Bill Bryson, the bestselling American author, is to become the new president of a charity that campaigns to protect rural England.

The writer, whose work, Notes from a Small Island, was once voted the book that best depicts the English character, has been nominated to lead the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

Bryson, who has shunned his native America and now lives in Norfolk, announced that he plans to launch a national campaign to eradicate litter from the countryside.

The 55-year-old author, the son of two journalists who fell in love with Britain after visiting it while on a backpacking trip 34 years ago, said that he planned to write to senior politicians to get the scourge of rubbish in the countryside on to the national political agenda.

“One of the few things that really upsets me in the country is litter, it’s heartbreaking,” he said.

“I don’t have the first idea how to run a national campaign, I have always just sounded off, but this time I am determined to change people’s behaviour.”

He said he hoped to appeal to people’s better nature to “stop trashing” the countryside.

“As soon as the CPRE gives me headed notepaper I will be writing to Gordon Brown and David Cameron. Politicians need to put litter high on the agenda, issue more tickets and make the penalties hurt.

“If you are caught littering it should cost you £250, if you are caught fly tipping it should cost £2,000. Society should make it clear that you can’t get away with it,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

Outlining his plans to raising millions of pounds in fines, he suggested a network of secret cameras or undercover teams to monitor sites used most frequently by fly tippers.

He added: “For a very long time I’ve been a huge admirer of CPRE, what it does and what it stands for. I’d like to help it to build on its successes if I can.”

Bryson, who plans to put his writing career on hold to concentrate on his new post, is being put forward for election at the national organisation’s annual general meeting in July after being endorsed by the Board of Trustees.

Sir Nigel Thompson, CPRE Chairman, said: “We’re just delighted that Bill has agreed to be put forward as CPRE President. He’s a person who communicates how wonderful and precious England’s countryside is to the widest possible audience.

“He has particular concerns about some kinds of damage to the countryside, such as litter, and we’ll be working with him on those. But Bill understands and supports our fight across the board.

“In putting him forward to our AGM we also want to pay a big tribute to Max Hastings for the tremendous job he has done as CPRE president over the past five years. We wish him the very best for the future.”

Bryson, who was born in Iowa and does not have British citizenship, will formally take up the position after the CPRE’s Annual General Meeting in July. He will replace Max Hastings, the newspaper columnist and military historian. But unlike his predecessor, Bryson has no interest in hunting or shooting.

He is at present Chancellor of Durham University, a Commissioner for English Heritage and in 2006 was awarded an honorary OBE for services to literature.

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