South Downs Joint Committee
The South Downs is a landscape of national and international importance. Recognised for its ‘natural beauty’, peace, wildlife, natural resources and heritage, it was designated in the 1960s as two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). The area has now been designated as the South Downs National Park and a Government decision is currently awaited on the confirmation of the designation. Internationally, the South Downs landscape is recognised as a Category V Protected Landscape by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
Facts
- The South Downs cover an area of 1,641 square kilometres, the sixth largest out of 51 protected landscape areas in England and Wales.
- 85% of the area is farmed land, 27% of which is under agri-environmental schemes.
- The area is home to some 115,000 people, with a further 1.2 million within 5 kilometres.
- There are over 39 million day visits to the South Downs each year, with an annual visitor expenditure of £333 million (approx. 477 € million).
- The area supports a range of nationally and internationally important habitats, supporting a great diversity of species.
South Downs Joint Committee
The South Downs Joint Committee (SDJC) was set up in 2005 to protect the South Downs and is made up of representatives from all fifteen local authorities across the Downs as well as Natural England. From the five local area offices and HQ, SDJC staff work together with partner organisations, local communities, individuals and volunteers, to help carry out the objectives of the South Downs Management Plan. A South Downs Advisory Forum consisting of 125 member organisations, including Government agencies, voluntary organisations and community groups contribute to the debates and decisions of the SDJC.
Mission
- To protect, conserve and enhance the natural beauty and amenity of the South Downs, including their physical, ecological and cultural landscape.
- To raise awareness of, and promote the quiet informal enjoyment of the South Downs by the general public but only so far as is consistent with the above objective.
- Generally to promote sustainable forms of economic and social development especially working with farmers and landowners to encourage land management which supports the two objectives above.
- To foster the social and economic wellbeing of communities within the South Downs.
Vision
The SDJC’s 20 year ‘vision’ for the future of the South Downs is a landscape of the highest quality with unpolluted soils and air, pure surface and ground water, peace and serenity. An accessible and welcoming countryside for quiet enjoyment and understanding of the natural world, with archaeological and wider cultural resources conserved. An area with sustainable rural communities and economies, where the focus of the local economy is on those businesses and activities that can provide an economic rationale for the conservation of natural beauty. An area that is appreciated and loved by residents and visitors alike and that is looked up to as a beacon of sustainability.
Contact
South Downs Joint Committee
Victorian Business Centre, Ford Lane
BN18 0EF Ford
England (UK)
Phone: +44-1243-558700
Contact Person: Pete Currell
E-mail address: pcurrelll@southdowns-aonb.gov.uk
Website: www.southdownsonline.org
