Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Publications and products

A guide for AONB partnership members
3.The wider context
How can the national Association for AONBs help?
Launched in 1998, the Association for AONBs (AAONBs) is a national
independent organisation acting on behalf of AONBs. Whilst the
majority of its members are local authorities that have AONBs, the
membership is open to any organisations or individuals interested in
the better management and protection of AONBs.
The Association keeps its members updated of all developments in
AONBs through regular newsletters and a bi-annual magazine. The
Association also organises training events and holds a conference
every year.
The Association has been very successful in bringing AONB matters
to the attention of national government and was instrumental in the
achievement of AONB clauses in the CRoW Act. In 2001, it signed an
accord with the Forestry Commission and it is hoped that this will be
the first of a number of formal arrangements with a wide range of
bodies whose activities affect AONBs. It will be working hard in future
years to raise the profile of AONBs to ensure that their conservation
and enhancement is kept on the agenda of government and
organisations at all levels.
What about the international context?
Over 10% of planet Earth is under some form of protection. AONBs are
an important element of international protected landscapes. Countries
worldwide are increasingly cooperating in seeking answers to how
sustainable development can be achieved in protected areas, including
the AONBs of England and Wales.
IUCN, The World’s Conservation Body, says “protected areas are an
area of land/sea that is dedicated to the protection of biological
diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources managed
through legal or other effective means”. The six IUCN management
categories covers all types of protected areas from strict nature reserves
(category I) to those most commonly found in Europe – Landscape
managed mainly for conservation and recreation (category V).
Category V landscapes are areas where the interaction of people and
nature, over time, has produced an area of distinct character with
significant aesthetic, ecological and/or cultural value: safeguarding the
integrity of this traditional interaction is vital to the maintenance and
evolution of such an area.
In Europe Category V Protected Landscapes include all AONBs: as well as
regional nature parks, regional parks, natural parks, and the UK’s National
Parks. Perhaps the best way of learning from others as well as sharing the
wealth of expertise available in managing the AONBs is through belonging
to EUROPARC – promoting conservation without frontiers.
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