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IN THIS ISSUE:
Welcome Summer BBQ Update on grazing Hogget recipe! Exhibitions Forest history Not the Waglog New website Conservation Management Exhibitions Staff Comings &
Goings!
The Newsletter for all Ashdown Forest VolunteersIssue 14 – October / November/December
It seems like only yesterday I was talking about adders – now I’m starting to think about lighting the boiler!
The weather this summer has been variable to say the very least. I suppose it has been a typical English summer. However, most importantly it stayed fine for the summer BBQ and despite dire warnings of freezingwinds it was pleasantly balmy! Sadly, I didn’t get an opportunity to take pictures this year but I can report that everyone seemed to have a very nice time! A very big thank you to Janet Wirdnam for her fantastic chef‐de‐partie skills and overall support in the kitchen and to our chef‐de‐cuisine Chris Sutton and sous‐chef Roger Beal – Gordon Ramsey would beproud!
“We need a really good sauce to cover our mistakes!”
We’ve heard a lot over the last couple of years about the rise of the ‘staycation’ and it would seem that the Information Barn has been busier than usual with visitors staying much longer. We have had lots ofcompliments from visitors about the new Information Barn displays, but these tend to come from first‐time visitors and returning visitors have said they regret the loss of the tree and stuffed animals. We will, over the autumn and winter be further ‘personalising’ the displays – such asdressing the area around the deer with branches and bringing the birdsdown from the beams so they can be easily seen. We don’t have any more stuffed animals; most of them disintegrated when the displays were taken apart and no one wants to see a balding earless rabbit!
We also intend bringing the audio‐visual unit and the films back and, with luck, run the ‘tit‐cam’ in full colour. There are discussions afoot on how we can make a further short information film for the barn – however, it’s a very costly undertaking but we will let you know how we get on.
Keep your eyes peeled for the Christmas Party Invitations and make sureyou RSVP in plenty of time as space is limited!
Where does all the time go!
The Volunteer
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Slow Roasted Hogget 8 tinned anchovies 2 tsp capers 2 tbsp honey splash white wine vinegar splash white wine 2 lemons, zest and juice 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 sprigs thyme 1 sprigs rosemary 100 ml olive oil 1.7 kg leg of hogget 200 ml white wine
Forthcoming Exhibitions…
The Hebridean sheep started grazing on the Forest in April and were out through the summer within electric fences. The sheep were in several locations such as Wrens Warren (Lone Oak Hall); Jumpers Town; at the rear of CatsProtection and briefly on the Golf Course. Local residents and interested parties were kept informed via our two news groups; Twitter, Facebook and ourwebsite. Posters were put up the Information Bar and on our notice‐boards at the Centre. There were also a plethora of warning signs on all approaches to the sheep. On the whole this worked well but there was one nasty dog attack which, with the help of our friends at the Courier, was widely reported in the local media. Caroline has recently been joined by a new, part‐time, grazing assistant, Joe Wallis. Joe comes to us from a commercial sheep rearing and management background and had a baptism of fire – straight into shearing onhis first day! As winter approaches we are continuing the search for winter keep and covered storage areas that could be used for feed and/or hay. If you hear of anywhere that might be suitable please do let Chris Marrable orCaroline FitzGerald know! At the end of September some surplus sheep weretaken to market to be sold on and others to slaughter which allowed us to make some meat sales. Hogget (sheep older than one year) is a healthy meat naturally high in omega 3. As the animals are older than conventional supermarket lambs when they are slaughtered they have an opportunity to put on some muscle, and, as they have only ever been forage fed which means the meat has a great depth of flavour. Also, if anyone would like to help us look after the sheep by acting as a lookerer please give us a call or drop us an e‐mail.
Update on Grazing…
We have a full and interesting programme ofexhibitions over the next 12 months. Some of the datesand titles are not yet fully fixed but below should giveyou an indication of what to expect:
Nature Stripped Bare – natural artworks by Pamela Hurwitz with photographs and paintings by TomMorgan and Paul Humphrey – 6 October to 27 January 2012. www.pjhurwitznaturalart.co.uk James Barrett – James produces really beautiful landscape photographs. It will be his first exhibitionwith us and is pencilled in from January to March2012 tbc. www.jamesbarrettphotography.co.uk Ashdown Forest Wood Turners – we are welcoming back these very popular local craftsmenfor their regular winter pre‐Christmas slot from the 4 to 19 December.
