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ASHDOWN FORESTlifeCelebrating over 125 years of care for the Forest www.ashdownforest.org
ISSUE NO 21 SUMMER 2016
WELCOME
GOVERNANCE REVIEW
EDUCATION AWARD
QUEEN’S AWARD
GRAZING PROGRAMME
DEER NEWS
DIARY DATES
We are grateful to Natural England for supporting Ashdown Forest Life.
THE CONSERVATORS OF ASHDOWN FOREST Ashdown Forest Centre, Wych Cross, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5JP
T: 01342 823583 E: [email protected] www.ashdownforest.org
Only printed on paper from sustainable forests. All paper used is FSC Certified and produced only at mills holding ISO 14001 certification.
This site is part of the European Natura 2000 Network. It has been designatedbecause it hosts some of Europe’s most threatened species and habitats. All 27countries of the EU are working together through the Natura 2000 Network to
safeguard Europe's rich and diverse natural heritage for the benefit of all. See www.natura.org.
Editorial: Paul Cooper, [email protected] Design and production: Studio 4, [email protected]
Photography: Steve Alton, Dave Brooker ([email protected]) Paul Cooper, Dan Nicholson-Smith.
Follow news on the Forest via Facebook and Twitter!
FRIENDS DIARY DATES
Tuesday, 1st November 2016 A Fungi Walk on Ashdown Forest with Martin Allinson10am to 1pm location to be confirmed
For further information and to book a place, please contact Pat Arnold on 01892 611414 or email [email protected]
Thursday 17th November 2016 Members' Annual General Meeting7.30pm at the Forest Centre
DIARY DATES
24th Sept – 2nd Oct Wealden & Eastbourne Walking Festivalwith Winnie-the-Pooh amble on 1st October
8th – 16th October Celebration of Ashdown Forest
3rd Oct – 3rd January 2017 Dave Brooker photographic exhibition
We are currently in the middle of a very busy period and one ofchange and transition for Conservators and staff. Firstly, in January, we moved from Higher Level Stewardship to the new Countryside StewardshipScheme and, secondly, grappled with the uncertainties and complexities of theon-going Governance Review. In amongst all this however, we also received twofantastic pieces of news -the Spark Award for our Education Programme and theQueen’s Award for Voluntary Service.Very many congratulations and thanks toall the staff and volunteers involved (read more on both Awards in this issue).
The search for Forest Centre development funding is mainly on hold for now as we await the outcome of the Governance review, but many of you will know that there had to be major works undertaken following the condemnation of the boiler and heating system at the beginning of December. Staff and volunteers showed great patience, humour and a good deal of ingenuity inkeeping warm for the four months of ‘make do’ heating during the coldest and wettest months. I’m pleased to say that work has now been completed and the boiler is up and running. With a grant from the Ashdown Forest Conservation Trust we have been able to carry out some essential infrastructure upgrades.
I’d like to take the opportunity to clarify that the fundraising to be undertaken in the future is for upgrading and modernising the current Forest Centre (including workshops, garages and operational barn area) as per the amended planning applications and not for building a new Centre. We also need to build up funds to support Ashdown Forest management and maintenance costs for future years.
A big ‘thank you’ to everyone for their support during these uncertain times. The team and I look forward to working with and for you in the future.
Pat Buesnel, Director [email protected]
Welcome...
The Governance of Ashdown Forest
THE PROBLEMThe Ashdown Forest Trust (in effect East Sussex County Council) owns the Forest.
The Board of Conservators manages the Forest but the Trust has to be involved in some aspects.
The Ashdown Forest Conservation Trust has some limited funds to assist Forest projects.
The Charities Commission is concerned that thearrangements are confusing and the fund-raising capacity is limited.
Ashdown Forest is now a £1 million undertaking and needs professional management
THE SOLUTIONAs a result, we are looking at forming one organisation to own and manage the Forest as well as to raise funds from many varied sources.
THE CONSULTATIONThe principal themes have been: • Ensuring continued protection of Ashdown Forest
including public access.
• Commoners’ rights should be protected.
• Concern over the possible repeal of the 1974 Act.
• Worry about the possibility of ESCC withdrawing some of its £70k funding.
• All reasonable options should be considered.
NEXT STEPSWe are working up a detailed proposal to put to theBoard which is effective and legally sound. Alternativeoptions will be evaluated. There are no plans to repealthe Act but we may wish to seek to amend it in duecourse. We will, of course, be posting regular updateson the website.
Roy GalleyChairman, Board of Conservators (until June 2016)
The Board of Conservators is currently considering the governance of the Forestand has carried out an extensive consultation since last December. In summary:
Volunteer Janet Wirdnam and Pat Buesnel at Buckingham Palace
Rachel, Lisa and Pat accept the award. Alongside them is Jason Lavender, Co-Director The High Weald Unit.
Congratulations to our award winning education programme
The award, co-sponsored by the South Downs National Park Authority and High Weald AONBPartnership, for the ‘project or organisation thathas made a positive improvement upon the environment, or has helped others develop better knowledge and understanding’ is a brilliant reward for the work the Education Teamhave done in developing our Education Programme over the last couple of years.
