Update from Pete Lambert

Wrekin Forest Project Update 

At the beginning of a New Year it is always good to have a quick look back, relive the triumphs and wince at the failures and then peer forward into the near future. The Wrekin Forest project is entering a very important stage, a period where the ideas gathered together in the Wrekin Forest Landscape Conservation Plan are tested,  scrutinized, made real or rejected. Copies of the 70 page document are readily available by contacting the Wrekin Forest Officer [contact  details below]. The Plan was publicly launched last December, representing 18 months of local consultation and research. It is an ambitious attempt to help focus concern on the varying threats to the future health of the natural wonder that is the Wrekin Forest landscape. The Wrekin Forest is not only the Hill but includes the open countryside that surrounds the remarkable towering edifice of the Wrekin Hill. The Landscape Conservation Plan endeavoured to present a vision for the future, that vision has five keynotes.

• The aim of the landscape conservation management plan is to promote the natural, cultural and economic future of the Wrekin Forest.
• The plan will address wider landscape concerns through a series of practical initiatives.
• The plan advocates the establishment of a local partnership to focus individual and group efforts in the conservation of the wildlife, habitats, and wildness of the Wrekin Forest.
• The plan will be underpinned by the concept of sustainability that is to live now ‘in ways which do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.  
• The plan seeks to offer measurable benefits for the conservation of the natural environment, heritage features, access networks and the Wrekin Forest visitor.

Progress to date
The Wrekin Forest Landscape Conservation Plan included 22 initiatives and I will endeavour to review where we are with each element of the Plan.

The Wrekin Forest partnership
The Wrekin Forest Partnership was conceived as an independent voluntary advisory group made up of key organizations and individuals, which will promote the conservation of the natural environment and act as a forum for debate. The Partnership will scrutinize the Wrekin Forest Landscape Conservation Plan and assist in steering and supporting conservation efforts throughout the Wrekin Forest area. It can become an important contact point between the various and diverse interests concerned in one way or another in the future of the Wrekin Forest. The Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty Partnership has provided Terms of Reference for membership [Copies available on request] and the agenda for the meeting is below.

1. Purpose of Partnership
2. Summary of Wrekin Forest Landscape Conservation Plan – Including short and medium term activity and current funding bids.
3. Discussion of Wrekin Forest Partnership terms of membership.
4. Chairing arrangements.
5. Role of Wrekin Forest Project Officer.
6. Communication of Partnership proceedings.
7. Discussion of main priorities in 2008.
8. AOB
9. Date of next meeting.

Just before Christmas invitations were sent out to a number of organizations and individuals asking them to consider nominating representatives to join the first meeting of the Wrekin Forest Partnership which is to be held on the 5th February 2008 at Wellington Civic Centre. We envisage a group of about 15 members representing a broad  spectrum of  interests, bringing expertise, wisdom and opinion, which will meet about 3 times a year.

Michael Mander, a leading member of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England has very kindly agreed to be the chairperson for first meeting. Michael is a well known figure in relation to the Wrekin and as a retired Judge we are in excellent hands.

So far we have had the following responses from the invitees:

All Friends Round the Wrekin – Friends President George Evans was the first to reply and will be along, he hopes to also arrange a permanent representative from the Friends to bring the opinions of a very diverse membership to the Partnership.

Little Wenlock Parish Council have nominated Pat Hutchings their Vice Chair to join and Buildwas Parish Council Chair Chris Meads has also been in touch to confirm that he will attend.

Sadly the Orleton Trust, the owners of the northern end of the Wrekin Hill have declined to take part in the Partnership.

The Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership manager Phil Holden has agreed to join us and we have had positive responses from the Head of Countryside Heritage Neil Wilcox at Shropshire County Council and Shrewsbury and Atcham Council.

I am still awaiting replies from Natural England, Wellington Town Council, Leighton and Eaton Constantine Parish Council and Telford and Wrekin Council.

We have also tentatively approached a number of landowners and farmers in the hope they would consider joining the Partnership, none have so far been back in touch.

The All Friends Round the Wrekin President George Evans has kindly arranged a public meeting on the 11th February, to which I  have been invited,  I will endeavor to answer questions related to the Wrekin Forest Landscape Conservation management plan. It is an anxious time whilst we wait to see whether the  various groups and individuals will follow the lead and join the Partnership, in the meantime there’s lots of stuff going on :

The Wrekin Forest landscape Conservation Management Plan is divided into three sections, the first comprises general comments on the vision, the second and third sections relate to two sets of proposed initiatives, I‘ll run through them in order as they appear in the Plan.Landscape Ecology and Character