John Lanteri‐Laura – this will be a very different, challenging exhibition using large scalephotographs and Victorian techniques from 1April to 28 May. www.photographicpractices.com/laura.html Julia Rowlands – Julia produces vibrant and colourful landscapes and townscapes and she will be exhibiting with us for the first time on 1 June to 31 July. www.wix.com/juliadr3/juliarowlands Mervyn Hathaway – Mervyn’s dreamlike landscapes contain some surprises – 3 August to 31 October. www.mhathaway.co.uk/
We have also had expressions of interest from threeother landscape photographers and at least four localpainters and an art group!
Method Using a pastry brush, brush the mustard over the outside of the lamb then pour over the anchovymixture making sure all of the lamb is covered. Tie up the leg with string. Put the remaining herb sprigs and the zestless lemon halves in the bottom of a roasting tray. Sit thehogget on top and roast to your preference.
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Brian Jones was born in Cheltenham. His family had an interest in music, mother was a piano teacher and father played the organ in church.Brian’s interest in music was sparkedby hearing music by jazz saxophonist‘Cannonball’ Adderely in the mid1950’s and he asked his parents for asax. However, his interest soonshifted to the acoustic guitar. Jones was academically bright buthated conforming to school rules andregulations. He breezed through hisexaminations but left school indisgrace (as his teenage girlfriendwas pregnant) and spent the summertravelling through Europe andScandinavia living a bohemian lifestyle, busking and living off the charity of friends. He was fond of telling stories about his European adventures, however, friendsreported he simply stayed with themand much of what he said was a fiction. By 1962 Jones quit Cheltenham and had moved to London. He advertisedin ‘Jazz News’ inviting musicians toaudition for a new R&B group at theBricklayers Arms – Mick Jagger, hisfriend Keith Richards, Paul Jones,pianist Ian Stewart, bass player DickTaylor and drummer Tony Chapmanwere all recruited. The ‘Rollin' Stones’ played their firstgig on 12 July 1962 in the MarqueeClub in London with Jagger, Richards,Jones, Stewart, bass player DickTaylor and drummer Tony Chapman.
1962 to 1963 was spent hangingaround in Richard’s and Jagger’s flat listening to jazz & blues records andplaying guitar. They then went insearch of a new bass player, selectingBill Wyman, as he had a spare VoxAC30 amplifier, a home built bassguitar and endless cigarettes! The band also persuaded Charlie Watts, one of the best drummers on thecircuit to join them and The Rolling Stones was finally born. Almost at once there were tensions in the band. Jones, to the surprise of the
Forest History – Brian Jones, 28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969…
others, considered himself to be the leader as he promoted the band and arranged the gigs. Jones began travelling to gigs alone; gradually alienating himselffrom the band. The emphasis began to shift away from Jones as ‘leader’ towards the increasingly formidable song writing duo of Jagger & Richards. Days on the road, alienation from his band mates, change of musicaldirection and the perceived loss ofleadership took its toll on Jones’mental health. He increasinglyfound refuge in alcohol and drugsbecoming unfriendly and anti‐social. He was hospitalised several times. May 1967 saw Jones famously arrested and released on probation with the proviso he see a counsellor. Later that year, in a final blaze of glory, he attended the Monteray Festival where hewas hailed the ‘unofficial king ofthe festival’. Hostility was growing within the band. Bill Wyman observed "There were two Brians... one wasintroverted, shy, sensitive, deep‐thinking... the other was apreening peacock, gregarious,artistic, desperately needingassurance from his peers... hepushed every friendship to the limit and way beyond". As band tensions and Jones' substance use increased, hismusical contributions becameincreasingly sporadic. He wasbored with the guitar, sought exotic instruments to play and absented himself from recording sessions. In 1968 he was arrested for the second time and he was found guilty but only fined. His moodswings and behaviour finally became too much for the band
who wanted to tour America. Jones’ convictions were a major obstacle and on 8th June 1969, Jagger, Richards and Wyman sacked him and went to the States to find global fame. It was during this period that Jones retreated to Cotchford Farm which he had purchased in 1968. No one is really sure about his mental state at that time but on the night of 2‐3 July 1969 he was found floating in the swimming pool. There were, and remain, rumours and speculation about murder – in November 2008 it was reported that Frank Thorogood (a builder working on the house) had killed Brian Jones in a fight and the senior police officers covered up the true cause of death. In August 2009 it there were stories circulating that Sussex Police had decided to review the death for the first time after new evidence was handed to them by an investigative journalist who traced many of the people who were at the house on the night of the death. Murder or misadventure ‐ nothing has ever been proven. Fans still make pilgrimages to Cotchford Farm, so briefly a place of refuge for a troubled genius.
