A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire - An Introduction

Different Landscape Types

Lancashire is a county of great contrasts: large urban centres with a legacy of historic industrial buildings are juxtaposed with the exposed uplands of the West and South Pennine Moors and the vast, wild mudflats of Morecambe Bay. The Forest of Bowland is the most extensive upland area, remote from most urban settlements, surrounded by undulating farmland and bordered by the pastures and woodlands of the Ribble and Lune valleys. These valleys lead down to the coastal plain with its intensive grasslands, arable fields and the drained horticultural landscape of the mosslands.

The inherent value of all landscapes is increasingly recognised, not only for their leisure and nature conservation value, but also as places where we feel a sense of belonging. The ordinary everyday landscapes which provide an immediate context for our daily lives are all worthy of attention.