Help
How to use this website
The website is structured into two parts:
Background Information
The Map
Glossary of Terms
FAQs
Background Information
This part of the website provides information about the Study, including the partners, landscape character, resources (including the Overview and Technical Report of the Study) and Contacts
About Us
An introduction to the main partners and participants in the Study the role of the Study and future initiatives.
Landscape Character
The development of landscape character and its role and contribution to planning and management decisions.
Resources
Link to the main report of the Study, the Overview and Strategy Report which includes the Method Report. Links to other external website resources relevant to landscape character.
Contacts
Contact details for the Landscape Project Team.
Help
A Guide to using the Website and Maps, a Glossary of terms used in the Landscape Character Area Descriptions and the Landscape Description Unit Profiles, as well as a general guide to terminology, and feedback to Frequently Asked Questions
Links
Links to websites of the main partners in the study and other useful organisations
Feedback
Contact details for comments on this website and its contents.
The Map
The Map Page provides links to Landscape Character Areas and descriptions and links to Landscape descriptions Units and Profiles (Use the Help button on the Map page for help with navigating around the maps)
Landscape Character Area Map
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have been divided up into 40 areas which share similar landscape characteristics. These areas represent the next scale down from the large national areas and give us an overview of how landscapes change across the county and the Isles of Scilly. The character areas have been constructed by amalgamating Landscape Description Units with shared characteristics.
Landscape Description Unit Map
Landscape Description Units are the building blocks of this study and form the base unit for the construction of the character areas. The areas have been mapped using nationally available information on physiographic, ground type, land cover and cultural pattern. Local data on biodiversity and the historic landscape will be added to the LDU descriptions to give further local detailing. LDUs are the smallest unit in the study, although their sizes vary depending on the uniformity of the landscape in a given place.
Using the Website you will be able to:
Identify any location within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and see information about landscape character, including the historic and natural environment.
See what are some of the main changes taking place in the landscape and obtain landscape guidance and management advice as well as planning advice.
Look at local geographical information.
Maps and Key for the Landscape Character Areas and Landscape Description Units
Glossary of terms
Note: This glossary is not a complete coverage of all words or terms used in the study. It does not cover technical geological, ecological or historical landscape terms. Rather, it addresses those terms used as part of this method or in the descriptions, where meanings diverge from common parlance or are not explained in the method statement.
For ease of reference a separate Glossary will be available for the Landscape Description Unit Profiles and the landscape Character Areas. Full details of the physiographic, grand type and cover and cultural pattern definitions for the LDUS are available in the overview and Technical Report; Method Report
AGLV
Area of Great Landscape Value .These are local landscape designations first identified in the Cornwall Structure Plan
Amenity (Planting)
Planting to provide environmental benefit such as decorative or screen planting.
Analysis
The process of dividing up the landscape into its component parts to gain a better understanding of it.
Ancient Woodland
Land continuously wooded since AD 1600. It is an extremely valuable ecological resource, usually with a high diversity of flora and fauna.
Apparent
Object visible in the landscape.
AONB
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Approach
The step-by-step process by which landscape assessment is undertaken.
Arable
Land used for growing crops other than grass or woody species.
Assessment
Biodiversity
The variety of life including all the different habitats and species in the world. Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) CLICK HERE for more information
Conservation
The protection and careful management of natural and built resources and the environment.
Capacity [landscape]
The ability of a landscape to accommodate different amounts of change or development of the specific type.
Carr
Woodland in waterlogged terrain. Characteristics species include alder, willow and sallow.
CGS
County Geological Site
Character
A distinct, recognisable and consistent pattern of elements, features and qualities in the landscape that makes one landscape different from another, rather than better or worse.
Characteristics/ elements
Features and qualities which make a particular contribution to distinctive character.
Character Area [CA]
Area with common characteristics- in this study it is made up of a number of adjacent landscape description units with common perceptual and other characteristics.
Characterisation
The process of identifying areas of similar character, classifying and mapping them and describing their character.
Condition
The degree to which a landscape is soundly managed, is fit for purpose or achieves optimum biodiversity.
Coppicing
The traditional method of woodland management in which trees are cut down near to the ground to encourage the production of long, straight shoots that can be harvested.
Consistent
Relatively unchanging element or pattern across a given area of landscape.
Cornish Hedge
Boundary in Cornwall. In the context of this study the term would normally relate to stone faced bank, with or without hedging plants on the top.
Culm Pasture
Species rich wet unimproved pasture associated with the Culm measures in Devon and Cornwall.
Cultural pattern
Expression of the historic pattern of enclosure and rural settlement. Main defining feature or pattern.
CWS
County Wildlife Site
Element
Individual component parts of the landscape such as field boundaries, woodlands, patches of similar vegetation, outbuildings, structures and rock outcrops.
Feature
Prominent eye catching elements e.g. wooded hill top or chapel.
Fen
Biodiversity Action Plan category relating to mire.
Field Boundary
The defined edge of a field whether fence, hedge, bank, ditch or wall.
