The Exmoor Landscape Character Assessment
Describing the Diversity of the Exmoor landscape.
Within Exmoor National Park a variety of different landscapes can be found. The unique and diverse combination of landscape scenery is what makes Exmoor’s countryside so special. In 2007 the National Park Authority commissioned a Landscape character Assessment of the National Park.
Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) is a standard system used as a tool to identify, record and describe landscape that helps in understanding and communicating the diversity of landscapes describing their defining features and classifying areas of landscape that share similar features. Assessment is undertaken using a professional methodology, guidance has been published by Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage, this sets out how to identify and express the different elements, such as woodlands, hedgerows, moors, mountains and farmland, building styles, and historic artifacts, which give a place its unique character.
The LCA is useful to aid to decision making that may affect the condition or visual quality of the landscape, used to promote management and changes that seek to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of Exmoor’s landscape.
LCA provides baseline information that can be used to guide landscape change - by feeding into development plans, decisions on development proposals, land management plans, indicative forestry strategies and agri-environment schemes.
Below are the sections of the Landscape Character Assessment Document (pdfs)
2) Evolution of the Exmoor Landscape
Landscape Character Types
B - High Wooded Coast, Combes and Cleaves.
C - Low Farmed Coast and Marsh
F- Enclosed Farmed Hills with Commons
H - Plantation (with Heathland) Hills
I - Wooded and Farmed Hills with Combes
Maps
Landscape Character Assessment Map (A1)
Fig 1- Exmoor National Park location Map
Fig 3 - National Landscape Typology
Fig 4 - Exmoor National Park Landscape Character Areas