Seventy years ago, visitors to the countryside were warned in rhyme that the farmer would “frown” on “lad or lass who treads his crops, or tramples grass”.
Now the revised Countryside Code will encourage the unprecedented number of domestic holidaymakers to “be nice, say hello, share the space” and “make a memory” when they visit parks, coasts, woods and farmland this summer.
The new guidance – the first major revision to the code for more than a decade – asks visitors to stay on footpaths, keep their dogs “under control and in sight”, clear up dog poo, and “take care with BBQs”.
Photograph: Peter Muller/Getty Images/Cultura RF
But countryside campaigners and wildlife groups have criticised the code’s failure to ban disposable barbecues or request dogs to be kept on leads on nature reserves or around livestock.
The first Countryside Code booklet published in 1951 included advice to ensure farmers did not “regard the holidaymaker from town as his enemy” and a warning to keep dogs under control because “small dogs and friendly dogs are as much a danger as big dogs and fierce dogs”.
The updated version launched by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales follows nearly 4,000 responses to an online survey and features a “refreshed” tone, which its creators hope will be a welcome guide for newcomers to the countryside rather than a forbidding list of rules.
“With more people than ever before seeking solace in nature, this refresh could not come at a more crucial time,” said Tony Juniper, the chair of Natural England. “We want everyone to be aware of the code, so people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy the invaluable health and wellbeing benefits that nature offers, while giving it the respect it deserves.”
Natural England will spend £50,000 promoting the code in the next financial year with its messages also featuring in a wider government campaign to “Respect the Outdoors”.
The Right to Roam campaign co-founder Guy Shrubsole said: “This is clearly an improvement on the paltry £2,000 per year ministers have spent promoting the Countryside Code since 2010, but £50,000 is still a tiny budget for a serious public advertising campaign – the government spent £46m on ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ advertising.
“We all need more access to nature for our health, and England should be following the Scandinavian model of giving the public a greater right to roam whilst encouraging greater respect for the countryside. But politicians can’t blame the public for not knowing the Countryside Code if they fail in their duty to properly promote it.”
Joan Edwards of the Wildlife Trusts welcomed the update but said the absence of clearer guidance on dogs and barbecues was worrying.
“The Wildlife Trusts have more nature reserves than McDonald’s has restaurants in the UK, but our precious nature reserves are bad places to have barbecues. We experienced several wildfires last year which caused serious damage – and there are already wildfire alerts in place this Easter – so we ask that people avoid barbecues in wild places altogether,” she said.
“We’re also concerned that government guidance on dogs does not go far enough. We love dogs but they can disturb and kill ground-nesting birds and their chicks – so we would recommend keeping dogs on leads in nature reserves.”
Last summer, an updated Countryside Code rushed out after the Covid lockdown featured an explicit “no BBQs”. While this year’s revised short version simply asks visitors to “take care with BBQs”, the longer version explains that visitors should “only use BBQs where signs state they are allowed”.
“This is really odd,” said Miles King of the charity People Need Nature, who drew attention to a devastating wildfire at Wareham Forest, Dorset, during lockdown last spring caused by a disposable barbecue or campfire. “Surely it would be clearer to say ‘Do not use disposable BBQs in the countryside, unless you are in an approved barbecue area.’”
Farming groups have previously called on the government to include a “dogs on leads” rule around all livestock. Stuart Roberts, the deputy president of the National Farmers’ Union, said: “This new-look code is vital to deal with the extra pressures on the countryside from walkers and people enjoying our farmed environment, so it’s important that people stick to the messages such as keeping to public rights of way, ensuring dogs are under control and binning dog waste.”
The Countryside Code, then and now
1951: Respect the life of the countryside
2021: Be considerate to those living in, working in and enjoying the countryside
1951: Go carefully on country roads
2021: Do not block access to gateways or driveways when parking
1951: Leave no litter
2021: Dog poo – bag it and bin it – any public waste bin will do
1951: Avoid damaging fences, hedges and walls
2021: Enjoy your visit, have fun, make a memory
1951: Protect wild life, wild plants and trees
2021: Care for nature – do not cause damage or disturbance
