What is the Welsh Government doing to ensure that the new Countryside Code is enacted in a way that helps visitors enjoy the countryside?
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) have responsibility for producing and publishing the Countryside Code, which is a set of guidelines and advice for the public to ensure respect and enjoyment in the countryside.
Given recent experiences of significant spikes in visits to outdoor spaces during Covid-19 lockdowns and resultant lifting of restrictions, NRW and Natural England worked in partnership to review and refresh the Countryside Code (released 2021) and Land Managers guidance (released 2022). The Land Manager guidance sits alongside the Countryside Code offering advice to farmers and land managers about their rights and responsibilities whilst managing the countryside.
NRW are working closely with Natural England (as shared owners of the Code), to communicate these messages to the public. This will be achieved by; delivering targeted campaign work through various media channels, sharing good practice advice and updating educational material for schools to use. A partner toolkit of images, videos and animations has been created.
Visit Wales continue to promote responsible recreation via the ‘Addo – care for our land’ campaign, which incorporates key messaging from the Countryside Code.