About us

Our employee team

The team at the Cotswolds National Landscape works with two purposes, defined by law. The first purpose is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the Cotswolds. The second is to increase the understanding and enjoyment of its special qualities. Our work also seeks to foster the social and economic wellbeing of local communities.

National Landscapes are for everyone; and as a team, we work with dedication and enthusiasm across a range of projects centred around nature and people to meet our purposes. A commitment to the landscape underpins all our work, from active conservation work and nature recovery, to education work, to maintaining trail routes and working to improve accessibility – and much more. The almost-800 square miles of the Cotswolds is a huge area to look after, so we welcome working in partnership with others.

We are a small,  friendly, and welcoming organisation, and you can find out more about working with us on our vacancies page. That is where we advertise roles when they become available. We welcome applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds. We look for people who bring the right skills, experience, and attitude to each role. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Our Board members

Our Board takes the form of a Conservation Board, and was established by Parliamentary Order in 2004. It has 37 Board members drawn from local authorities, parish councils, and appointments made by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

• Local authority appointed members – we have 15 Board members appointed by the local authorities whose boundaries overlap with that of the Cotswolds National Landscape.
• Secretary of State appointed members – we have 14 Secretary of State appointed Board members, and these members go through a formal recruitment process led by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). When we have Secretary of State appointed Board vacancies, anyone can apply to be a Secretary of State Board member with us – what matters is that they meet the criteria defined for the role, and successfully progress through the Defra application and interview process.
• Parish council appointed members – we have eight Board members appointed by parish councils across the Cotswolds.

The role of a CNL Board member is to contribute to the leadership, scrutiny, and direction of Cotswolds Conservation Board and further the statutory purposes. Members are not representative of any organisation or group, and have a duty to act in the best interest of the Cotswolds National Landscape. We value our Board members for their wide-ranging skills, experience, and knowledge, alongside their ability to represent a diverse range of viewpoints in matters relating to the delivery of our statutory purposes.

Cotswold Voluntary Wardens

Our employee team is supported by over 400 voluntary wardens working right across the Cotswolds. Wardens work across five clearly defined ‘districts’ and are involved in a range of different activities. You can find out more about our Wardens in the volunteering section of our website.

Our values

• Welcoming – we are for everyone
• Expert – we share our knowledge to add value to the work of others
• Collaborative – we believe that great partnerships lead to better outcomes
• Creative – we embrace, encourage, and nurture new ideas
• Positive – we are excited about playing our part in building a greener future

Read our vision here or watch the short vision film below.