Rural Watchdog: Uplands Deserve An Upbeat Future

An official inquiry into the challenges and opportunities facing England's upland communities advanced a stage further today when Dr. Stuart Burgess, the Government's Rural Advocate and Chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) announced a 'call for evidence'.

The call delivers on a commitment made last year, to draw attention to the current harsh realities of upland life and highlight what these significant parts of England will need if they are to carry on serving the rest of the country as food producers; landscape, wildlife and heritage protectors; a tourism and recreational resource; and stewards of biodiversity, water and soil.

In calling for evidence, Dr. Burgess said: "High hills and moorlands occupy a little under a fifth of England but they, and their communities, are vital to the health, economic prosperity and quality of life of many millions of people across the country as a whole. They face challenging times, however, so the CRC has pledged to hold an inquiry to determine how the nation can best equip upland communities to secure their economic prosperity, and provide sustainable benefits for all.

"We want the call for evidence to bring in views, ideas, and first-hand experiences, from local people, businesses, visitors and wider beneficiaries. We will then look at the contributions as part of our wider consultations and use them to inform a report going to the Government this Autumn, recommending how to give our uplands a more promising future. In addition, the inquiry team will be gathering information and evidence from all corners of England, and beyond, including at a range of regional meetings."

Support for the inquiry has already been committed by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), the leading membership organisation for owners of land, property and businesses in rural England.

President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher says: "We welcome the CRC inquiry and call on the upland communities within England to tell their story, explaining the situation they face today and their aspirations for the future. The CLA believes passionately that our uplands must be managed by people who know how to look after these fragile environments. Their activities generate and maintain the textured landscape and rich biodiversity so valued by the public."

(JM/BMcC)