Authorities overseeing some of Britain’s most renowned countryside landscapes are initiating targeted outreach programs, following a government-commissioned review that cautioned rural areas are widely regarded as a “white” and unwelcoming space.

“Both black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and white people view the countryside as very much a ‘white’ environment,” it was stated. “We all contribute to national landscapes through our taxes, yet sometimes during our visits, it has seemed as if National Parks are an exclusive, mainly white, mainly middle-class club, with rules only members comprehend and far too little being done to encourage first-time visitors.”

Critics assert that the initiative reflects misdirected government priorities. Michael McManus, director of research at the Henry Jackson Society, told Digital: “At a time of low growth, high taxes and strained public services, it’s astonishing that ministers are spending time and money worrying about the ‘whiteness’ of the countryside. The government exists to grow the economy and solve real problems, not to engage in culture war distractions that offer nothing to working people.”

The initiatives stem from the 2019 Landscapes Review, commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and led by author Julian Glover. The review concluded that often feel disconnected from large segments of the population.

The review also criticized the leadership of protected landscapes, contending that governance bodies do not mirror the country they serve. “Of the nearly 1,000 people on National Park and AONB boards today, the vast majority are male… and a minuscule fraction are of black, Asian or minority ethnicities,” the report said, deeming that imbalance “wrong for organizations that are funded by the nation to serve everyone.”

Following the review, organizations representing National Landscapes, formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, have published updated management plans outlining steps to attract a more diverse range of visitors. According to individual plans published between 2024 and 2025, and as reported by U.K. outlets including LBC and, the measures apply to, the Chilterns, the Malvern Hills and others.

Under those plans, the Chilterns National Landscape will launch targeted outreach programs in Luton and High Wycombe, areas with large Muslim populations. One barrier cited in follow-up research was the concern among some visitors about unleashed dogs in rural areas.

The Cotswolds National Landscape directly referenced the DEFRA findings, stating that it is seeking to broaden its appeal to reach “the widest demographic.”

In its own management strategy, the Malvern Hills National Landscape said many minority communities lack a generational connection to the countryside because parents and grandparents “did not always feel welcome in it.” The plan added that while many white English visitors value solitude, ethnic minority visitors may be more inclined towards group or family-based activities.

Other landscapes raised similar concerns. Nidderdale National Landscape in North Yorkshire warned that ethnic minority visitors may worry about how they will be received in unfamiliar rural settings. Dedham Vale, Surrey Hills, and Suffolk and Essex Coast Heaths said they aim to identify and address barriers limiting access for under-represented groups, including people without English as a first language.

Together, the plans signal a broader shift in how Britain’s publicly funded countryside is managed, as landscape authorities face increasing pressure to demonstrate to a changing society, even as critics caution that the focus risks sidelining economic priorities and traditional conservation goals.

Digital reached out to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in England for comment but did not receive a response before publication.