Landscapes for Life - Conference 2013

Landscapes for Life - Conference 2013 will take place in Ipswich from 16-18th July 2013

 

The theme for this year’s Landscapes for Life conference is water.

 

Management of water is one of the most important challenges that the global economy will face over the next decade. Landscapes for Life – Conference 2013 will bring delegates together in Ipswich to discuss the part that the UK's Protected Landscape Family have in ensuring that our water systems are well managed and our environment is safeguarded for future generations.

 

This Friday (22nd March) is World Water Day - an annual event which focusses attention on the importance of freshwater and advocates the sustainable management of freshwater resources. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year of Water Cooperation, World Water Day is also dedicated to the theme of cooperation around water and is coordinated by UNESCO in collaboration with UNECE and UNDESA on behalf of UN-Water.

To book a place please contact: jill.smith@landscapesforlife.org.uk

Climate Change Weather Survey for You

Climate SouthWest is repeating the business survey we last undertook in 2011. We are trying to reach a wider range of businesses across the South West to see how they have been affected by extreme weather and what actions have been taken as a consequence. We would appreciate it if you could forward the following e-mail to any of your contacts who you feel would be suitable to take part in our survey.

The impacts of Climate Change and severe weather are becoming an increasingly important issue and challenge for businesses.

In 2011 Climate SouthWest undertook a survey to see how tourism businesses were preparing and adapting to climate change. We are now repeating and widening this survey to see how the recent extreme weather has impacted businesses across the South West. We are also keen to find out what action businesses are taking to prepare themselves for the impact of extreme weather and climate change.

We would really appreciate it if you would take the time to complete our survey which can be found here (it should only take about 10 minutes to complete):

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D8FBXRP

Please respond by 8th February.

Climate SouthWest is an independent partnership focused on helping the region to prepare and adapt to the changing climate. Once you have completed the survey you will be re-directed to the Climate Prepared website which is a useful tool for businesses to check what actions they need to take to prepare for a changing climate. Climate Prepared was developed, by Climate SouthWest, for tourism businesses but can be used by all types of businesses. The Climate SouthWest website can be found here and contains lots of useful information and case studies.

http://www.climatesouthwest.org

Silton Appeal Rejected

Controversial plans for a wind farm at Silton have been refused by the Planning Inspectorate - while a local MP has called the decision 'a victory for localism.'

Developer Ecotricity wanted to build four industrial wind turbines in North Dorset. After the plans were rejected by North Dorset District Council, an appeal was lodged with the Planning Inspectorate which this AONB's Planning and Landscape Advisor Richard Burden has spent many months commenting on - has been officially turned down, which is more than a minor victory for this AONB and groups such as Save Our Silton.

The Inspector concluded that the economic and environmental benefits of the wind turbines would not out weigh the harm to the character and appearance of the area and the setting of the AONB, and that they would fail to preserve the setting of the listed farmhouse and barn at Manor Farm as well as the setting of Silton House and the Church of St Nicholas. 

On a community matter, the Inspector gave considerable weight the Bourton Village Design Statement; which indicates that local communities should press on with their local VDSs and get them adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document.

http://www.thisisdorset.co.uk/Silton-wind-farm-ahead-appeal-turned/story-17268137-detail/story.html

Community Right to Bid comes into force

The Community Right to Bid, created in the Localism Act, came into force on the 21 September. The new right allows people to express an interest in acquiring property, such as buildings or land for the benefit of their community should they come up for sale.

The Community Right to Bid, created in the historic Localism Act, which has recently come into force across the country so communities can 'stop-the clock' on the sale of valuable local assets and amenities like post offices, village shops or community pubs, giving them time to put in a takeover bid of their own and protect it for the wider community's benefit.

The new right gives voluntary and community organisations and parish councils the opportunity to nominate an asset to be included on a list of 'assets of community value', pausing the sale of a successfully listed asset for six-months, giving communities the time to prepare a bid and get a business plan together. Previously the community had no opportunity or time to gather resources to bid to buy or take them over.

Communities are already showing their determination and appetite to get involved in saving and running local facilities and amenities and over 500 people are looking into using the Right to Bid in their community.

