Natural England launched the  Natural Areas concept in 1993 as a framework for setting nature conservation objectives.  Natural Areas are parts of England with similar wildlife and natural features.  They reflect geology, land-use and land use history rather than administrative boundaries.  They provide a more meaningful basis on which to evaluate the wildlife and geological resource.

 

Gloucestershire has parts of seven different natural areas.  These vary in size and proportion within the county.  The county is roughly divided into three main Natural Areas; the Cotswolds Natural Area, the Severn and Avon Vales Natural Area and the Dean Plateau and Wye Valley Natural Area.

 

We have a smaller yet significant section of the Thames and Avon Vales Natural Area around the Cotswold Water Park.  Only very small sections of the remaining Natural Areas (Central Herefordshire; Malvern Hills and Teme Valley, Bristol and Avon Valleys and ridges) occur in Gloucestershire.  In addition to these, the estuarine section of the River Severn falls into the Severn Estuary Maritime Natural Area.

 

The Natural Areas provide a sensible scale at which to view the wildlife resource and enable local perspectives to be integrated into the national overview.  They also link into the UK Biodiversity Targets and have been used as a guide throughout the development of the Gloucestershire Biodiversity Action Plan to help identify which national Biodiversity Targets can be delivered locally.

 

 

Gloucestershire's Natural Areas
 
 

Gloucestershire's Natural Areas
with District & County Boundaries