Poverty will turn the countryside into a form of rural ghetto unless action is taken to bring its economy out of a rapid nosedive, countryside managers warned today.
Alternatives must be found to bolster the rural economy, which is heading towards crisis point.
Scores of residents across Mid and East Sussex are already caught in a poverty trap but social agencies fear the numbers could soar.
Land management initiatives and social projects are being planned.
The High Weald area of outstanding natural beauty is one authority looking at ways to turn around the economic decline.
It has organised a strategic inquiry later this month when six tourism experts, including two from America, plan to examine how "green tourism" could be developed as an alternative industry in Mid and East Sussex.
Rural economies have been showing signs of a gradual downturn for many years but fears have been raised now because they have suddenly gone into a rapid decline.
The farming industry has been slowly shrinking in Mid and East Sussex, causing higher levels of unemployment, but now the economy has nosedived.
Ian Spindley, spokesman for the High Weald AONB, said: "I think it has happened a lot faster than anyone first thought.
"Lots of land owners are leaving the countryside and selling up but we do have to look at how rural communities can diversify."
The experts will look at ways of keeping village economies afloat without destroying the environment or disrupting traditional lifestyles.
A report found the poor economy and lack of jobs within the AONB, combined with the creation of a commute-to-work population, is largely responsible for real hardship and deprivation in East Sussex.
Residents of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are being invited to a public meeting at 7pm on October 18 at Battle Abbey to have their say on how "green" tourism could contribute to their lives.
They will hear a presentation by Countryside Exchange experts and can ask them questions.
Almost half the High Weald AONB is now designated a Rural Priority Area.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article