Plans to conserve and enhance the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Stour Valley over the next five years have been announced with the launch of a new Management Plan for the area.  

The plan, which will run until 2026, will guide decision making in the nationally important landscape and has been developed in consultation with environmental, commercial, agricultural, and community interests.  

To mark the launch of the plan, representatives from the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) joined volunteers at Assington Mill this week where landscape and habitat enhancement was taking place. 

Councillor Nigel Chapman, Chairman of the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley JAC said: “The AONB and Stour Valley is a much loved and precious asset for residents and visitors. It is a working landscape shaped by the actions of the toil of humans over thousands of years. It can play an important role in the production of food, nature recovery and mitigating the impact of climate change.  

This plan has been developed in partnership with many individuals and organisations and we must ensure the benefits of the area are enjoyed by everyone. The plan sets out a vision balancing the many complex needs of the area and can contribute to benefits for people, place, nature and the climate.” 

The Dedham Vale AONB is the fourth smallest of the 38 AONBs in England and Wales, comprising of approximately 90 square kilometres along the Essex/Suffolk border. The area has a rich history and heritage, synonymous with the artist John Constable, and the Stour Valley Project area is a distinctive landscape with agriculture at its core. 

The 2021-26 Management Plan is the culmination of public and Partnership consultations and sets out a new action plan for how the natural beauty and special qualities of the area will be conserved and enhanced.  

Over the next five years the AONB Partnership and team will strive for greater awareness and understanding to enhance this landscape by working with AONB communities, individuals and businesses guided by the Plan’s vision. 

For more information on the Management Plan and to read the full document, visit www.dedhamvalestourvalley.org/managing/management-plan.