Pat and teachers Lisa and Rachel accepted theAward in a packed theatre attended by the Lord Lieutenant and other dignitaries and weresupported by Janet and Andy representing theFriends of Ashdown Forest who generously provide funding for the programme. In addition, from January 1st 2016, we have also been awarded funding through Countryside Stewardship to support educational visits to the Forest.
Our Education Programme picked up the Environmental Achievement Award at the2016 SPARK Awards held on Tuesday 10th May at The Winter Garden, Eastbourne.
And the awards keep coming
150 volunteers provide invaluable support throughtheir time, expertise and enthusiasm by working withthe staff team on a daily basis, all year round in allweathers. Whether as Mounted or Weekend Rangers,Conservation or Information Volunteers, through providing event and office support, running the Pop Up café, stock checking and “lookering,” leading specialist walks, monitoring or history and research, all the volunteers have an exceptional knowledge anddeep attachment to this very special place that is Ashdown Forest.
Volunteer Janet Wirdnam and Pat Buesnel attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace on 24th Maywhere they met the Queen and other winners of this year’s award.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highestaward given to local volunteer groups across the UK inrecognition of outstanding work in their communities.The awards were created in 2002 to celebrate the
The Conservators of Ashdown Forest who manage Ashdown Forest have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Queen’s Golden Jubilee and winners are announced each year on 2nd June – the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.
The Conservators of Ashdown Forest will receive theaward from the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex later this summer.
Director Pat Buesnel said:“This award is a proud moment in our history and ahuge achievement for our teams of fantastic volunteers,for the dedicated staff that support them and for the organisation as a whole. If you want to get involved with us as a volunteer do get in touch – it’s varied, fun, rewarding, often challenging and I guarantee there is never a dull moment!”
Chairman of the Board of Conservators Roy Galley added:“This is a tremendous achievement, very many congratulations to our staff and volunteers”
The aim of the SPARK organisation is to support,connect and celebrate groups and organisationsthat work directly with children and young people,helping them to flourish as individuals and contribute positively to society.
Below: Jane Green (AFRA), Jan Turner ( Cats Protection) and Barby Dashwood-Morris, (the then Chair of Wealden District Council) who nominated and sponsored us for the award.Volunteers enjoy the tea party
With brilliant timing we heard it was National Volunteers Week beginning the 6th June so we invited everyone to a tea party at theForest Centre under the ruse of acknowledging that. It was a lovelyafternoon with volunteers from all ‘teams’ including those fromSouthview Close, staff and Conservators enjoying what is a veryproud moment in the history of Ashdown Forest.
A Day to RememberTuesday 24th May 2016 dawned clear and bright with, thankfully, no rain. Early in March Pat had advised me of the award and of our invitation, but stressed it must be kept secret. We had to find a way to celebrate the Queen’s Award
without giving away the secret that had to be keptuntil the 2nd June yet get a date in people’s diaries in good time!
Volunteers Tea Party to celebrate the Queen’s Award
It is very hard not to tell anyone, when you havebeen invited to a Buckingham Palace Garden Partyas a representative of all the Forest volunteers!
There seemed to be a lot of fancy hats on the trainand, walking along Buckingham Palace Road,more and more hats and finery, soon joined bydress suits and uniforms. Soon we were queuing,much to the delight of passing London tour buses– photos of us must have appeared all round theworld! Security checks completed, we entered thepalace through the Grand Entrance and wereshepherded through the ground floor and out intothe garden. Tea was already being served with alovely array of savoury and sweet items, all fingersize, with lemonade, tea or iced coffee to drink.
Then at 4 o’clock, the Yeoman of the Guard made a pathway through the crowd, the National
Anthem was played and the Queen arrived accompanied by Prince William and Kate.
We were lucky to be close to where the Queenmade a stop for a chat.
Then there was a chance to explore the Palacegardens and to walk around the lake. Many shoes were removed to enjoy the soft grass. Late in the afternoon very welcome ice cream was served by Palace staff as we rested under the trees. Then it was time to follow the crowdthrough Guards of Honour, back through thePalace and out to the road for the walk back tothe station. We had a comfortable journey home, weary but with great memories of a remarkable day
Janet Wirdnam, volunteer
To graze or not to graze…There has been a lot of talk recently about “rewilding” – the idea that we should leave our ‘wild’ places to do their own thing rather than managing them.
Exmoor pony and Galloway cow grazing the Forest
Nature, after all, knows best and it would be far easier(and cheaper) to let things take their course. Inspiredby visits to true wilderness areas in the United States,proponents of rewilding call for us to abandon traditional habitat management and let ecologicalprocesses take their course.
The problem with this approach is that, left to its owndevices, pretty much any piece of land in the BritishIsles will revert to woodland. And whilst there is nothing wrong with woodland, it would be a shame to lose all those other native habitats – meadows,heathland, fens, downland – that are not dominatedby trees. Those habitats would have existed, beforehumans arrived on the scene, in glades created bystorm damage, flooding and especially by large mammals. So, in order for rewilding to work, we needto reintroduce those factors, otherwise any attempt is going to result in woodland and nothing else. Storm damage is beyond our control, and flooding isunpopular, but large mammals are something thatcan be introduced.
