Supporting landowners and farmers

Supporting landowners and farmers

We support landowners, managers and farmers to look after the Chilterns AONB, both protecting habitats and enhancing the economy.

The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a living, working landscape, which has been shaped by people for centuries. Nearly two-thirds of the AONB is farmland and over one-fifth is wooded, so farming and land management make a major contribution to the appearance of the local landscape.

Over time, farming and land management have created a mosaic of arable and grassland habitats, stitched together by species-rich hedgerows, and interspersed with woodlands, commons, rivers and ponds. These habitats provide vital corridors for wildlife, enabling movement through the countryside, but have also attracted human life and activity. The many millennia of heritage and culture that the Chilterns have seen are integral to the identity of the region, and make it one of the richest archaeological landscapes in the country.

What we do

The Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB) ensures the special wild and cultural places of the AONB are protected and restored for the benefit of both nature and people. The CCB is a statutory body, so doesn’t own or manage land itself. To ensure we meet our aims to protect and enhance the special qualities of the Chilterns AONB, we work closely with stakeholders, carrying out much of our landscape and nature recovery work through building strong working relationships with farmers, landowners and managers, and through partnerships with other organisations who support and advise them. We also work to promote sustainable tourism and business and strive to influence planning and development in the AONB to ensure that decisions and land-use changes are right for both the local landscape and the local people.

How can we help you?

Are you a landowner or land manager? We can help you get started on your sustainable land management journey.

From large farms down to small gardens, we offer advice and support on how best to look after the landscapes of the AONB, while being mindful of the interests of businesses, communities and local people. We provide links to other like-minded individuals, as well as organisations, projects and funding.

Take a look at the links below to find out more about how we can help you to help nature.

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Chilterns ANOB

Farmland wildlife

The farmland, grassland, woods and hedgerows of the Chilterns are brimming with wildlife, from brown hares bounding across the fields to skylarks filling the skies with song, bumblebees buzzing among cornfield flowers, to mice scuttling under hedges. Explore our farmland habitats and wildlife through the seasons and find out what to spot and what’s rare.
Farmland wildlife
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Farmland habitats under threat

Farmland habitats, such as meadows, downlands, hedgerows, woods and ponds, are naturally evolving features of the landscape, but their important characteristics and species are being lost at an alarming rate due to climate change, land-use change and pollution, among other issues. Find out how we are tackling these threats to the survival of our farmland habitats and how you can help.
Farmland habitats under threat
Chilterns ANOB
Chilterns ANOB

Follow the Countryside Code

Help us to protect the Chilterns AONB when you’re out and about by following the Countryside Code and the rules for the site you are visiting. Please respect others around you and those who care for and work in this special landscape.
Follow the Countryside Code
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The farming year

Find out how farmers tend their land and livestock throughout the year, and how their actions can support local wildlife.
The farming year
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