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Volunteer Recruitment… A very warm welcome to Pete Tolhurst who recently joined the Information Barn team and to our 12 (yes, 12!!) brand new mountedVolunteer Rangers: Claudia Christopher; SueWheeler; Sue Field; Sue Culling: RebeccaJohns; Amy Parcell; Sarah Grue; Lisa Gorrie;Rebecca Tapsell; Pauline Povey; HelenBardsley and Jennifer Alford. Training isunderway and they will be out patrolling theForest very soon – a big thank you to you all!
Forest Centre Development… Back in April architects drawings were submitted to the planning department at Wealden District Council. Sincethen the Forest Centre Working Party has met severaltimes to discuss the way forward. The meetings havebeen very useful and new ways of developing theCentre have slowly emerged. The Working Party will continue to meet and discuss how best to move the project forward and we will let you know of any developments as and when we can. You can also keepup to date by looking at Board and Committee minutesonline.
OUR NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED!
Some of you may recall that there was, quite a long time ago, a brain‐storming session hosted by the Board and held at the Ashdown Forest Golf Club. At that meeting there were some very non‐specific comments made about improving the website. This began a series of e‐mails and conversations with our ‘Web Guru’, Martyn Smith of Webecode, to discuss what could be done. We were very aware that the website had grown ‘topsy‐like’ and was becoming difficult to navigate and to manage. So a plan was hatched to rebuild the site from scratch! It took almost a year to get the funds and work finally began in Winter 2010 with a huge hand‐drawn schematic of how we thought a new site would work. Over a period of time this was translated into a web framework lead to the website as you see it now. The site went live on August Bank Holiday Monday and I’m very happy to report that it launched without a single glitch! The first few days were spent ironing out minor problems such as the odd broken link and a few typos. So farwe have had some really positive comments via the feedback button. A very big and heartfelt thank‐you must go to Martyn Smith, a man of infinite patience and good humourwho has worked long and hard on creating the site and who put up with my often daft questions!
If you have a chance to look at the website do let me know what you think!
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“If only my master was
as smart and as
handsome as me!”
Not The Wag Log – Dottie’s Tale…Hi everyone! She ‘who must be obeyed’ (sometimes that is) has been nagging Scallywag for weeks now to put paws to paper and come up with a waglog for you. As you can see he has failed, something to do with looking at trees and wading through mud in a horrible sounding place called the ‘alder carr’. Now, as dainty greyhound I don’t ‘do’ mud and as far as trees are concerned, if there’s not asquirrel up it or a deer behind it I’m just not interested! So, being office based I have decided to jump in with all paws and come up with something myself. I have to say I’m not as good as Scallywag at this kind of thing, but he has had more practice.
I know everyone loves him, but Scallywag is not my favourite dog. He ransacks my supply of nibbles when my back is turned so I tend to show him my four fangs if he invades my space – he thinks he is top dog but I know that role still belongs to Chip (who is a doggy gent and always very polite to me). Chip is in charge for a few more months, probably until May, so I will continue to let him come into my office.
My human has told me that, yet again, I am not invited to this year’s Christmas party on Thursday 7th December something about getting in the way and sticking my needle nose where it’s not wanted but she says if humans want to go they need to do something called RSVP. Dodger is not invited either as he isalready far to fat and will not be able to resist Aunty Ros’ cooking.
Chip has had a jolly good time recently – he spent some warm days with his human (Chris M) looking at butterflies and recently at Dormice, lots and lots of them, and he seemed pretty happy with that. The time would have been better spent looking for bones in my opinion!
