ABSTRACT
For at least 150 years, the British uplands have been dominated by the three main land-use practices of sheep farming, forestry and game management that have led to the characteristic landscapes we treasure today (Tapper, 2005). These land uses have always been the only means of producing any revenue; and, in the absence of government subsidy, maximising productivity from any area of land is the only means of sustaining that land’s future and maintaining employment. In recent years other management objectives have emerged, which include tourism and conservation, provision of drinking water, alleviation of downstream flooding, as well as carbon management. These objectives reflect the recognition both nationally and internationally of uplands as cultural landscapes with multiple functions and benefits to our wider society.
