While some might have you believe that the biggest threat facing the countryside is the government's as yet unpublished and yet-to-be voted-on White Paper on planning (otherwise known as the National Planning Policy Framework or NPPF); in truth the biggest danger to our much-loved green spaces is the slow and seemingly irreversible decline of the rural economy.
The thing many people miss is that the countryside doesn't just happen. Britain's rural spaces have been managed, maintained and loved for generations. It takes an inordinate amount of time and effort to keep the countryside looking the way it does, and those who undertake this work often do so for much lower wages and much less gratitude than those in other more visible positions.
When the great Dame Fiona Reynolds told the Independent earlier this week that is was "thanks to the National Trust that Britain doesn't look like New Jersey", she was only telling half the story.
Of course the National Trust, Campaign to Protect Rural England and other dedicated rural organisations have had a huge part to play. They are charities and campaign groups however, powered by volunteers and generosity. They have preserved parts of the countryside that might have otherwise fallen into disrepair and restored other parts for the pleasure of us all.
But the miles of farmland and forestry that you can find by travelling a few miles out of any town or city in Britain are not there solely due to the goodwill of others. They have been worked, their fruits reaped and all of this has been passed down from generation to generation. The villages and towns that make up rural Britain have survived because of these industries and, if those industries fail, the villages and towns are much the worse for it.
This is why the Countryside Alliance is committed to promoting the rural economy and the small firms, farms and fearless people who make it so vibrant - and who need even more support in these challenging economic times. The Countryside Alliance Awards, nicknamed "The Rural Oscars", are now in their seventh year and are a celebration of communities, produce, enterprise and rural heritage. Voted for by the public across five categories, they applaud those who routinely go the extra mile for their community and help to promote rural life.
Thousands of people up and down the country have been nominating their favourite rural shop, post office, enterprise, butcher and rural hero; and the regional finalists have recently been announced (see more here). Among the winners are Park Hill Farm in Hales, Shropshire: a family-run farm that sells beef and pork products at farmers' markets and through its own farm shop (read more in the Shropshire Star); or Kirdford Stores in West Sussex: which sells local produce, hosts a tearoom, an art wall, post office, and was described by one nominee as putting "the heart into the village" (read more in the Midworth and Petford Observer).
The National winners in each category are due to be announced at a reception in the House of Lords later this year, but in the meantime - why not celebrate local produce and support the rural economy by going down to your local farm shop for your next shopping trip?
You can follow the Countryside Alliance Awards on Twitter @CAAwards