Cannock Chase was designated as an AONB in 1958 because of its beautiful landscape, its wildlife and its history. Cannock Chase is the largest surviving area of lowland heathland in the Midlands. Lowland heath is an internationally scarce and threatened wildlife habitat. The AONB also has extensive areas of forest and woodland along with areas of designed parkland, sand and gravel quarrying and mixed agriculture. A large northern section of the AONB lies within the Stafford Borough boundary.

Stafford Borough Council along with Natural England and four other local authorities (Cannock Chase Council, Lichfield District Council, South Staffordshire Council and Staffordshire County Council) fund and support the work of the Cannock Chase AONB Unit and implementation of the Cannock Chase AONB Management Plan through the Joint Committee and Officer Working Group. Additional work on specific projects is carried out by a range of AONB partners.

Here is a short film on Cannock Chase.

See Cannock Chase AONB for further information.