SLLP Project Development Pro Forma

Name of Project 6. Enhancing Nature Reserves: Supporting Local Groups

Managing heathland without grazing or burning Sponsoring partner Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership organisation & main contact 150 w ord summary he Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership vision and obectives are around connecting with the landscape and engaging with those that live within it. here are a range of activities being led by the partnership and a great deal of delivery will be via partnership managed sites or agreed third party action.

here are a number of groups active in the area who manage sites for natural heritage and community involvement. It is important that we have involved these groups in our oined up thinking and can continue to involve them as they come forward. Full proect description Proects with separate descriptions

6a. Wadsley and Loxley Common £14,880 Separate narrative

6b. St Nicholas’s Church £9,500 Separate narrative

6c. South Yorkshire Bat Group £15,000 Separate narrative

6d. Bowcroft Cemetary £5,000 Separate narrative

6e, Rivelin Corn Mill £20,000 Separate narrative

How does the project contribute to our v ision ? “A wilder, more natural and resilient landscape of native clough woodland, descending down from the moorland slopes to the reservoirs, streams and farmlands below, alive to the sound of curlews and lapwings, and crossed by a lattice work of drystone walls and accessible paths and bye-ways. A landscape that provides clean air and water, supports wildlife, helps to reduce flooding and improves peoples’ health & wellbeing. A landscape for everyone to value, enjoy, understand – and feel part of.

Our vision is inclusive, as well as working as a partnership the Sheffield Lakelands proect will include a community grant scheme so that others can become part of the proect throughout the programme. In addition this proect allows smaller groups, or groups with narrow geographic range to take part in the partnership from the outset. Helping us help others to value, enoy and understand the landscape.

SLLP Project Development Pro Forma

Name of Project Enhancing Nature Reserves: Supporting Local Groups – Wadsley and Loxley Commoners,

Sometimes a little help can get you a long way, SRWT volunteers creating new access routes at Wyming Brook. Sponsoring partner SLLP Volunteer Coordinator and Coms Officer supporting organisation & a local group main contact Wadsley and Loxley Commoners (WALC) recipients rather than project designers. 150 word summary Wadsley and Loxley Common lies just on the edge of Wadsley and is a local gateway to the Lakelands. The important heathland habitats are maintained by volunteers and the area is enjoyed by hundreds of local people.

This project is a range of community engagement events, such as bioblitz, capacity building for existing and new groups, particularly around ecological training and direct support for important habitat management. Full project description Wadsley Common and the adjoining Loxley Common is a piece of land owned and held in trust by Sheffield City Council which is a public open space used as an area of recreation and exercise by the general public. The two commons combined cover 100 acres (0.40 km2) and is an

area of heather, oak, silver birch, bracken and grassland which was declared a local nature reserve in 1999. The W&L Common is designated as access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 To the north of the common is Hillsborough golf club, which was laid out in 1920.

For a period of 130 years from 1784 the common was in private hands and was an area of mining and quarrying, with coal and ganister being mined and sandstone quarried for building. There were two drift mines on the common, the Bower mine and the Top mine. The Bower mine was owned by the Oughtibridge Silica Firebrick Company and operated between 1890 and 1940 while the Top mine probably ceased production in 1943.

In 1913 the common was given to the council by the descendents of the Payne family, who gave "seventy five acres of land at Loxley Common and Wadsley Common to be used by the public for the purpose of exercise and recreation, and to be known as Loxley Chase". A further twenty five acres belonging to other landowners were subsequently included in the W&L Common. The Common is managed by The Parks and Countryside Service who work for Sheffield City Council. The management plan was drawn up in consultation with local land owners, members of the public, representatives from the Wadsley and Loxley Commoners and local ecologists. The overall broad aim of the plan is: "To maintain and enhance the Commons as a wildlife, landscape, historical and recreational resource for the enjoyment of the local community and visitors alike."

While the City Council have overall management responsibility for the site, the Wadey and Loxley Commoners (WALC) are a local conservation group, not legal commoners, who aim to conserve the area of lowland heath and to help others understand the importance of lowland heath in the area and the cultural heritage which created the common in the first place. The WALC undertake a range of routine management with a particular emphasis on continued and on-going removal of invasive scrub oak and birch from the remaining heath, and management of that heath to restore heather and bilberry cover. In the recent past there was a conflict within the community between those who were working to maintain habitats and those who felt the work was

intrusive. Management has not kept pace with spread of scrub and the WALC group has achieved less than it would have wished. The Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership Project is an opportunity to re-ignite interest in this site, to involve and educate the community and raise the profile of WALC in order to get new members and new local volunteers. WALC aim to work carefully with site users and the local community over the next few years to achieve this.

