The land in the South Downs is owned and cared for by many different private individuals, and a few larger organisations and public bodies.
Farmers and landowners are proud that our predecessors shaped our landscape, making it productive and at the same time beautiful. We enjoy continuing to shape that landscape, welcoming advice but above all bringing our own ideas to it. It's our job to know what can best be done with each part of our own land today.
We are used to continually adapting what we do to suit the location, the climate and the weather, and the market for our livestock and crops. We also provide a public service by looking after the environment and landscape. The market for this changes too.
In the 20th century the public became increasingly concerned about massed housing developments on the South Downs. The desire to keep our landscape as a predominantly farmed environment led to the formation of the South Downs National Park.
We needed a means of communicating well with each other and with the new South Downs National Park Authority and other interested organisations, to sustain a prosperous community in a well cared for landscape. This is why we have formed the South Downs Land Management Group (SDLMG).
The SDLMG welcomes as members farmers and foresters, landowners and their tenants, farm workers at every level, and the agents and professionals who support them. If you are interested in joining the Land Management Group, please go to the Support Us page.