Identify and assess rural land use

This standard covers the identification and assessment of rural land use. It also covers the interaction of different land uses and how this can be managed to maximise opportunities for integration and sustainable resource management e.g. agriculture, water catchment, biodiversity, recreation, etc.

This standard is suitable for those who need to identify and assess rural land use.

In this standard, the term "land use" also includes water.

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1. identify and assess different rural land uses
2. identify and assess the key factors that influence rural land use
3. identify the synergies and potential tensions between different rural land uses
4. identify and assess opportunities for integrated rural land use
5. identify the role of government agencies and other key partners and influencers in reducing land use tensions and facilitating integrated rural land use
6. identify and assess opportunities for improving sustainability and the efficient use of resources
7. identify and assess different measures that could be taken to further improve integrated rural land use

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1. the nature of site restrictions or designations and how these may influence rural land use
2. the main physical and other key factors influencing rural land use and how these affect the opportunities for different land uses
3. the effects of past rural land management practices
4. the tensions and synergies that exist between land uses, historically and currently
5. how to identify and assess opportunities for alternative, integrated and more sustainable land use and the more efficient use of resources
6. how government agencies and policies can reduce rural land use tensions and help to facilitate opportunities for integrated and sustainable land use
7. the role of key partners and influencers in reducing rural land use tensions i.e. private, public, voluntary and community bodies
8. the importance of sustainable resource management when considering opportunities for integrated land use
9. the measures that can be put into place to improve integration between land uses, and the effectiveness of these measures

Key factors influencing rural land use: physical (geographic location, climate, geology); natural resources; environmental (including climate change); ecological; historical; past and current use; other activities in the area; infrastructure; public access and rights of way; designations; legislation; local, regional, national and global policies; social, cultural, aesthetic and economic factors; sustainability

Rural land use could include: agriculture; horticulture; crofting and smallholding; forestry and woodlands; gamekeeping; fisheries management; biodiversity and conservation (including "re-wilding" initiatives); renewable energy generation; aggregates; aquaculture; drinking water; tourism and recreation; food and drink production; carbon capture and flood risk management

Site restrictions or designations could include:

• National Park
• Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
• Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
• Special Protection Area (SPA),
• Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
• National Nature Reserve
• Marine Conservation Zone
• World Heritage Site (WHS)
• Archaeological site
• Nitrogen Vulnerable Zone (NVZ)
• Drinking Water Safeguard Zones
• Scheduled Monument (SM)
• Listed Building (LB)
• Registered Parks and Gardens (RPGs)
• Registered Battlefield (RB)
• Sites identified on the Historic Environment Record (HER)
• Public rights of way and access land
• Military training area