FOREST OF DEAN REVIEW OF SPECIAL STATUS Technical Report - Volume 2 □ The - Countryside • Agency CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................ I STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT....................................................................................................... 1 TERMINOLOGY............................................................................................................................... 2 Statutory Forest.................................................................................................................................2 Hundred ofSt Briavels.......................................................................................................................2 Core Forest ....................................................................................................................................... 3 2. HISTORY............................................................................................. 7 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................7 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT........................................................................................................7 Ancient History - c. I0000 BC - 43AD ............................................................................................7 The Roman Age- c. 43 -450 AD........................................................................ .............................8 The Dark Age - c. 450 - I 066 AD ....................................................................................................8 The Middle Age - c. I066 - 1600......................................................................................................8 The Industrial Age - c. 1600- I950..................................................................................................9 The Post-Industrial Age 1950 - present day ................................................................................... I0 3. THE LANDSCAPE OF THE FOREST OF DEAN .............................. 13 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 13 THE STORY OF THE FOREST OF DEAN LANDSCAPE.............................................................. 13 Landscape evolution and identity - landscape character................................................................. I3 Landscape influences ....................................................................................................................... 14 Physical Factors................................................................................................................................. 14 Cultural Factors ................................................................................................................................ 14 LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT IN THE FOREST OF DEAN ............................................................ 17 Landscape character and quality...................................................................................................... 17 Previous Landscape Studies and Assessments................................................................................. 17 Countryside Character Map and Natural Area Profiles .................................................................. 18 The LUC 1991 landscape Assessment........................................................................................... 18 landscape Change in the Forest of Dean........................................................................................ 19 Overview ofcurrent landscape issues and forces for change ......................................................... 19 Forestry and woodland ...................................................................................................................... 19 Agriculture ........................................................................................................................................20 Quarrying..........................................................................................................................................20 Industrial and commercial activity .....................................................................................................20 Housing ............................................................................................................................................21 Current issues and forces for change..................................................................................................2/ Transport ..........................................................................................................................................2/ Current issues and forces for change..................................................................................................21 Recreation.........................................................................................................................................21 Summary of Key Changes................................................................................................................22 4. DETERMINING THE VALUE OF THE FOREST of DEAN LA.NDSCAPE..................................................................................... 2S Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 25 assessing the value of the landscape................................................................................................25 the Special nature of the landscape ............................................................................................. ....26 THE EXPERIENCE AND PERCEPT ION OF THE FOREST O F DEAN LANDSCAPE.................27 Landscape quality and perception ...................................................................................................27 Forest ofDean perceptions................................................................................................................ 27 EVALUATING THE CORE FOREST AND HUNDRED OF ST BRIAVELS landscape...................29 Hundred ofSt Briavels.....................................................................................................................29 THE CORE FOREST LANDSCAPE EVALUATION.......................................................................30 Landscape quality assessment .........................................................................................................30 The special quality of the landscape ................................................................................................32 Perception, experience and description of landscape quality .........................................................32 Traditional beaux-arts superlatives e:................................................................................................32 Superlatives to describe the Dean Forest: ..........................................................................................32 Intangible nature ofcultural landscapes.............................................................................................33 Tangible landscape qualities ofthe Forest ofDean ........................................................···: ................33 Intangible landscape qualities of the Forest of Dean .......................................................................33 Intangible elements................................................................................................................... ........35 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................36 The "hidden" quality of the Forest of Dean....................................................................................36 The cultural significance of Forest of Dean landscape ....................................................................37 5. INFORMAL RECREATION AND TOURISM ISSUES ...................... 39 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................39 The Day Visitor................................................................................................................................39 The Staying Visitor...........................................................................................................................40 Activities in the Forest.....................................................................................................................41 lmplications......................................................................................................................................41 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................42 6. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELFARE ····•·•········•..·••u••·····•·m•u••····· 43 iNTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................-43 Population Structure........................................................................................................................4.3 Economy............................................ ...... ................ ....... .......... .. ......... ................ ... ...........................................................................................43