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National Association of AONBs Overview
AONB designation arrived in 1949 with the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. The first AONB, appointed in 1956, was Gower, since when a further 40 AONBs represent the Finest Countryside of England and Wales. These cover over 20,000 square kilometres of land. Another nine AONBs cover areas of Northern Ireland, with two more proposed. |
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The National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NAAONB) was formed in 1998 as an independent organisation to act on behalf of AONBs in England and Wales. Membership is largely comprised of representatives from local authorities whose boundaries include AONBs and who are concerned to improve their management and funding arrangements.
The NAAONB is administered by a Management Board, which is composed of members from the Joint Advisory Committees (JACs) of the AONBs of England and Wales. The current Chair is Mr Simon Hootton of Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, with Ashley Thomas of Wye Valley AONB as Vice Chair. Ray Woolmore represents the Malvern Hills AONB on the Management Board. The Management Board meet four times a year, operating under a constitution agreed at the September 2000 Annual General Meeting.
The NAAONB is also responsible for organising the Annual Conference, where members of AONBs from England and Wales have the opportunity to join together and address issues of current concern. Other key features of the NAAONB include:
- Working through Joint Accords with the Association of National Park Authorities and other major organisations
- Producing a twice-yearly magazine for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - "Outstanding"
- Producing a regular newsletter - "AONB News"
- Working closely with the Staff Forum, Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales
More details can be found on the NAAONB website: www.aonb.org.uk .