Field Size
For the Purposes of this Study: Large: 2 Hectares or more; Medium: approximately 1.5 Hectares; Small: Less than 1 Hectares.
Geology
The study of the origin, structure, composition and history of the Earth together with the processes that have led to its present state.
Ground Type
Expression of the soil forming environment and its influence in determining the surface pattern of vegetation and land use.
Hedge
A boundary of shrubs or low trees, living or dead, or of turf or stone. Those strictly a row of bushes forming a hedge, hedgerow has been taken to mean the same as a hedge.
Hedge bank
Earth bank or mound relating to a hedge.
Heritage Coast
A coastal designation without statutory weight.
Historic Landscape Character
(HLC) see the resources page for more informationHorticulture
Intensive form of cropping, such as vegetables or fruit.
Improved [in relation to soils or pasture]
Addition of fertiliser and, in the case of pasture, reseeding with more productive grass species.
Joint Character Area
Area of land [one of 159] based on broad landscape character defined by a national landscape character assessment in 1990s for the Countryside Agency. As a result of this work, England's landscape was divided into 159 different character areas. These are broad areas of countryside, such as the Cotswolds or Chilterns, which have similar landscape, biodiversity and historical characteristics. These areas correspond with nationally derived Natural Areas defined by English Nature eg Bodmin Moor.
Landcover
Combinations of natural and man-made elements including vegetation that cover the land surface.
Landscape
Primarily the visual appearance of the land including its shape, form and colours. However, landscape is not purely a visual phenomena. The landscape relies on a range of other aspects including geology, landform, soils, ecology, archaeology, landscape history, land use, settlement character and pattern and cultural associations.
Landscape Description Unit [LDU]
Distinct and relatively homogenous unit of land, each defined by four attributes- physiography and ground type, landcover and cultural pattern. These units are further subdivisions of the larger Landscape Character Areas, and they provide a more detailed understanding of the more subtle variation that exists within each of the character areas. Landscape Description Units nest within the Landscape Character Areas..
Landform
Combinations of slope and elevation, the producer shape and form of the land.
Landscape character
Landscape character has been defined as a distinct, recognisable pattern of elements in the landscape that makes one landscape different from another. This distinction makes no qualitative judgements about different landscapes.
Landscape Character Area [CA]
see Character Area
Mixed Farmland
A combination of arable and pastoral farmland.
Mosaic
A mix of different landcovers at a fine grain such as woodland, pasture and heath.
NNR
National Nature Reserve
Objective
Method of assessment in which personal feelings and opinions do not influence characterisation.
Outcrop
The area where a particular rock appears at the surface.
Pastoral
Land down to grass either grazed by animals or for cutting.
Physiography
Expression of the shape and structure of the land surface as influenced both by the nature of the underlying geology and the effect of geomorphological processes.
Polygon
Discrete digitised area in a geographic information system[GIS].
Priority habitats
Throughout the UK there are a number of priority habitats - particular habitats which are deemed to be of national/international importance. Their conservation is therefore regarded as a priority within the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) of the UK (they are usually referred to as UK BAP priority habitats).
Prominent
Noticeable feature or pattern in the landscape.
Protect
To keep from harm.
Qualities
Aesthetic [objective visible patterns]or perceptual [ subjective responses by the landscape assessor] attributes of the landscape such as those relating to scale or tranquillity respectively.
Regional Character Areas
See Joint Character Areas
Restore
Repair or renew
Riparian
Vegetation associated with the water body, usually a river or stream.
Semi-natural vegetation
Any type of vegetation that has been influenced by human activities, either directly or indirectly. The term is usually applied to areas which are reverting to nature due to lack of management.
Sensitivity [of Landscape]
The inherent sensitivity of the landscape itself, irrespective of the type of change that may occur. In this project, it is divided into cultural, ecological and visual sensitivity.
Sense Of Place
The character of a place that makes it locally distinctive i.e. different from other places.
Sensory
That which is received through the senses ie sight, hearing, smell, touch.
Settlement
All dwellings/habitations, whether single or clustered in towns and villages.
Settlement Pattern
The predominant pattern of settlement in an area.
SMs
Scheduled Monument
SPA
Special Protection Area
SSSI
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Subjective
Method of assessment in which personal views and reaction are used in the characterisation process
Topography
Term used to describe the features of the Earth's surface.
Vernacular
Built in the local style, from local materials.
Wildland
Land with little or no management for agriculture or for settlement, often remote.
WHS
World Heritage Site
Abbreviations
AGLV
Area of Great Landscape Value
AOD
Above Ordnance Datum
AONB
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
BAP
Biodiversity Action Plan
CA
Character area (see LCA)
CGS
County Geological Site
CSAC
Candidate Special Area of Conservation
CWS
County Wildlife Site
GIS
Geographic information system
JCA
Joint character area
LBAP
Local Biodiversity Action Plan
LCA
Landscape character assessment
LCA
Landscpe Character Area
LDU
Landscape Description Unit
NNR
National Nature Reserve
PSAC
Provisional Special Area of Conservation
SAC
Special Area of Conservation
SAM
Scheduled Ancient Monument
SMs
Scheduled Monument
SPA
Special Protection Area
SSSI
Site of Special Scientific Interest
WHS
World Heritage Site
Frequently asked questions
How is landscape linked to biodiversity in this study?