Bioblitz, Citizen Science and Interpretation Understanding the importance of the site for wildlife is a key element of engaging the community in the management needed. In order to do this WALC would like to work with the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust (or a suitable ecological consultant) to run a suite of projects to better understand what we have, engage people with the site and train up a number of local people in habitat and species monitoring to inform future management. WALC will need more members, more information and more knowledge in order to do this. Our engagement project will include:

A spring Bioblitz event WALC will launch our engagement programme with a Bioblitz family event.

Throughout the first year we will carry out a range of engagement and training events, including:

 Spring and autumn bird surveys  Heathland invertebrate surveys  Habitat survey techniques  Fungi walks  Plant identification events  Mammal Survey

* Note that bat survey events will be carried out under a separate project.

The first year’s activity will engage the community, identify new volunteers and give is some baseline- information upon which we can create a long-term citizen science project.

Citizen Science a bespoke project In the 2nd year we will engage an ecologist to work with

existing and new volunteers to create a monitoring programme and to train those volunteers in suitable techniques to undertake routine monitoring and recording. This will help drive our management prescriptions and continue to emphasise the importance of ongoing management.

Routine heathland management In addition to our engagement programme WALC want to better manage the heathland plots and Loxley Edge. Key pieces of work include:

 Invasive birch and oak At present there is limited invasive birch cutting followed by herbicide treatment of regrowth by Sheffield City Council staff, we aim to explore mechanical birch pulling using levers for the smaller trees and glyphosate capsule injection for the larger rooted trees. Larger trees could be chipped on site with chipping being used to improve walking routes. Some of this work is urgent. Continuing tree growth and Heather loss will make heathland rescue less viable as time goes on.

 Bracken control With the loss of Asulox spraying by the City Council, bracken is becoming a worse problem. WALC is looking to create a simple ‘bashing’ regime as part of a Wadsley and Loxley Common ongoing action.

 Heather restoration Initiate a manual turf cutting regime where enrichment has resulted in vigorous grasses replacing heather stands. The turfs to be used to create ‘Cornish banks’ which in time will become modern landscape features of management separating heathland blocks from scrub and woodland areas. Heather cutting of existing areas will generate ‘donor’ heather for strewing.

In order to re-ignite this management work WALC are looking to engage a suitably skilled volunteer or contract force to action some of this this work, to bulk the existing volunteer group and help us attract new volunteers.

WALC will work with the SLLP Practical Projects and Volunteer Coordinator to develop and undertake this work. While in the first year we will only manage the heathland sites by removing very small birch and continuing the existing mowing regime, but in future years we would aim to incorporate new techniques and ideas as ‘guided’ by the ecology project and in-line with increased engagement of the community and additional new volunteers.

Supporting documents English Nature No11, lowland heathland management booklet version 2.0, N Michael (1996)

Wadsley and Loxley Common LNR Designation records

Sheffield Heathland HAP 2012

Other partners and Wildscapes to deliver bioblitz and associated ecology organisations directly projects. Or this may be delivered by contract consultants. engaged in delivering the project SLLP Practical Projects and Volunteer Coordinator to help coordinate practical programme.

Sheffield City Council Ecology Unit to undertake initial Wildlife Sites assessment and possible management prescription and funding of woodland area management to open views from Loxley Edge.

Stepping Out, the Stepping out project will be invited to take part in events and undertake practical work if applicable.

South Yorkshire Archaeology Service will run a parallel cultural history project from year 2.

Other organisations South Yorkshire Bat Group will be welcome to undertake benefitting or taking part in as much survey and practical work as they wish to both your project or key target support WALC management prescriptions and improve audience the site for bats. Strategic fit

The Lawton Report – Making Space for Nature recognises Lowland Heath and a priority habitat. In addition, as a result of recent habitat creation and restoration efforts for Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority habitats, some of the long-term negative trends are now beginning to be reversed. For example, in the 2008 UK BAP reporting round, eight priority habitats (19% of those for which reports were received) were assessed as increasing or

‘probably increasing’ in England including reedbeds and lowland heathland.

