A Review of Sustainable Landscape Management in the UK

This paper provides a brief review of the principal issues of sustainable land management in the UK. The main focus of the review is on issues of soil quality, although water and air quality and biodiversity are also considered. In England and Wales alone, more than 70% of the land is used for agriculture. The other major landuses of the UK, after urban landuse, are commercial forestry, military, recreation, conservation, water collection and mineral extraction. With unsustainable management, all of these landuses experience common problems, including soil erosion and degradation, water, soil and air pollution, and reduced biodiversity. In addition to a general description of these threats, the principal systems and schemes created for the promotion of sustainable land management in the UK are presented.