The decline of field boundaries, such as hedgerows and hedge banks, is the top countryside concern for people in the South East of England, according to a major survey.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England{1} has canvassed the views of nearly 7,000 people across the country{2}, including more than 2,000 in the South East. 

NOTES FOR EDITORS
CPRE county branches across the country are celebrating Great Landscapes Week from Saturday 19 June to Sunday 27 June, organising a variety of events to highlight the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of our threatened countryside.

Using a postcard-sized survey form, it asked them to name the three critical features of their countryside which they were most worried we are losing.

In the South East, the biggest concern was the decline of hedges that has taken place in recent decades. This has, in many instances been caused by neglect and farmers changing from traditional methods of dividing up land. No less than 47 per cent of 2,169 people in the region who completed the survey listed this among their top three worries about the countryside.

The next greatest concern, listed by 35 per cent of people, was the loss of working farms – as the number of farmers and farmworkers continues to decline.

The countryside feature people from each county in the South East  are most worried about losing is given in the Notes to Editors below{3}.

CPRE rural affairs campaigner Ian Woodhurst said: 'The survey demonstrates how important traditional field boundaries are to the landscape and people of the South East. CPRE has campaigned for many years for reform{4} of the old Common Agricultural Policy, which encouraged intensive agricultural practices and over-production that had devastating consequences for our landscapes and wildlife.

'It is essential, now that agricultural payments are no longer tied to production, that a substantial proportion of the money paid to farmers goes towards restoring the character of our landscapes and the biodiversity they sustain.'

Ian concluded: 'We need to ensure farmers have the long term funding they need to farm in a way that produces clear public benefits from public money.'

- END -

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE exists to promote the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country. We promote positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside to ensure change values its natural and built environment. Our Patron is Her Majesty The Queen. We have 59,000 supporters, a branch in every county, nine regional groups, over 200 local groups and a national office in London. CPRE is a powerful combination of effective local action and strong national campaigning. Our President is Sir Max Hastings.

2. Across England as a whole, our survey – distributed by local volunteers and featured on our website – found the single largest concern was the loss of working farms. Of the 6,893 respondents, 2,398 (35 per cent) listed this as one of their top concerns out of 15 rural features whose loss might be worrying them. The list of 15 was: hedges, hedge banks and stone walls; flower rich meadows; woodlands; clean rivers; ancient trees; ponds and wetlands; working farms; farm animals in the fields; historic monuments; local building styles; quiet lanes; footpaths; dark night skies; rural trades; local foods.

3. The results by county were:

4. In June 2003 agreement was reached by European Union member states to reform the CAP. Receipt of subsidies is no longer dependent on producing a crop. Breaking the link between subsidies and crop production is known as 'decoupling'. Farmers must observe a number of European Directives and keep land in good agricultural and environmental condition. These obligations are known as cross compliance. The Rural Development Regulation was introduced as part of the CAP reforms known as Agenda 2000. This diverted, or modulated, a proportion of funds into rural development programmes. In England the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) encompasses a suite of schemes, including agri-environment schemes, that promote sustainable farming and rural development.