Sheffield City Council Green and Open Spaces Strategy 2010, 2030 “The potential also exists to develop volunteer training programmes – training volunteers in exchange for structured involvement in management. PP S2 Promote community involvement and establish community green space groups in all areas. - providing a framework of supporting materials for local groups by 2014

Sheffield Heathland HAP 2012 In Sheffield, the most extensive areas of heathland have received statutory protection through designation as Local Nature Reserves. This includes the sites at Wharncliffe, Loxley and Wadsley Common and Wickfield Heath.

JNCC Protected area and designations directory Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) (in England, Scotland and Wales)/ Local Authority Nature Reserves (LANRs) (in Northern Ireland)

Under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 LNRs may be declared by local authorities after consultation with the relevant statutory nature conservation agency. LNRs are declared and managed for nature conservation, and provide opportunities for research and education, or simply enjoying and having contact with nature

How does your project contribute to our combined statement of significance? We have requested that Lowland Heath and Wadsley and Loxley Common in particular be recognised as a priority habitat for connectivity and species diversity in the ecological statement of significance.

Identify how your project meets one or more of the SLLP programme objectives 1. A more connected and resilient landscape. 2. Bigger, better and more Lowland Heath is a very restricted habitat type in the SLLP joined up natural area and WALC constitutes a very significant location environment for people and linking with the upland moors in the west and across to wildlife. Wharncliffe Heath in the east. 3. Better recorded and valued This project aims to create a better record of the current cultural heritage celebrated biological value of the site as a benchmark to measure by local people and visitors. future improvements across the site. Our events will be designed specifically to increase the community's understanding of the importance of Lowland Heath as a priority habitat. 4. Better understanding of By holding bioblitz and other open events together with local heritage with more inviting new local volunteers to become involved we will people helping look after it – increase understanding and involvement. Only through

a landscape for all to learn education can we better explain why Lowland Heath is about, value, experience and important and get people involved in maintaining it. enjoy. HLF priorities met (quantitative and/or qualitative and which can be directly measured) Cross reference with the HLF Monitoring Spreadsheet. Outputs for heritage Which aspect of heritage will be: - better managed 25 acres of Lowland Heath habitat will be measurably improved within the 100 acre habitat mosaic of W&L Common - in better condition Sheffield City Council Ecology unit will record and confirm W&L Common as in better condition. - identified and recorded W&L Common will have a completely new suite of species and habitat records to act as benchmarks to management and ongoing recording. Outputs for people How many people will have: - developed skills At least 15 new and existing volunteers will gain practical field skills in species and habitat monitoring. - received training – certified, We do not propose to include formal training in this uncertified project - learned about heritage 100 people from the local community and visitors will attend events based on bioblitz and natural heritage. - volunteered their time WALC will contribute a minimum of 20 days volunteer contribution to SLLP. Outcomes for communities

- Negative environmental SCC will confirm loss of heathland has been reversed impacts will be reduced - more people and a wider range At least 15 new and existing volunteers will gain of people will have engaged practical field skills in species and habitat monitoring. with heritage Define ‘wider range’ with M&E consultant - your local area/community will Define this with the help of M&E Consultant be a better place to live, work and visit - Consents required In place Y / N From public bodies Y As both major landowner and statutory body with responsibility for Local Nature Reserves, SCC will have to agree management prescriptions and permit for events. SCC are full partners of the SLLP Steering Group 3rd party landowner agreements N Other N

Budget headlines Percentage

HLF Funds required 91 %

Tools, equipment and volunteer £1,080 support Contractors for land management and £6,000 access Ecological and other professional £5,400 support Publicity and promotion £2,400

Partnership / match funding £ secured % £0

Volunteer contribution 9 % 20 days minimum at £50 per day £1,000 In-kind contribution %

Total £15,880 100 Location Map (where will your project happen)

Demonstrate links / cross-fertilisation to at least 2 other projects

There is a project in the Hidden History archaeology project about the history of W&L Common, this will overlap with our conservation work.

The South Yorkshire Bat Group is undertaking a project within Supporting Local Groups, we will be happy to host them here on the common.

The Connecting Steps project has agreed that they will introduce new visitors to the common and take part in our events.

