Caring for our countryside is delivered through countryside management. Countryside management seeks to conserve and enhance natural and cultural features in the countryside for the enjoyment and appreciation of visitors and residents. It includes on the one hand the delivery of practical habitat, species and cultural site management and on the other the provision of visitor facilities and support services, including environmental education and interpretation.

Countryside management is delivered across the Trust by a co-operative of permanent, seasonal and volunteer staff based at the properties, the regions and within Head Office. Whilst the property staff are largely responsible for on the ground service delivery, the regions for co-ordinating and managing this work, and Head Office for policy and work standards, in day to day practice the 85 permanent, 25 seasonal and around 500 volunteer staff work beyond any such artificial boundaries.

They do so by working to clearly agreed targets or work plans developed within a broader strategic framework. All Trust staff take direction from the Trust’s Corporate Plan. The tier of planning below that for countryside is the Countryside Management Strategy 2002 - 05, which is built on four regional Countryside Management Strategies. Clearly spelling out the targets or milestones from these strategies are the national Countryside Management Operational Plan 2003 - 05 and regional operational plans. At the property level, Property Statements define the strategic objectives of management at each property, and property staff work to focused work plans. A number of ranger services have amalgamated property work across a number of properties into area Ranger Strategies and Work Plans.

We monitor progress against these various levels of planning through annual reporting at the property, regional and national levels. Click here to see the Countryside Management Annual Report 2002 - 03.