Access to the Countryside

People gain considerable enjoyment from the natural environment. With increased leisure and mobility opportunities, more people are visiting the countryside and taking part in environmental activities that can benefit health and well-being. Countryside visitors must always follow the Countryside Code, of course, if their own safety and wildlife are to be protected.

There is potential to support the local economy by further developing tourism based on and sensitive to the environment. Swansea’s natural environment is often taken for granted but resources for its protection and enhancement need to be increased. A funding plan is required to explore potential new sources and mechanisms for investment such as through businesses that directly benefit from the quality or use of the countryside.

All communities should have access to the natural environment within walking distance of where they live, as promoted by both the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) Green Space Toolkit (2006) and WAG’s Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity, Climbing Higher (2005). A well-maintained and interconnecting network of green spaces in urban areas would ensure this, as will access land and the rights of way network elsewhere.

Green urban spaces can improve the image of the area as well as contributing to biodiversity. Care should be taken when considering the redevelopment of brownfield sites as these can possess significant biodiversity value and, in some cases, may support rare species. More can be done to improve access to and within wildlife sites, the countryside, coastal areas and green urban spaces, to enable people of all abilities to enjoy nature.

The local Countryside Access Plan (due to be published in 2007) and the Local Access Forum have key roles to play in ensuring this improvement. If open access land, nature reserves, parks and other sites are to be promoted as recreational and visitor resources, it is important that the visitor experience is positive and enjoyable. Where appropriate, sites should be maintained to national standards such as the Green Flag Award, Green Pennant Award and Green Coast Award.