Farming
The vast majority of the Cotswolds, 83% to be exact, is farmland, with both mixed and arable farms divided by a network of drystone walls, hedges and watercourses. Much of the Cotswolds owes its beauty to centuries of agriculture and expert land management by farmers.
Famous for sheep and vast 'sheep walks' that emerged from the Middle Ages onwards as the wool trade began to thrive in the area, the Cotswolds has evolved to provide a rich and diverse range of farming across the AONB.
There is a key interdependence within the AONB between farming, tourism and recreation, with good land management leading to the maintainance of the beautiful landscape that people come here to enjoy.
These interlinked themes are covered in the management plan for the AONB where the Cotswolds Conservation Board’s policies and actions are laid out.
