Farmed landscape
A long-established tradition of mixed farming has helped create the natural beauty of the Kent Downs.
The pastoral scenery is a particularly valued part of the landscape and farming covers around 64% of the National Landscape. Expansive arable fields are generally on the lower slopes, valley bottoms and plateaux tops. Locally concentrated areas of orchards, cobnut plats (nut orchards), hop gardens and other horticultural production are also present in the Kent Downs.
Livestock – particularly sheep – can often be seen grazing grassland across the Kent Downs and horses are seen more often with the popularity of horse-riding.