Cotswolds National Landscape

What Cotswolds National Landscape does

Cotswolds National Landscape is the operating name of the Cotswolds Conservation Board, an independent statutory body established by Parliamentary Order in 2004 to conserve and enhance the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), designated in 1966. The organisation manages the second-largest protected landscape in England — nearly 800 square miles stretching from Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the north to Wiltshire and Bath in the south — and operates with two statutory purposes defined in law: conserving natural beauty and increasing public understanding and enjoyment of the area's special qualities. It is governed by a 37-member Board comprising 15 local-authority appointees, 14 Secretary of State appointees, and 8 parish-council appointees, and is headquartered in Upper Rissington, Gloucestershire.

The portfolio spans conservation, access, education, and grant-administration services. Core offerings include guided and self-guided walking routes, the 102-mile Cotswold Way National Trail, cycle and horse-riding routes, maps and guides, outdoor learning, the Cotswold Lion biannual magazine, and Dark Skies guidance. Conservation programmes centre on Glorious Cotswold Grasslands and the Nature Recovery Plan/Dashboard. The grant administration business runs multiple schemes: Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL), which has allocated over £5 million to farmers and landowners; the Caring for the Cotswolds scheme (£500-£5,000 per project); Access for All; Cotswolds Champions; and the LEADER Programme. Recent additions include The Great Big Climate Circus (£1.5m National Lottery-funded youth climate initiative across 12 Gloucestershire communities), the Regenerative Agriculture Accelerator Programme (RAAP) and RegenDeep knowledge hub, and the CNL60 anniversary documentary Field & Folk.

Revenue is overwhelmingly grant- and donation-funded rather than commercially transacted. Funding streams comprise Defra government grants (including the £30m Wildlife-Rich Habitat Fund for 2026-2029 administered through CNL infrastructure), National Lottery project funding from the Community Fund and Heritage Fund, individual donations and legacies, and a visitor-giving scheme run with 19+ tourism businesses (over £16,600 raised since 2013). The core staff team of approximately 20-25 identified personnel is augmented by over 400 Cotswold Voluntary Wardens, who delivered 55,352 volunteer hours and 354 guided walks in 2024-25. Principal beneficiary segments are farmers and landowners (FiPL and RAAP participants), visitors and tourists (free access and education), local communities, and schools (outdoor learning).

Name

Cotswolds National Landscape

Legal name

Cotswolds Conservation Board

Website

https://cotswolds-nl.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cotswolds National Landscape is the operating name of the Cotswolds Conservation Board, a UK statutory body managing England's second-largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty through conservation programmes, access services, farmer grant schemes, and a 400-strong volunteer warden network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Protected Landscape Conservation and Public Access Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Campground & Overnight Facilities Operations (Campsites, Cabins, Backcountry Huts) (THAAAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

National Park & Protected Area Tours (THAJAIAA)

Keywords

• Landscape conservation
• Protected area management
• Rural grant funding
• Visitor access services
• Volunteer-led education

Headquarters

HQ city

Upper Rissington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and FiPL Funding: Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme allocates grants to farmers and landowners for nature recovery and climate action projects. Over £5 million in grants allocated.
2. Donations and Legacies: Accepts donations and legacy gifts through wills to support ongoing conservation work.
3. Caring for the Cotswolds Visitor Giving Scheme: Tourism businesses voluntarily contribute, with over £16,600 raised since 2013. Visitors can donate through accommodation bookings and activity fees.
4. Project Funding: Receives project-specific funding from organizations like The National Lottery Community Fund for initiatives such as The Great Big Climate Circus (£1.5m over 4 years).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Cotswolds National Landscape conserves and enhances the natural beauty of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and increases public understanding and enjoyment of the landscape. It delivers free guided and self-guided walks, cycle routes, maps and educational resources, distributes conservation and farming grants (Farming in Protected Landscapes, Caring for the Cotswolds), runs nature recovery and climate action programmes, and operates the 400+ Cotswold Voluntary Wardens service.