In Norden, local people formed a Trust to buy and refurbish the historic old library building and reopen it as a community facility. The group purchased the lease form the Local authority and since then the building has been transformed into a modern community hub and a doctor’s surgery.

In Cranleigh, the community is already planning to use the Community Right to Bid to return the first village hospital in the community back into the hands of the local people to provide support to the elderly in the community and ensure that the long history of the building as a community facility can continue.

The Community Right to Bid, is just one of the Community Rights measures brought in by the Localism Act. In June, the Government announced a £30million package of specialist support to help communities take advantage of their new rights.

Further information can be found on the following websites:

· A plain English guide to the Localism Act is available at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/localismplainenglishupdate.
· A Community Rights website has been launched to give people more information about the new powers and opportunities available to them. The website will continue to grow and expand as more of the Rights come into force. The site can be viewed here: www.communityrights.communities.gov.uk

· Practical help and guidance for those wishing to use the Community Right to Challenge is also available on the My Community Rights website. The site can be viewed here: mycommunityrights.org.uk/community-right-to-challenge/

Department for Energy and Climate Change consultation on Communities must see benefit from hosting wind farms

Communities that host onshore wind farms could benefit from reduced electricity bills and investment in local infrastructure, Energy Secretary Edward Davey has said. The comments came alongside the launch of a call for evidence aimed at ensuring that communities secure financial, social and environmental benefit from hosting onshore wind farms. The community benefits consultation will seek new information on: barriers to community engagement and how to address these; how wind farms could deliver wider environmental and social benefits to communities, e.g. by providing grants for playgrounds; and best practice in local consultation by developers.


To view the call for evidence, please visit http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/onwind_cfe/onwind_cfe.aspx

European Rural Parliament - new voice for rural communities

The Swedish Rural Parliament, held in Ronneby September 6-9, was the focus for a development of European significance. The merger of two pan-European rural networks, the European Rural Alliance and European Rural Community Association will pave the way for a major network to enable the voice of rural people from across Europe to reach policy makers in Brussels. It will also enable the thousands of rural communities across Europe to forge links and share their experiences of making rural development work. The European networks also pledged to initiate the first European Rural Parliament, to take place within the next 2 years. This will provide a direct link to politicians and policy makers at European and also national levels.


For more information, please visit http://www.ruralcommunities.eu/news.asp

Shaping the future of our forests

To help develop its response to the Independent Panel on Forestry’s report, Defra has published the first of a series of short public surveys. This will help shape the Government’s decision around the future of England’s forests, woods and trees. Please do take a few moments to feed your views into this process.


AONB Project Development Officer David Blake, said: “Following on from the Independent Panel on Forestry’s report, which promotes the idea of a great increase in woodland cover in England, the Government is now offering everyone the chance to shape its plan for the sustainable management of our forests. If you want to have your voice heard, even in a very small way, in what happens to our woodlands in the future, then please respond to this survey as a matter of priority.”

Defra asks in the survey:

1. Do you want to see more woodland created in or near to your local community?

2. If yes, what single thing would make the biggest difference to increasing the amount of woodland in or near your community?

3. What would encourage you to visit local woodland more?
If you love our forests, woods and trees please do try to find the time to respond. Thank you!

Independent Panel on Forestry – Government Response

fill in our online survey, or contact us at forestryresponse@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Milk cheaper than bottle water!

As you may have seen in the news recently, dairy farmers are planning to protest today in London about the price they are paid for their milk. This is a reaction to the recent price cuts by 4 major milk processors of up to 2p/l in the price the farmers receive for their product. This might not sound much but consider an average dairy farm with 120 cows each producing 10,000 litres of milk a year....


