Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

Our vision is of a vital, working and thriving countryside for the benefit of the whole nation. We promise to be the undisputed champion of the countryside and rural communities.

Climate change and its potential threat to our environment have brought an encouraging outbreak of long-term thinking, a rare discipline in domestic and international politics. The Alliance’s aim is for that same discipline to be applied to the development and enhancement of a truly effective long-term rural policy.

To achieve this, the Alliance believes that the cornerstone must be the sustainable use of land. Wherever possible, local communities should drive this vision as it is in their interest to protect and enhance the environment. They should be able to benefit from sustainable economic and cultural utilisation of the land, which is to the advantage of all. If rural Britain is allowed to pay its way then the desired environmental and social benefits will follow.

Britain’s treasured landscape is managed and farmed because of the communities who live and work there. Today’s countryside must embrace change, but we must also ensure it does not become the victim of inappropriate meddling. Your countryside is like a jigsaw puzzle. All the pieces are needed to make the picture complete. There can be no missing pieces if rural Britain is to have a vibrant future. This booklet sets out 10 policy areas where the Alliance will be pursuing change for a better countryside.

The Countryside Alliance continues to run dynamic campaigns on behalf of the countryside and its communities. This work was recognised by the Channel 4 News awards when the Alliance was announced as the ‘Most Inspiring Political Personality of the Last Decade’. The awards team said: ‘The Countryside Alliance is nominated for its success in inspiring people who were not part of the mainstream of Westminster politics’. We are proud of our achievements but there is much to be done, and the Rural Jigsaw provides a determined start.

Download the Policy Jigsaw here