Product overview

The Cotswolds National Landscape (formerly Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) offers a diverse portfolio of conservation, recreation, and community engagement services. The organization provides visitor services including guided walks, self-guided routes, cycle routes, maps and guides, and the 102-mile Cotswold Way National Trail. Its conservation programmes include the Glorious Cotswold Grasslands initiative, Nature Recovery Dashboard, and Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) grants. The organization administers multiple grant schemes including Caring for the Cotswolds (£500-£5,000), Access for All, Cotswolds Champions Programme, and the LEADER Programme. Educational services include Outdoor Learning programmes and the Cotswold Lion Magazine published twice yearly. The Cotswolds Voluntary Wardens programme (400+ volunteers) supports trails maintenance, guided walks, and community education. The portfolio also includes climate action initiatives like The Great Big Climate Circus and agricultural programmes such as the Regenerative Agriculture Accelerator Programme (RAAP).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Caring for the Cotswolds Grant Scheme
• Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL)
• Access for All Grant Programme
• Cotswolds Champions Programme
• Cotswolds LEADER Programme
• Glorious Cotswold Grasslands
• Regenerative Agriculture Accelerator Programme (RAAP)
• RegenDeep
• Cotswold Voluntary Wardens
• Outdoor Learning Programme
• The Great Big Climate Circus

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £5 million in grants allocated through FiPL programme
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• RegenDeepcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026New knowledge and events hub for regenerative and agroecological farming in the Cotswolds, facilitated by RAAP founder Jonty Brunyee.
• Creative SustainabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Lead partner in The Great Big Climate Circus project. Provides youth-led creative climate programming using circus, music, and performance to inspire climate action across Gloucestershire communities.
• World JunglecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Project delivery partner for The Great Big Climate Circus, focused on youth engagement and community events.
• Bromford FlagshipsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Community partner supporting The Great Big Climate Circus project delivery.
• Ernest Cook TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Educational charity partner contributing to The Great Big Climate Circus initiative.
• On the Brink ArtssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Arts organization partner for creative programming in The Great Big Climate Circus project.
• Plantlife / Save Our Magnificent Meadows PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2017UK's largest partnership project for wildflower meadow conservation. Led by Plantlife with 11 organizations including the Cotswolds Conservation Board, primarily funded by Heritage Lottery Fund.
• Tourism Businesses (Caring for the Cotswolds scheme)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2013Over 19 tourism businesses participate in the visitor giving scheme, collecting donations from visitors and contributing to conservation grants. Includes Manor Cottages as founding member.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• North York Moors National Park Authority: UK National Park Authority with parallel FiPL grant administration, volunteer ranger programme, and regenerative farming initiatives targeting similar upland farmer segments.
• Norfolk Coast AONB Partnership: UK AONB management partnership delivering conservation and access programmes; directly comparable as another protected landscape body rather than a National Park Authority.
• Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority: Statutory National Park Authority with an almost identical remit: landscape conservation, farming engagement (FiPL delivery), guided walks, and volunteer warden networks in rural England.
• Exmoor National Park Authority: Smaller UK National Park Authority with analogous warden volunteers, farming grants, and educational outreach; useful smaller-scale comparable for CNL.
• Dartmoor National Park Authority: Statutory National Park Authority running comparable conservation, access, and farming engagement programmes with similar scale and volunteer-dependent operating model.
• Peak District National Park Authority: Long-established UK National Park Authority running FiPL-style grant programmes, volunteer ranger services, and education programmes directly comparable to CNL's portfolio.
• High Weald AONB Unit: Another statutory AONB management unit with similar grant administration, volunteer engagement, and landscape conservation responsibilities in southern England.
• Lake District National Park Authority: Statutory UK protected landscape management body delivering conservation, access, and grant programmes; the largest AONB/National Park in England and the closest functional analogue to CNL.
• South Downs National Park Authority: Statutory National Park Authority in southern England delivering landscape conservation, access, and farming engagement with comparable governance and funding structures.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust: Largest UK conservation charity; overlaps with CNL on landscape stewardship, access, education, and grant-giving, but operates at national scale with broader remit and a registered-charity funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cotswoldsnl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdYZnlEZF0rZw3S15JVDsyw
• Facebookfacebook.com/CotswoldsNL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cotswoldsnl
• Instagraminstagram.com/cotswoldsnl

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Cotswolds National Landscape