Chilterns National Landscape

What Chilterns National Landscape does

The Chilterns National Landscape is a 838 km² (324 square mile) protected landscape in southeast England, managed by the Chilterns Conservation Board — an independent statutory public body established by Parliamentary Order in July 2004 under section 87 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The Board conserves and enhances the natural beauty of the landscape across four counties (Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire), administers 2,000 km of public rights of way including two national trails, protects nine globally rare chalk streams, and oversees an area where over 11% (approximately 9,500 hectares) is designated for wildlife value. It is governed by a 27-member Board and operates with a staff team of 34 based in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, serving 80,000+ residents inside the boundary and 1.6 million people within 8 km.

The Board's offering is structured around a portfolio of flagship projects (Chilterns Chalk Streams Project, Mend the Gap, River Chess Smarter Water Catchment, Not Bourne Yesterday, Chalk Cherries and Chairs, Chalkscapes, Access for All, Farming in Protected Landscapes, Nature Calling: Luton Henge, and Tracking the Impact) supported by digital products including the chilterns.org.uk website, an interactive discovery map, an Accessibility Hub, a Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit, and policy documents such as the Chilterns Management Plan 2025-2030 and Nature Recovery Plan. The technology stack is a standard CMS with interactive mapping, email communications, and cloud-based data storage; no proprietary AI, API, or platform technology is disclosed, and no commercial product launches are evident. Citizen science and ecological survey work (birds, plants, butterflies) is collected under the Tracking the Impact programme.

The revenue model is predominantly public-sector grant funding. Core income comes from the Defra Secretary of State and nine local authorities (Buckinghamshire Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Dacorum Borough Council, Luton Borough Council, North Hertfordshire Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, and Three Rivers District Council). Supplementary funding arrives through project grants from bodies such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund, plus modest ancillary revenue from merchandise sales (books, guides, local food and drink producers via Shop Chilterns) and bookable countryside events. Public access to the landscape itself is provided free of charge; no commercial pricing model is operated for core services.

Name

Chilterns National Landscape

Legal name

Chilterns Conservation Board

Website

https://chilterns.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Chilterns National Landscape is an 838 km² protected landscape in southeast England managed by the statutory Chilterns Conservation Board. It conserves biodiversity, manages 2,000 km of public rights of way, and is funded primarily by Defra and nine local authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Protected Landscape Conservation

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG), Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking (AFAMAMAC)

Keywords

• Landscape conservation
• Protected area management
• Biodiversity protection
• Public access rights
• Statutory conservation body

Headquarters

HQ city

Chinnor

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Core funding from Defra Secretary of State and contributions from nine local authorities (Buckinghamshire Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Dacorum Borough Council, Luton Borough Council, North Hertfordshire Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, and Three Rivers District Council).
2. Project Grants: Grant funding from external bodies including National Lottery Heritage Fund for specific landscape partnership schemes and conservation projects.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales of books, guides, and Chilterns merchandise through the Shop Chilterns section.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from bookable countryside experiences and events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Chilterns Conservation Board manages and conserves the Chilterns National Landscape, a 838km² protected area (formerly an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire in southeast England. Established by Parliamentary Order under the CRoW Act 2000, it delivers landscape conservation, public access across 2,000km of rights of way, planning consultation, flagship habitat restoration projects, and visitor engagement services.

Product overview

The Chilterns National Landscape is a protected landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) managed by the Chilterns Conservation Board. Its primary digital offering is a comprehensive website providing visitor information, accessibility resources, interactive maps, and access to its flagship conservation projects. The organization operates multiple flagship projects including chalk streams protection (Chilterns Chalk Streams Project, River Chess Smarter Water Catchment, Not Bourne Yesterday), landscape heritage initiatives (Chalk Cherries and Chairs, Chalkscapes), access improvements (Access for All), and farming support (Farming in Protected Landscapes). Additional offerings include the Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit for local communities, published books and guides, and policy documents including the Nature Recovery Plan and Chilterns Management Plan 2025-2030.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chilterns Chalk Streams Project: A project working with local people across the Chilterns to improve river habitats, improve access and enjoyment and promote the sustainable use of water.
• Mend the Gap
• River Chess Smarter Water Catchment
• Not Bourne Yesterday

