, woodlands, hedgerows, heathlands, wetlands and rivers to support species movement and ecosystem resilience.

• Manage land and sea at a scale, reinstating natural processes and building ecological dynamism across landscapes managed for nature, to enhance resilience and support long-term nature recovery.

• Implement nature recovery initiatives aligned with the Dorset Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Dorset National Landscape Nature Recovery Plan.

• Increase the area and quality of sites that meet qualifying criteria for ’30 by 30’, ensuring effective long-term management in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

• Support management of non-native invasive species.

• Support citizen science and community monitoring to improve biodiversity data for adaptive management.

Policy A1b Integrate soil, air, and water quality improvements into land management

• Support a just transition to more regenerative or agroecological forms of agriculture which:

• underpin sustainable farm businesses resilient to environmental and economic shocks,
• recover soil structure for greater infiltration and soil water storage capacity, reducing downstream flood risk and increasing resilience to flood and drought
• recover soil nutrient cycling to reduce reliance on fertilisers
• encourage integrated pest management to reduce reliance on pesticides

• Support a just transition towards more regenerative forms of forestry which

• maintain canopy cover
• support a wide species diversity with a weighting towards native and climate-resilient tree species

• Support multi-functional land use choices compatible with the purposes of designation.

• Implement low-nitrate and low-ammonia farming practices and incentivise land-use changes to reduce emissions.

• Implement appropriate land management and restore wetlands to improve water quality and reduce nutrient pollution.

• Strengthen integrated catchment management partnerships to effectively deliver Catchment Plans, Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans, and other relevant plans and policies.

• Require nutrient offsetting and air quality impact assessments for major rural developments.

Policy A1c Enhance coastal, river and wetland ecosystems for biodiversity and resilience

• Prioritise habitat restoration and managed realignment along coasts to improve resilience to sea-level rise and flooding.

• Expand Marine Protected Areas and protect coastal wetlands to meet biodiversity and climate targets.

• Coordinate sustainable coastal and catchment management via established partnerships

Policy A1d Expand sustainably managed woodlands and greater numbers of trees outside woodlands

• Promote woodland expansion delivering multiple benefits for climate, nature and people.

• Encourage sensitive active management of existing woodlands to increase local sustainable timber and fibre supply.

• Promote appropriate tree planting outside woodlands in hedgerows, riparian strips and agroforestry systems

• Facilitate local processing infrastructure to support sustainable woodland products.

The historic environment is conserved and enhanced, ensuring its cultural significance is protected for future generations.

Policy A2a Conserve and celebrate Dorset’s historic environment

• Work with heritage organisations and landowners to identify, conserve and enhance historic features and landscapes.
• Integrate historic environment considerations into land management and development planning.
• Support interpretation, education and community engagement to celebrate Dorset’s cultural heritage.

Land and sea management supports natural processes, enabling nature, landscapes and ecosystems to adapt to climate change and other environmental shifts.

Policy A3a Implement nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and resilience

• Restore natural floodplain function, wetlands, and valley mires to enhance carbon sequestration and flood mitigation and drought resilience.
• Develop and implement sector-specific climate adaptation plans (e.g. farming, forestry, tourism) integrated into local planning.
• Promote multi-functional landscapes that include expanded networks of parkland, orchards, agroforestry, and hedgerow along with nature-based solutions to improve resilience.
• Support responsible reintroduction of keystone species that reinstate natural processes.
• Support research and innovation in climate-resilient land management and water efficiency.
• Support communities and businesses to adapt to environmental change and build resilience.

Policy A3b Support coastal management which promotes natural processes

• Seek opportunities for nature recovery and reinstating natural processes through Shoreline Management Planning.
• Ensure the Outstanding Universal Value of the Dorset & East Devon World Heritage Site is protected

Skills in sustainable land management, conservation and the green economy are developed to support resilient communities and ecosystems.

Policy A4a Develop skills and capacity for sustainable land and natural resource management

• Deliver training, apprenticeships and demonstration projects in regenerative agriculture, conservation, and green economy skills.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and best practice sharing across sectors and communities.
• Support succession planning and attract new entrants into farming, forestry and conservation sectors.

Markets for sustainably produced goods and services are encouraged, supporting local economies while protecting the environment.

Policy A5a Foster sustainable local markets and green finance for the rural economy

• Develop markets for locally produced, sustainably managed food, timber, fibre and other natural products.
• Support local processing infrastructure and supply chains to add value to sustainable products.
• Encourage adoption of natural capital approaches and access to green finance for conservation and climate mitigation projects.
• Promote circular economy initiatives including reuse, recycling and use of biodegradable local materials.

Dorset’s distinctive geology is protected and celebrated, supporting landscape character, scientific understanding, and community engagement for present and future generations.

Policy A6a Protect and promote geodiversity as a core component of the landscape

• Embed geodiversity considerations into local planning policies and landscape-scale initiatives.
• Prioritise conservation and restoration of key geological sites, including quarries and features aligned with the Jurassic Coast Partnership Plan.
• Foster partnerships to raise awareness and engage communities in geodiversity conservation through citizen science and education.

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