Unbelievably farmers don't have written contracts with agreed prices in for their product as you would expect, so there is not a lot they can do when the price is dropped - they can't go on strike and stop production because cows produce milk for about 300 out of 365 days a year and need milking daily and they can't turn round and offer their product to someone else at short notice. (This is common to other farmers too who supply supermarkets/processors with fruit and veg; no set written contracts with prices and conditions changing at will - hence the call for a grocery adjudicator)

Currently the cost of milk production is about 30p/litre but the price farmers are currently getting paid is around 25p litre. What do you pay? Do you know how much a litre of milk is? Less that you would pay for some bottled water. Its doesn't take a mathematician to realise that a business cannot sustain this sort of loss making operation and this latest price cut will only accelerate the number of farmers leaving the dairy industry.
So what? This decline in our dairy industry means that 2 things could happen - we may have to start importing fresh milk; bearing in mind that Britain has gold plated welfare and food protection standards imported milk may not produced to the same standard and how will it keep as long? It may cost more as it has to be tankered across the Channel... Secondly those farmers choosing to stay in milking will be forced down an ever more intensive industrial-scale farming system in an attempt to keep milk production costs below falling prices (although the price to the consumer doesn't seem to fall).

Is that what we want? Would you like to live next to a super dairy with 800 cows kept indoors?
So if you think this is an important issue please take a minute to sign the e-petition asking that farmers be paid a fair price for their milk. i.e. one that covers production costs.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/6424

Wiltshire latest council to declare war on wind farms

Wiltshire latest council to declare war on wind farms


Wiltshire joins Lincolnshire in passing new restrictions designed to throw further planning barriers in front of wind farm developers

Wiltshire County Council has voted through controversial new proposals, which if enforced would effectively ban new wind farms from the county.

According to local media reports, the Conservative-led council last week approved restrictions that would require turbines that are more than 25m high to be built more than 1km away from any residential property, while larger turbines with a height of more than 150m would have to be located more than 3km from any home.

Conservative councils insisted the restrictions are necessary to counter safety risks posed by the small possibility of turbine blades breaking.


However, if followed the recommended distances are so large that much of the county's land would be unavailable to wind farm developers.

The vote represents the second time in the past month that a county council has approved tough new planning restrictions for wind farms, after Lincolnshire County Council backed planning guidance that recommends all wind farms within six miles of a village comprising more than 10 homes should be blocked.

The wind energy industry remains optimistic that such onerous planning requirements could "back fire" on councillors, as they require the support of the district councils who ultimately decide on the bulk of new wind farm planning applications.



"It is up to county councils to advise and district councils to make the final decision," said a spokesman for trade association RenewableUK. "Many district councils support measures to increase renewable energy capacity and are fiercely protective of their independence. Any attempt by county councils to introduce a blanket ban on new developments is undemocratic."
However, the new guidance in Wiltshire and Lincolnshire is likely to further entrench opposition to some wind farms and fears are mounting across the industry that further councils could put forward similar restrictions.
The news also comes just days after the final decision on two proposed wind farms in mid-Wales was handed to government ministers, after local planning authorities objected to the proposed developments.

Will Northern Ireland get it's first National Park?

Environment Minister Alex Attwood is poised to announce his top three candidates for Northern Ireland’s first National Park.



It is thought the minister will announce the three most suitable areas within days, before submitting them to the Executive at its final meeting before the summer recess on July 5. One contender is the Mourne Mountain range.



Mr Attwood will also put forward proposals for enabling legislation to set up National Parks.



At a meeting of Stormont’s Environment Committee yesterday, DOE officials said the minister is keen to see at least one National Park in Northern Ireland.



They dismissed suggestions that differences between the proposed legislation and that in Great Britain will mean that a National Park in Northern Ireland will not meet international standards.



Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/top-three-contenders-for-national-park-status-to-be-revealed-16172963.html#ixzz1yEHuIg1S

Ministers prepare fight on wind farms

The progress of controversial wind farms in the region’s countryside could grind to a halt as ministers prepare to veto major new developments.Senior Government sources have indicated there will be no new onshore wind schemes approved – only those awaiting planning approval or to be built.


They told The Daily Telegraph ministers in the Department for Energy and Climate Change is prepared to block major developments of onshore wind turbines under the new Localism Act that came into force last month.

More than 100 turbines are in operation across the Westcountry, and the UK’s biggest onshore wind farm in North Devon will be up and running shortly. The massive Fullabrook wind farm between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe consists of 22 giant turbines. Many more are pending.


Britain already has around 350 wind farms across the country, with around 500 already under construction or awaiting planning permission. This means the number of wind farms built in the British countryside could still double from the current level. The decision to reverse the Labour government’s enthusiasm for onshore wind farms has been on the cards since the coalition Government came to power.