Barney, once he finished helping his human to build lovely new bridges has also spent some time playing in the alder carr. He also had great time road testing some very fancy new digital radio kit, they are very loud and very clear, and kept waking me up, not nice, but Chris S seemed very pleased.
Caroline is not a doggie lover (she likes those brown woolly things) but she does put up with Joe’s dog Fli who sometimes comes to help. I showed my four teethagain but Fli is very restrained and just ignored me so when Joe told me firmly ‘to go away now’ I thought best to do as I’m told.
Now Aunty Ros is going to somewhere called Spain (to lie in the sun and read‘chic‐lit’ apparently) and I am being taken to somewhere called Suffolk, where, Iam told, I can learn to swim and go for long bracing walks – hmm? Unfortunately my human and Aunty Ros will be away at the same time forthree days – so two of my other human friends Jane and Hilary are going tolook after the office for me. If Aunty Hilary brings her doggie Woody, he can have some nibbles out of my personal supply as a small thank‐you. Aunty Jane can have some too but I don’t think humans eat ‘gravy bones’ and ‘boney biscuits’.
That’s all from me. I’m sure Scallywag will be annoyed I’ve pinched his page but I’ll just say what my human says to Uncle Rich when he wants something, whatis it now….oh yes, I remember it’s……..tough luck, jog on big guy!
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American Cherry The new enemy
The first meeting of the Conservation Group is on SUNDAY 25 SEPTEMBER. Meet in the Forest Centre car park at the new time of 09.30am. As before bring sensible footwear, strong gloves and dress appropriately for theweather conditions. Please make sure you have drinks and some lunch asthe session will go on till 14.30.
Chris Marrable will be leading the group and he has quite a few jobs lined upfor the winter for example: clearing invasive American Cherry from theBeaconsfield Road area (finishing a job started by the probationers andvolunteers from NatWest Bank), hazel coppicing, the usual rhododendronbashing, keeping on top of work at the Vachery and some possible pond clearance work. There is a section of the new website devoted tovolunteering on the Forest and it would be really good to get someconservation volunteers in action shots for the planned gallery section. Also, could you please make sure that the office has your correct contact details so we can easily get in touch with you. An e‐mail address is particularly usefulThank‐you.
Conservation Group – new time, new leader…
East Chase ‐ Another compartment of the alder carr will be cut this winter continuing a long programme of coppicing which is good for the specialist flora and fauna. It also ensures a nice large stack of wood for the Centre to keep the office staff and volunteers warm next year! There will be clearance behind Ghylls Lap and from the bottom of the valley in Wrens Warren valley up to the B2188 following on from last years work. The ancient monument enclosure in Wrens Warren valley is being hand cleared of gorse as vehicles are not allowed within 2m of the ditch and bank. I feel sorry for the contractor doing this job as it is hard and very prickly, especially when gorse goes down your back!
South Chase – All quiet this winter!
North Chase – A fairly quiet winter and not much is going on! There will be some small scale scrub clearancebelow Colemans Hatch cricket club, at the golf course and at Lintons car park. Any woodland management thisyear will be done via the wood permit system.
West Chase – Mike is really getting his teeth stuck into his new chase as he has planned a very busy schedule of winter work with some extensive scrub clearance at the Airstrip (along the left hand side coming from Long carpark). He will also be clearing at the Isle of Thorns, around the Vachery and at Hindleap. It may look dramatic, but as we know, this time next year it will look just fine.
General ‐ When the opportunity occurs we will be cutting back overhanging roadside trees. Wych Cross to theentrance to Wych Cross Place was done when the road was closed by ESCC highways. Early October may see uson the B2188 which is also being closed for major road works. It saves an awful lot of time if we can do tree workin these periods as the emphasis is on the clearance as opposed to the traffic control and ‘partnership working’ is one of the latest buzz words in management – so it’s great we can actually put it into practice!
Of course winter is also ‘Estover’ time. There will be a great deal of work organizing the enquiries list, organising cutting sites, arranging site meetings and scrutinizing the insurance for Commoners and non‐commoners before they put saw to tree (and, of course, every policy is different).
There will also be a greater emphasis on boundary walking by the Rangers – the Board have asked that a more formal recording system be put in place and that this will be a standing item on the Board’s agenda early in themeeting year.
