High Weald AONB

Geobox Protected Area
name = High Weald
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category_local = Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
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image_size = 300
image_caption = Typical view of a ridge top village in the High Weald AONB
country = England
region =
region_type = County
location = Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey
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plant = Bluebells, Marsh Gentian, Green Winged Orchid, Yellow Rattle
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animal = Nightjar, Pig, Dartford Warbler , Silver Studded Blue | animal1 =
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highest_location = Crowborough Beacon
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highest_elevation = 240
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established = 1983
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The High Weald is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty(AONB) that covers parts of East and West Sussex, Kent and Surrey, England, UK. The total area of the High Weald AONB is 146,170 hectares (1,461 square kilometres). This makes the AONB the largest in South East England and the fourth largest in England and Wales.

With an estimated population of around 124,880 and a density of 0.85 people per hectare, the High Weald AONB is a reasonably populated but essentially rural area: the boundary excludes urban areas such as Tunbridge Wells town and Crowborough, but includes Battle (population over 6,000) - the largest built-up area within a landscape of scattered villages and dispersed settlement. The population is high for a designated landscape but, compared to urban areas and the neighbouring parts of rural West Sussex and north Kent, it is lowly populated. For hundreds of years agriculture has been concentrated in small livestock farms. It is still the main AONB land use, but in 2007 only accounted for 67.5% of the total area - an increase of 6% from 2000. Agriculture may account for less than half the area by 2010. Only around 4,500 people are now employed in agriculture out of a total estimated population of 124,880.

By Domesday in 1086 the High Weald was the most wooded natural area in England. The total area of woodland in the AONB today is 39,905 hectares, or 24.5% of the total AONB area - compared with the National Average of about 9% of the total area.

17.6% of the AONB is Ancient Woodland, in other words over half of all the High Weald's woodlands are ancient. The area of the High Weald AONB represents only 1% of England yet it has 3.39% of England's woodlands, making it one of the most densely wooded landscapes.

Several long distance paths cross the AONB: High Weald Landscape Trail, Weald Way, 1066 Country Walk, Saxon Shore Way, Vanguard Way and Sussex Border Path. The total length of footpaths is 2063 kilometres.

External links

High Weald AONB (http://www.highweald.org/)