www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Countryside General Information
Country Parks and Open Spaces
Wiltshire County Council and Wiltshire’s District and Borough Councils manage a series of Country Parks and Open Spaces across Wiltshire for the visiting public, for more information, please see Ranger Services.
Nature Reserves
A number of designated and non-designated nature reserves, which are open to the public, are located across Wiltshire. These are managed by a range of organisations including English Nature, The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wiltshire County Council and the Wiltshire District and Borough Councils. In the next few months details of nature reserves across the county will be available on this web site.
Special Landscapes
Almost half of Wiltshire County Council’s administrative area is considered of national importance in terms of its landscape and is designated as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Much of the remainder of the County is designated as locally important Special Landscape Area (SLA), for more information, please see Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Rich Biodiversity
Wiltshire is a wonderful county for wildlife - important habitats, rare and protected species and a wide diversity of animals and plants. This ‘Biodiversity’ is a consequence of the county’s varied land form, geology, soils, habitats and built structures, which in turn have been influenced by farmers, estate owners, conservations, developers and others. The importance of Wiltshire’s biodiversity is recognised in that numerous areas of the county are covered by international and national nature conservation designations.
The county council works to conserve and enhance Wiltshire’s biodiversity through its implementation of the Wiltshire Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), through its Biodiversity Improvement Grant scheme, by making financial contributions and dedicating staff time to a wide range of conservation and environmental organisations and projects in the County, and through its core work, for more information, please see Biodiversity.
Countryside Access and Recreation
A wide range of recreational and access opportunities are available in Wiltshire’s countryside, including walking, cycling, fishing, horse riding and boating, for more information, please see Access to the Countryside.
See also the countryside recreation link below.
Environmental Education
The Wiltshire countryside provides a wealth of opportunities for formal and informal environmental education for all ages, covering wildlife, habitats, heritage and archaeology. The County Council manages a number of countryside sites that can be used as an environmental education resource. A range of other organisations in Wiltshire offer educational support and information to schools, colleges, home education groups and individuals, including the provision of Teacher Packs, for more information, please see Environment Education.
Countryside related terminology
There is a bewildering amount of terminology and acronyms relating to countryside topics that are often confusing. See the Related pages menu for a description of the most commonly used acronyms. Within the next few months a list of definitions will also be provided for commonly used terms.
Contact Details
By Post
Countyside Section
Environmental Services
Wiltshire County Council
County Hall
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JD
By Email
By Telephone
01225 713489
By Fax
01225 713269
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
