We were commissioned by Buckinghamshire Council’s Country Parks team to prepare a Spatial Plan and Landscape Management Plan, providing a long-term, practical framework to guide decision-making and delivery through to 2070. Our multidisciplinary team of landscape managers, ecologists, arboriculturalists and designers worked closely with park rangers to understand how the park functions on the ground. Through detailed surveys and analysis, we assessed habitat condition, ecological value and landscape character across twelve distinct character areas.
The Spatial Plan sets a clear structure for future infrastructure, investment and interventions, ensuring that change is coherent, well-timed and sympathetic to the park’s character. The Landscape Management Plan brings together previously fragmented information into a single, operational document, establishing site-wide policies, priorities and actions for each character area. Together, the plans provide clarity on where to focus resources, how to manage visitor pressures and how to protect and enhance sensitive habitats.
A strong emphasis was placed on balancing recreation and conservation. The plans address vegetation management, habitat enhancement, access and recreation, supported by mapped actions, concise management statements and a clear schedule of operations. By integrating ecological, arboricultural and landscape considerations, the plans support day-to-day management while also guiding long-term investment.
The result is a strategic yet deliverable roadmap that equips Black Park to respond positively to environmental change, rising visitor demand and ongoing conservation challenges, while safeguarding the landscape, heritage and biodiversity that make it such a valued place.