The Government has already proposed cutting subsidies to onshore wind by 10 per cent to reflect a fall in building costs. But some MPs want ministers to go further and reduce the £400 million per year in funding that goes to wind farms under the Renewable Obligation Certificate subsidy, which is paid for via household energy bills.

And more than 100 backbench Conservative MPs – including Ian Liddell-Grainger (West Somerset) and Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) – mounted a rebellion against turbines blighting rural areas earlier this year.

In the letter sent to Downing Street in February, they said they have become “more and more concerned” about government “support for onshore wind energy production”. “In these financially straitened times, we think it is unwise to make consumers pay, through taxpayer subsidy, for inefficient and intermittent energy production that typifies onshore wind turbines,” they said.  Greg Barker, Climate Change Minister, said this weekend Britain has “the wind we need” either being built, developed or in planning. He said: “We inherited a policy from the last government which was unbalanced in favour of onshore wind. “There have been some installations in insensitive or unsuitable locations – too close to houses, or in an area of outstanding natural beauty.”

This article is courtesy of This is Somerset

New website for accommodation near Longleat

An innovative group of like-minded accommodation providers in West Wiltshire have come together to promote a new website for “Holidays near Longleat”.


Longleat has traditionally driven visitors from all over the UK (and abroad) and this entrepreneurial group of approximately 35 accommodation providers covering pubs, hotels, bed and breakfasts, self catering cottages and camp sites, has come together to promote stays in the area.


Debbie Rickhuss, the founder confirmed: “We are immensely fortunate with the wealth of places to visit on our doorstep. All are within an easy 40 minute drive of any of our accommodation outlets and will tempt visitors both young and old, families or couples throughout the year.


“Each and every owner within the group has run a successful business over the years and we pride ourselves on our customer service and repeat business. What we have realized though, is that by working together, we have much more choice to offer the visitor. Collectively, we are aware that visitors will shop around looking for a particular type of accommodation to suit their budget and their particular needs be it somewhere that has high chairs for toddlers or has a separate kitchen so they can come and go as they please. By coming together we can hopefully share visitors around and become a one-stop-shop for accommodation in the area.


“Longleat has obviously invested vast sums in the last year and it is understood this will continue into 2012 and beyond. All our businesses are within 6-miles of the Estate and this, along with the 33% discount which we can offer against Longleat Day Tickets, can only be good for everyone.”


Dr Andrew Murrison, MP extends his full support to the venture stating: “the southwest corner of Wiltshire is a treasure-trove of fascinating attractions based around dramatic landscapes and historic monuments, all within half an hour of each other. Finding great accommodation at a reasonable price is key to a successful family holiday and this website is an excellent place to start”.


The website – http://www.holidaysnearlongleat.co.uk/ – is already live and is attracting more and more interest (and bookings) each and every day. All are eager to make this venture work and it is hoped that this collective approach can only be good for all concerned as well as the local economy.

Hands Off Our Land: Frustrated Osborne vows to make building on countryside easier

This article comes courtesy of the Telegraph you can view comments from the AONB Planning Advisor below:

George Osborne yesterday pledged to push through planning rules that will make it easier to build in the countryside, despite reassurances by ministerial colleagues that the reforms will not be a "developer's charter".

The Chancellor confirmed that planning legislation to be announced as part of this week's Budget will clear the way for the construction of more homes and infrastructure. He is also expected to scrap regulations designed to protect wildlife in a drive to boost economic growth.
Yesterday, Mr Osborne said he was "deeply frustrated" with the slow planning process and ready to "shake-up" the rules. His comments threaten to undemine his coalition government's claim to be the "greenest Government ever".

Groups including the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and National Trust have dubbed the plans a "developers charter" because they will make it so easy to build on farmland and other green sites.

The Daily Telegraph has also called for a rethink of the plans through its Hands Off Our Land campaign.  Eric Pickles, the Community Secretary, has been keen to emphasise the Government's willingness to listen to these concerns after a series of meetings with the groups.
Yesterday, Stephen Hammond, Mr Pickles' Parliamentary Secretary, insisted that changes will be made to ensure the countryside is protected. Alterations to the original reforms are expected to include a commitment to build on developed land before greenfield sites. The definition of 'sustainable development' - which the Government proposes should be key to any justification for building - will also be tweaked to better take into account the value of the countryside.