There are some interesting experiments under way, forinstance at Knepp Castle in West Sussex, where cattle,deer, sheep and pigs are allowed to roam freely acrossthe whole 3,500 acre former dairy farm. The effectsthis is having on the vegetation and fauna of the estate are being carefully monitored.
Whilst we would never claim to be in the business ofrewilding, I like to think that we are inspired by thesame ideals here on the Forest. The open heathswould have started life as glades within the woodlandof the High Weald, created by the wild mammals thatwould have lived here, the deer and wild boar, poniesand aurochs. Those glades would have expanded assettlements grew and people began to use the heathmore, for grazing, for fuel, for animal bedding. Grazing with domestic livestock replaced the effects of the wild mammals and this, along with cutting and burning, kept the woodland at bay.
Today the Conservators graze their own livestock onthe Forest. Primitive breeds like the Exmoor pony, the
Hebridean sheep and the RiggitGalloway cow are doing just whattheir wild ancestors would havedone; roaming the open heath,keeping the woodland at bay andcreating a home for all the non-woodland plants and animalsthat make Ashdown Forest one ofthe most important wildlife sites inthe south-east.
Over the coming years we hope toreintroduce grazing to more of theForest. Currently we graze around 100 acres each summer, plus the area of the SouthChase grazed by a local Commoner. We are now trialling an ‘invisible’ fencing system which hopefullyallow us to bring this vital management technique to more of the Forest without the visual intrusion of conventional fences.
Details of the grazing areas can be found on our website and also on signs displayed adjacent to those areas.
Steve AltonConservation Officer
Below: Stag in rut
On Ashdown Forest, deer and traffic volumes have been increasing together for some time. As a result the numbers of Deer Vehicle Collisions (DVCs) are some of the highest in the country involving injury to both deer and people and, of course, damage to vehicles.
Deer Vehicle CollisionsDeer newsWe all like to see deer but, in the same way that a farmer could not hold too many sheep in a field without damaging the pasture, too many deer in one place begin to degrade the habitat in which they live.
Side effects of this are increasing deer vehicle collisions (DVCs), deer raiding pastures, crops and gardens and a loss of condition amongst the deer themselves.
At present the only realistic mechanism we have forcontrolling deer numbers is culling. If sufficient deer ofthe right kind are selected, this can be very effective.In some areas where adequate culling of Fallow deerhas taken place, their general condition has improvedsignificantly with a corresponding drop in DVCs andhabitat impact in those areas.
Fallow deer have been a naturalised species since atleast Norman times. They were once restricted largelyto deer parks but many escapes have led to wild populations. The Fallow numbers in East Sussex havebeen expanding and it is likely that there soon will bea continuous population along the South Downs, the Weald, into the Kent Downs and eventually to the Kent coast.
Deer are our largest land mammals and seeing themis part of the pleasure of living in, working in, or visiting Ashdown Forest. Deer are relatively shy creatures and should not be harassed unnecessarily.They are particularly prone to being chased or caught by poorly controlled dogs.
Wild deer are not owned by anyone but landownershave the right to manage them and there are legal requirements to ensure deer welfare. The incidence ofdisease in wild deer is generally low but may increasewith high deer density because individual animalsmay not reach their best condition and therefore bemore prone to disease.
Deer are prolific breeders and their numbers tend toincrease if they are not managed. Most adult femaleswill produce young every year for most of their lifetime. If deer numbers are too high, as on Ashdown Forest, a “reduction” cull is required to bring the numbers down to a suitable level and
There is a great deal of work going on to reduce accidents, nationally and locally. All drivers need to keep to the speed limits on the Forest and be especially cautious on Forest roads around dawn and dusk.
Because of the way that deer use the landscape there will always be a degree of regular deer movement across property boundaries as well as occasional permanent immigration/emigration. This means, particularly for the larger, herding species such as Fallow, that co-operation betweenneighbours can be very important and that areaswhere deer are not managed at all can compromisethe efforts of culling.
For this reason the Deer Initiative was established toencourage and support local deer management groupsand cross-boundary liaison.
For more information please visit the website:www.thedeerinitiative.co.ukJamie CorderySouth East Deer Liaison OfficerThe Deer Initiative
Remember, if you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a collision with a deer within the boundaries of the Forest, call the Rangers on 01342 823583.
They have considerable experience of dealing with injured deer and will give the animal every chance torecover. Deer rarely survive a heavy impact however,in which case the Rangers are trained to put the animal down humanely.
If you are outside the area you should ring the police.
thereafter a “maintenance” cull will be required tokeep numbers stable.
It is unlikely that culling will reduce numbers to thepoint where there will be absolutely no impact, but itis usually possible to reduce numbers to a tolerablelevel. The vast majority of the carcasses from culleddeer become venison,a natural lean meat that is increasingly in demand.