Conservation and Management News…
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Hidden Talents… This wonderful exhibition of vibrant artwork had its private view on Tuesday 2nd August. Over 50 guests attended including Cllr Brian Redman, Vice Chairman of Wealden District Council, who made the welcoming speech. Ros Marriott also welcomed visitors, particularly the representatives from Elite Hotels and the Rotherwick Foundation who have generously assisted with the funding of the new interpretation panels in the Information Barn.
For those of you that don’t know Wealden Hidden Talents is a local charity whose aim is to reveal the wealth of artistictalent lying hidden throughout the Wealden Sheltered Housing Schemes. Many residents are retired or bereaved. Thescheme also loans the art equipment necessary to enable residents to enrich their lives by unlocking the creative talentshidden or even forgotten about over the passing years. The talent that has emerged, as evidenced by the work on display,is of a surprisingly high quality.
The exhibition has been very well received by the public and there have been many really positive and complimentarycomments. After closing at the Forest Centre the exhibition will be going on a tour of East Sussex Libraries! Hopefully, there will be a return visit in 2012. Below are some snaps from the private view event.
FUNGI IDENTIFICATION DAY
Includes clay model making with Lynn Merrick (author of the Gatekeeper Guides) in the afternoon!
Wednesday 26th October 11.00‐16.00
Our annual fun fungi day will be taking place on Wednesday 26th of October in the Information Barn and it would be great tohave volunteers available all day to helpwith the set up and tidy away; manning the till; dealing with enquiries and generallybeing around. There is no need to havefungi knowledge (as we will have help onhand to deal with that) but just to chat withpeople, set them off on their own fungiforage and generally lend a hand. It would also be great to have the barnopen on Thursday 27th (from 11.00) for the ESAMP Mesolithic day – please let the Office know if you can help out!
Family Activity Day
Recreating the Mesolithic at the Ashdown Forest
Centre A chance to join the East SussexArchaeology and MuseumsPartnership and explore aspects ofeveryday hunter-gatherer life in theMesolithic period such as flint-knapping, archery, string-making andwild plant foods. Lots of hands onactivities and fun for all the ages.
Thursday 27 October 11.00 to 16.00
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The Conservators of Ashdown Forest
The Ashdown Forest Centre
Wych Cross Forest Row East Sussex RH18 5JP
PHONE:
01342 823583 01342 822846
FAX:
01342 824177
E‐MAIL: [email protected] [email protected]
We’re on the Web!
See us at:
www.ashdownforest.org and on social networking at
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
Big fat zero…Exactly the number of visitors welcomed to the Centre on 6th
September. However we did have torrential sideways rain, storm forcewinds and ESCC highways digging up the road! A big thank you to Andyfor sticking with it and spending time sorting out the stockroom!
New courses with Sussex University … Pre‐History of Ashdown Forest and High Weald with Dr R Canter and Researching the History of Ashdown Forest with Prof. Brian Short. For information contact [email protected] or call 01273 606755.
Missing Post… Apologies to anyone who didn’t get the last newsletter – it seems that a batch of mail went missing in the post. Board papers have also gone astray and we can only assume our post box isn’t being emptied as regularly as it should be.
Information Volunteers… We are still having trouble filling slots on the board please pop in andput your name down in a gap – it is great to be able to keep the Centre open for visitors right through October. If anyone free and available tohelp with recruitment or suggest how we can best go about it do let me know?
Ashdown Forest App… An app is a mini‐website created for users of ‘smart’ phones. We now have an app that can be downloaded for free from the I‐tunes store. There are ten walks contained in this app, which take visitors to all corners of the Forest. Ask Tracy for a demo! With thanks to our partners, listed below, for their support with this project.
Volunteers Party… The Christmas Party will be on Thursday 8th December 19.00 for 19.30 –invite enclosed – please RSVP as seating really is limited.
Christmas Opening Times… The Forest Centre is scheduled to be open on Christmas Eve (11.00 todusk), however, we need to know if anyone is willing or able to staff theInfo Barn – could you let the Office know as soon as possible. If there isa volunteer Ranger willing to be out and about please let Rich know ASAP!! THANK YOU….
And finally…