But campaigners remain deeply cynical that the definition of sustainable development will be strong enough to stop unsightly buildings in the countryside. Simon Jenkins, Chairman of the National Trust, said the plans were “crazy” and were already leading to ugly advertising boards along roads. He pointed out that all councils without a “local plan” in place will revert to a “presumption in favour of sustainable development”, even though it is not yet clear that this definition will include strong enough measures to protect the wider environment. “The planning system needs to be simplified. But that is quite different to saying in all areas without an existing plan – which is most of the country – there is a presumption of sustainable development. That is a building permits system not a planning system.”
A survey carried out by Greenpeace and the RSPB found that most of the public disagree with Mr Osborne that regulations and planning is a threat to growth. The poll of more than 1,700 adults across the UK revealed that only two per cent of those quizzed believed the Coalition was the greenest ever. Only four per cent of British public feel that laws safeguarding Britain’s wildlife and countryside are too strong. In contrast, a majority of respondents 40 per cent felt they were too weak.


Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show, Mr Osborne insisted that the current planning rules are holding Britain back. "It is deeply frustrating that the planning rules hold back economic development in Britain. I was talking to a major global company who said it takes a third of a time to build a warehouse in Germany than it does in Britain,” he said. Mr Osborne insisted that any changes will not allow development on protected land like the National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). "I’m determined that we shake-up our planning rules so we yes protect the green belt and our most precious green spaces but we also allow businesses to expand and people to have decent homes and children to be able to afford a home when they grow up. These are priorities for a planning system and in the budget we will be publishing new planning rules which I think will make it allot easier for things to get built in this country while protecting our most precious environments."

But speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Politics, Mr Hammond was more concessionary and insisted sustainable development will have a meaningful definition. Mike Clarke, Chief Executive of the RSPB, said Mr Osborne needs to start listening to the public, like others in his party. "There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest protection of the environment is a barrier to economic growth but plenty to suggest smart regulation is actually a stimulus to growth," he said. "Because of this lack of understanding, the Budget this week has the potential to be a Black Wednesday for the environment if the Government unveils an attack on environmental legislation and new planning guidance which fails our wildlife sites."

Roberta Blackman Woods MP, Labour's shadow planning minister, said DCLG had wanted to have more time before changes to planning are made. "We would be extremely concerned if Treasury pressure means that sufficient care and attention has not been given to resolving the problems with the draft NPPF," she said. "The draft lacked sufficient clarity to enable sound decision making and as written could cause huge risk to the environment and chaos in the planning system. I hope the final version strengthens the criteria for sustainable development and gives better protection to green spaces."

Richard Burden - Planning Advisor to the AONB comments:

"It does seem rather strange that a politician with responsibilities for national finances – and presumably some reasonably high level of knowledge in that area – should presume to know about the equally, or arguably more, complex area of planning. Listening to only developers is invariably going to provide him with a biased understanding.
Those of us who see more of the day to day details of planning can confirm it is not the principles of planning that slow things down but the minutiae of detail. I heard on Friday of a builder who requires a client to have written confirmation that a proposed conservatory is ‘Permitted Development’ [something the whole concept of Permitted Development was supposed to avoid], and that the local planning authority is charging £40 to provide that, and not guaranteed by return of post! Furthermore the extension of the EIA provisions last year now means that many more projects have to be assessed by a shrinking planning authority staff whether or not these potentially require more time consuming research and evaluation. All these, and many similar, procedures [rather than the principles of planning] slow down the planning processes.


The current Planning Policy Statements provide everyone – developers, professionals, and local decision makers – with the clarity that the draft NPPF proposed to do away with! If Mr Osborne’s concern is that ‘Time is Money’ then he should ask his relevant colleagues to investigate ways planning detail can be reduced, hence relieving both applicants and planning authority staff of the time spent on such matters".

Recent National Association of AONB's Consultation responses

The most recent National Association of AONB's Consultation responses can be found by clicking on the links below.