• Biodiversity Monitoring Project In the next month we will  look at our priorities for endangered species recording, we have already set up a series of free training courses for volunteers with the Field Studies Council [Details to follow] and want to revisit some sites from last  year and request permission to survey new areas. As ever we welcome reports on any wildlife seen or heard to add to the biological records critical to the survival of our native wildlife.
• Woodlands of the Wrekin Forest We are continuing to work closely with the Heartwoods project and the Shropshire Hills AONB Small Woodlands project. We are in consultation with the Forestry Commission, Telford and Wrekin Council, Natural England and local landowners  in regard to carrying out coppice work in the Ercall woods to benefit woodland fauna and flora and provide a training opportunity for the woodland workers and managers of the future.
• New hedges and Woodlands The Wrekin Forest Volunteers will be enjoying free training in the ancient art of hedge laying at the end of January and in the beginning of restoring an old hedge row by coppicing and replanting in Little Wenlock Village.
• Deer in the Forest There is a large number of fallow deer that live in the Wrekin Forest. We are keen to improve our understanding of their numbers and impact. The Shropshire Wildlife Trust and it’s partner the deer Initiative will be running a training day on the 6th February to look at identification, survey skills and management. [To book on any of these courses please ring Pete on 01743 284285].
• Farming for Wildlife The Leasowes Farm at Little Wenlock are working with the Shropshire Wildlife Trust to understand the benefits and difficulties of farming in an environmentally sensitive way. We intend arranging a few visits to other farms and will repeat the wildflower survey work from last summer and this year in April venture into the dingle woodlands to record the spring flora.
• Veteran Trees An excellent group of finds was made last year, and on 14th March Rob Mcbride, the near legendary Treehunter will lead the a veteran tree training day.
• Species Rich Grassland Grassland are extremely fragile habitats and easily lost we hope to return to the wonderful meadow near the Wrekin Golf Course to check on the status of the orchids and repeat the survey work in Limekiln woods which amongst other excellent finds included Bee Orchids.
• Streams, ponds and Wetlands At the Devils Dingle Ash Disposal site a major habitat creation scheme is underway, the owners E-ON have invited Shropshire Wildlife  Trust and Severn Gorge Countryside Trust onto the steering group. Just before Christmas the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust we commissioned by E-ON to produce a design for a wildlife friendly wetland. The site already attracts wetland breeding birds and we are excited by the prospects for this coming breeding season. E-ON have also granted permission for butterfly recorders from Butterfly Conservation to survey the site this summer.
• The Wrekin Hillfort A restoration plan has been produced for the Wrekin Hillfort. Years of visits by foot, bike, vehicle and horse are taking their toll on the fragile 2500 earthworks. The Raby Estate who own the summit of the Wrekin Hill and look after the Hillfort are working with Shropshire Wildlife Trust to attract funding to pay for  the emergency works and a 5 year programme of  repair. The Wrekin Forest Project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and has managed to pay for an interpretation panel which will shortly go up outside the Halfway House. Later in 2008 an information leaflet will be published to explain the fascinating history of the Wrekin Hillfort. We are currently waiting for a response from English Heritage to the management plan and when agreed we can make copies available and also let you know how you can help out.
• Industrial Heritage The Wrekin Forest project has agreed to fund one of the research books due to be published shortly by the Rural Parishes Industrial Heritage Research Group. We are delighted to be in a position to help Neil Clarke and the group bring their work to a wider audience.

Wrekin Forest People
The final area of the work of the Wrekin Forest project laid out in the Plan relates the relationship between people and the Wrekin Forest. The Wrekin Forest landscape is enclosed on two sides by busy and growing urban areas. Telford is a regional growth point and the proportion of  people seeking solace in the open countryside and wilder reaches of the Wrekin Forest will grow. This impact of the visitor and the quality of the visitor experience are complex and difficult issues, in the consultations we identified  6 areas for concern.

• The Wrekin Forest café and Forest Glen The majority of visitors who drive into the Wrekin Forest either to go up the Hill or walk further a field park in or near the Forest Glen. There is no toilet, the roadway is dangerous and the Shropshire Wildlife Trust car park is inadequate for any peak, holiday or weekend day. The proposed solutions to these problems are many, some modest, some fantastical, many sensible and some wildly inappropriate. To address these problems about how we move forward to create a safe and sustainable plan we are asking the Wrekin Forest Partnership to consider this as one of there main concerns. When the Partnership meets in February we will propose that the visitor needs are given due priority.
• Wrekin Forest Trails Group We have expressions of interest and commitment to form the group but as yet we do not have the funding to call the first meeting, we are hoping that a recent request to Telford and Wrekin Council to support our aspirations to support the maintenance of a safe and user friendly network of paths, roads and bridleways will be well received.
• Environmental Protection Litter and fly-tipping will always continue to be a problem, in 2007  the Wrekin Forest Project ran a campaign with the help of the Shropshire to highlight the problem of litter, we intend doing the same at Easter this year. I know there are many of you who already pick up  discarded rubbish, please keep up the good work, the winter is a good time to clear up hard to reach spots as the brambles have died back.
• Wrekin Forest School Recent discussions with the Education teams at Telford and Wrekin Council with Shropshire Wildlife Trust look to be leading to the Council supporting a pilot Forest School project at the Ercall. Much needs to be done to ensure this is a safe and rewarding experience fro young children but we are delighted with the positive response of the Council.
• Wrekin Forest Volunteers The Wrekin Forest Volunteers joined with our friends from the Green Gym, Severn Gorge Countryside Volunteers and the Greenwood Centre to celebrate a great volunteering year in style at the Ercall in late December, hot spuds and a fun tree dressing kept the 50 plus group warm as they did the annual willow cut in the main quarry. The willow was bundle up for basketry courses at the Greenwood Centre. The day also saw the launch of the V-Veolia Youth project. Stu Jones the Shropshire Wildlife Trust Youth Worker will be seeking to take out groups of young people from Wellington and Telford to carry out practical conservation and learn about the natural world.

The Wrekin Forest Volunteers have a packed programme from now till Easter, if you would like a copy call Pete, on 01743 284 285 or e-mail

And finally a last minute addition to the programme and one to mark the historic links between Wellington under the Wrekin and the Wrekin Hill, and on a personal note in defiance of recent knee surgery, I will be leading a big walk from Wellington Civic Centre round and up the Wrekin on Friday 11th April. If you would like more details get in touch.

All the best and best wishes for 2008!
Regards
PetePete Lambert
Wrekin Forest and Telford Green Network Officer
Shropshire Wildlife Trust
01743 284 285  

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