Biodiversity data from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust 'Life' dataset, the county-wide 1995 Landcover
study will be added to the Landscape Description Units as well as Biodiversity
Action Plan Priority Habitats.
How is landscape linked to the Historic Environment in this Study?
The 1994 Historic Landscape Character Types will be profiled by % area for the LDU
area to show which explains how the landscape has been shaped by man over hundreds of years. The Historic Character Study was also used at desk study stage to refine the boundaries of individual LDUs.
The Landscape Character Descriptions are informed by the broader Historic Landscape Character Zones.
The study can be used as a basic introduction to Historic Landscape
Character, but for a fuller understanding of the Historic Landscape
Characterisation of Cornwall, users should refer to the original HLC mapping and
text and seek additional advice and interpretation guidance from the Historic
Environment Service at hes@cornwall.gov.uk
or by writing to the Historic Environment Service, Kennall Building, Old County
Hall, Station Road, Truro TR1 3AY (01872 323603).
How does the study relate to the urban areas of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly?
The desk study for the Landscape Description Units included the urban areas but as these were not field surveyed the resulting Landscape Description Unit profiles relate only to non-urban LDUs.
Although the Landscape Character Areas 'wash' over the urban areas the Study did not include a detailed survey of the Urban areas. Towns/ Villages are all therefore described as part of the general landscape context.
How can I find out how landscape character was assessed in this study?
Take a look at the 'Over view and Technical Report’ (Click here)
How will the results of the study be used?
We hope that the results of the study will be of interest to a wide range of different user groups and individuals. Planners, for example, may use them to get a better understanding of the landscape character of an area and can use this information to ensure that any new development can contribute towards the conservation and enhancement of the landscape in that area.
What is happening about the landscape sensitivity assessment?
An assessment of inherent landscape sensitivity was carried out by the consultants as part of the study.
This work has not yet been verified and therefore cannot be endorsed by the
project partners at this time. A further project will shortly be undertaken to examine the landscape sensitivity
assessment further.
At a parish level, local communities may be interested in how the landscapes and wildlife habitats in their area fit into a district, county and national context?
This information could help them explore what they can do to help safeguard, maintain and expand this resource locally through a range of locally based plans and project, such as Parish Plans.
Isn't this going to be used as just another planning constraint?
The results of the study are not intended to be used in this way. The countryside in Cornwall will continue to change as it has always done in the past.
This study is intended to help to guide development, or any other change, in a way which helps to safeguard, maintain and enhance the landscape resource of the county. It will do this by providing easily accessible information about the special character of different landscapes throughout the county.
How will the study be updated?
Updating the system on a regular basis has serious resource implications and needs to be done in a very clear and transparent way that is consistent with the methods of the study. The study will undergo consultation both with landscape and environmental professionals and local communities, based upon advice provided by the consultants to the Study. Information from this consultation will add greater richness to the area information, identifying pressures on the landscape and helping to guide change.
Will the boundaries of the Landscape Character Areas or the Landscape Description Units change following consultation?
LDUs are the building blocks of landscape for the study and make up the Character Areas. The boundaries have been drawn using a fixed set of nationally available datasets. This approach gives a consistency across the country that enables comparison for different counties. Greater data availability at a local level might help refine the boundaries further but they will largely be fixed in order to maintain this consistent approach and a consistent methodology.
How can I find out more if I need to?
Landscape Character Assessment cannot provide a yes or no answer in terms of development and land management. All it can do is give you objective information on the landscape character of an area, to enable a judgement to be made by you, in consultation with others. When using this website to get landscape character information, you may discover that the area of land you are concerned with is historically important, or that it has high biodiversity value, or is designated in some way. You should always investigate this further with the appropriate organisation. A list of organisations that you may wish to seek advice from is contained in the links page, and the resources page has a list of publications which you may wish to refer to.Why don't boundaries follow permanent features such as roads, rivers and why do they sometimes go through buildings?
Landscapes don't necessarily change at roads, breaks in aspects of landscape such as slope or geology is 'permanent' and a much more appropriate place to have a boundary.
How do I use the character information for a site which sits on the boundary between two Landscape Description Units?
Adjacent landscapes with different characteristics will merge into each other in different ways. For instance when an unwooded plateau drops sharply away to a wooded 45 degree valley slope, the boundary between the two landscape types is sharp and very apparent. Conversely, an unsettled plateau may merge into a plateau with a dispersed settlement pattern over a much larger area, and the boundary may be much less apparent. A site visit or look at the 1:25000 OS map for the site may be able to help you find out which LDU your site falls into, especially if the change in landscapes is a sharp one. However if after an inspection of the map and a site visit, you are still not, sure, its best to look at the information for both LDU's and decide which characteristics apply to your site.