• NAAONB Response to Defra discussion paper on the impact in England of EU Commission regulatory proposals for Common Agricultural Policy reform, post 2013
• NAAONB comments on relaxing the restrictions on the deployment of overhead telecommunications lines
• NAAONB Response to an independent review of the Welsh Planning Act (PPW)
• NAAONB comments on consultation on neighbourhood planning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rural Growth Networks open for applications

A new pilot project aiming to grow the rural economy is now open for applications. The scheme, announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, will invest £15m in creating Rural Growth Networks, with the aim of improving infrastructure, providing suitable business premises in rural areas and helping rural enterprises gain access to finance and business support. In addition, businesses in Rural Growth Networks will enjoy preferential status when applying for grants from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) anticipates that the Networks will be run in cooperation with councils or Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). Local Authorities and/or Local Enterprise Partnerships interested in applying to become a pilot Rural Growth Network can do so by 31 January. Click here for scheme information and instructions on how to fill in the application form.

See the DEFRA website for more information

New National Association of AONBs Website Launched

A new National Association website called "Landscapes for Life" has recently gone live.  Long overdue this seeks to showcase all of the 46 AONB's represented by the Association and detail from one collective point the activity that each represents.

   
The website goes a long way to representing the whole rather than the individual as, as a group we can influence a lot more with parliamentarians and decision makers on issues pertaining to landscape sensitivity and landscape protection.  Although in its infancy do take a look and take a look at some of the other diverse landscapes that AONB's represent and take just a couple of minutes to enjoy the fantastically rich landscape that the United Kingdom has to offer.

http://www.landscapesforlife.org.uk/index.html

Nicky Matthews - Communications Officer

Growth and the rural economy

Defra has announced a package of measures aimed at stimulating growth in the rural economy and helping businesses in rural areas. Among the initiatives announced is one of £25 million for promoting sustainable tourism in rural areas and AONBs.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/economy/

Forestry Regulation Task Force - Challenging Assumptions, Changing Perceptions

With the remit to explore how best to achieve a proportionate, risk-based and targeted approach to regulations relevant to forestry-related businesses, the Task Force looked at areas of regulation affecting forestry in England, and considered improvements to grants and other support arrangements for the sector.
The newly published report, ‘Challenging Assumptions, Changing Perceptions’, challenges Government to look at the way the Forestry sector is regulated and is the culmination of 9 months’ work gathering information, engaging with and seeking views from the forestry sector. The Task Force make 15 Key Recommendations, 26 Recommendations and a further 14 recommendations to improve existing processes.


The report can be found by clicking on http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-8D8EF3

Nature Improvement Areas (NIAs)

The competition to choose 12 Nature Improvement Areas was launched in July and the closing date was Friday 30th September. An independent panel, chaired by Professor Sir John Lawton considered many exciting and innovative new landscape-scale initiatives before selecting 20 applications to go through to a second round application process this autumn. Of these 20 successful applications, AONBs are leading or supporting 7.


Upon completion of this stage, the panel will recommend 12 Nature Improvement Areas to the Secretary of State who will make the final decisions next spring. The 12 NIAs selected will share a total of £7.5 million over a three year period. A key element of the overall initiative will be to capture the learning and experiences from the 12 NIAs – and with this in mind, Defra is setting up a monitoring and evaluation project to run in parallel with the NIAs.
We wish ArnsideSilverdale, Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs, Dorset, North Wessex Downs, South Devon and Wye Valley AONB Partnerships success in the next round.

Grasslands Forum

David Blake, Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Project Officer is representing the NAAONB on The Grasslands Forum which has replaced the now defunct Grasslands HAP group:

The Grasslands Forum is a nexus of knowledge and expertise relating to the conservation of grasslands. Chaired by Prof. John Rodwell, secretariat supplied by the Grasslands Trust, it is a gathering of national experts and practitioners. It also has the clout to attract speakers from Europe and beyond.

A recent meeting, attended by Dave, at Dinefwr was to discuss the values of grasslands. The next meeting will be to discuss knowledge transfer: how we capture heritage knowledge and wisdom, how we gather and transmit knowledge about grasslands and their management, how data can be turned into inspiration.

If you would like further information or would like to be involved in this please contact davidblake@cranbornechase.org.uk