Products and services

• Books and Guides Published walking guides, maps, and books about the Chilterns landscape, sold through the Shop Chilterns online storefront for visitors, walkers, and readers.
• Shop Chilterns Merchandise Online shop offering Chilterns-branded merchandise, books, guides, plus curated listings of local food and drink producers and farm shops for visitors and local residents.
• Bookable Countryside Experiences and Events Bookable countryside experiences and events, including tours and tastings, family days out, walks, rides, and educational activities, offered to visitors and tourists.
• Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit and Consultancy Toolkit and consultancy service helping local communities and planners conserve the Chilterns through the Neighbourhood Planning process, providing resources on special qualities, planning processes, and policy guidance.
• Planning Consultation Services Statutory planning consultation services for local authorities, developers, and planning professionals, providing development guidance and policy submissions for applications within or affecting the National Landscape.
• Food and Drink Producers and Farm Shops Directory Online directory of local food and drink producers and farm shops operating within the Chilterns National Landscape, connecting visitors to regional producers.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 11% of the National Landscape (9,500 ha) designated and protected for wildlife value
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• Natural EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2004Government nature conservation body responsible for designating AONBs. The Chilterns was designated on Natural England's recommendation under the CRoW Act 2000. Natural England provides policy guidance and coordinates national landscape designations.
• Chilterns Chalk Streams Project (CCSP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated project working with local communities across the Chilterns to improve river habitats, enhance access and enjoyment, and promote sustainable water use. Hosts specialist chalk streams expertise.
• Mend the Gap PartnershipflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with North Wessex Downs National Landscape to reduce and compensate for visual harm done by electrification of the Great Western main line to both National Landscapes.
• River Chess Smarter Water Catchment PartnershipflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership project tackling issues facing the River Chess and its catchment through collaborative working among multiple stakeholders.
• Not Bourne Yesterday PartnershipflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject reconnecting communities with their local chalk streams, restoring both the rivers and landscapes they flow through.
• Historic EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment heritage agency providing guidance on local heritage listing and heritage protection within the National Landscape.
• Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on dark skies and tranquillity mapping resources. CPRE provides national mapping tools used in planning and assessment.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape: Statutorily protected landscape with a dedicated management body operating under the same CRoW Act framework. Comparable community engagement programs, conservation delivery, and public funding model.
• North Pennines National Landscape: One of England's largest AONBs with an established partnership-based management body. Comparable landscape-scale conservation delivery, public access management, and statutory planning influence role.
• Cotswolds National Landscape: The largest AONB/National Landscape in England, also managed by a Conservation Board with the same statutory duties under the CRoW Act 2000. Comparable in governance structure (mixed board, public funding model, community-led engagement) and operational scope (conservation, public access, planning consultation).
• Cranborne Chase National Landscape: Cross-county AONB in southern England managed through a similar Conservation Board model. Comparable scale, chalk-based landscape assets, and statutory coordination role across multiple local authorities.
• Norfolk Coast National Landscape: Coastal National Landscape (formerly AONB) operating with parallel governance, funding, and conservation delivery structures under the same statutory framework as the Chilterns.
• High Weald National Landscape: High Weald AONB has its own statutory Conservation Board delivering conservation, public access, and planning influence under the CRoW Act 2000. Directly comparable in organizational structure, funding mix, and landscape management mandate.
• Kent Downs National Landscape: Kent Downs operates under the identical statutory Conservation Board framework as the Chilterns, with comparable chalk grassland and woodland assets. Same funding model (Defra, local authorities, project grants), same visitor and planning consultation roles.
• North Wessex Downs National Landscape: Adjacent National Landscape (formerly AONB) managed by its own Conservation Board under the same CRoW Act 2000 statutory framework. The Chilterns explicitly partners with North Wessex Downs on the Mend the Gap programme addressing railway electrification impacts, indicating near-identical statutory remit, governance, and operational model.

Broad incumbents

• Natural England: Statutory government advisor on the natural environment and the body that designates AONBs/National Landscapes. While much larger and operating across all of England, Natural England provides the overarching designation framework and policy guidance that defines the Chilterns' operating context.

Others

• Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE): National advocacy charity focused on protecting the English countryside. Collaborates with the Chilterns on dark skies and tranquillity mapping, and shares overlapping goals around landscape protection, planning reform, and rural policy advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChilternsNL
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChilternsNL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chilterns-national-landscape
• Instagraminstagram.com/chilternsnl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chilterns National Landscape