The WALC have a great deal of knowledge to share and are looking forward to working with trainees from the SRWT. The trainees will gain experience and the commoners will learn more about managing projects and budgets.

Cross Cutting Themes (Golden Threads) Please note, or reference from previous text, how you will contribute to or work with the following: 1. Priority species recovery The site previously supported nesting Nightjar but it is unlikely to do so in future, however it could be an important hunting site for Barn Owl. There will be consideration of erecting a Barn Owl box as part of the habitat management project.

2. Telling local stories WALC are also hosting an archaeology project. Our natural history project here will act as an end-point, with the cultural history of the site being the reason WALC exists as an important habitat and recreational resource.

3. Digital landscape (i.e. using technology) N/A

4. Monitoring and evaluation WALC is keen for outcomes to include confirmation from SCC that the site is in better condition as a Local Wildlife Site and that an increased and invigorated ‘Commoners’ (Volunteer Group, not legal title) group will be a measurable outcome.

WALC is keen that the South Yorkshire Bat Group include the site for ongoing survey to establish benefit.

5. Evidencing ecosystem services N/A

6. Community engagement Our events will contribute to community engagement outputs and if we can recruit new members we will have contributed to community engagement outcomes (more people taking part in active conservation work).

7. Communicating the good work of the Heritage Lottery Fund, and potentially other supporters. All reports will recognise HLF support and we will follow guidelines in recognising HLF support at all events.

Biosecurity / Confidentiality Wadsley and Loxley Common is a very popular public access site. In reality any biosecurity requirements put in place for this project would not achieve any protection given this high level of use.

Legacy and long-term management implications Legal and agreements All prescription and events need to be agreed with SCC, but this should require no specific legal agreements. Felling licences are in place.

Operational All the work carried out during this project is designed to train and increase the capacity of the local volunteer force with a view to them being able to maintain momentum

post-funding.

Strategic This is a prime opportunity for the Wadsley and Loxley Commoners to launch a new phase in their activity, a kick- start to rejuvenate volunteering both in sheer numbers taking part and the experience and level of ecological knowledge brought to their work.

Partner’s Environmental We will create an environmental policy as part of this Policy project, it will be an output for the WALC and will help the trainees we work with.

Risks Past, relatively intensive, work on scrub clearance led to criticism from a minority of site users which became ‘political’ and unfriendly. The engagement and practical conservation projects delivered here will be carried out sympathetically and in tandem in order to bring as many users along with the project and to better communicate the importance of ongoing management.

Climate Change Lowland heath as a priority habitat can be threatened by climate change and our work will help protect the site from changes. We have not identified W&L Common as a site important for adaptation or resilience for species or habitat types.

SLLP Project Development Pro Forma

Name of Project Finding out about St Nicholas

St Nicholas Church, Bradfield © N Abbas Sponsoring partner Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership, supporting local organisation & groups project main contact 150 word summary St Nicholas sits in the heart of the Landscape Partnership with the cooperation of the church and local community we have an opportunity to encapsulate everything we are doing across the partnership in one place.  The digital landscape  Enhancing our natural heritage  Archaeology  Telling local stories  Learning in the landscape  Supporting local groups  Restoring the lattice Each year of the Landscape Partnership the core team and a trainee will carry out a different project, while also carrying forward the project from the year before. Each year people from the community will be asked to get involved. Full project description Bradfield is a gateway to the Sheffield Lakelands. As a village it sits in the heart of the area, it has a car park, two cafés, two pubs, village green, and village hall. There is a regular bus service from the city centre. Many people visit Bradfield itself or use it as a stepping off point for their visit to the Lakelands, St. Nicholas Church is in High Bradfield.

The Church of St. Nicholas is one of only five Grade One Listed buildings in Sheffield. Apart from its historic architecture, the church is situated in a charming setting, 260 metres (850 ft) above sea level, giving fine views over the north eastern moors and valleys of the Peak District National Park (wikipedia).

The churchyard is fully enclosed by a traditional dry stone wall it is enjoyed by a range of locals and visitors who visit or use the footpath through it.

Year 1. The digital landscape Caring for God’s Acre has been working with a Church of England project – Burial Grounds of England Project, (which is steered by a partnership of organisations including Historic England, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Natural England), to develop a digital mapping and archiving system for churches, This will fit with the Church Heritage Record which is a database of built heritage. This system has been developed by the Cumbrian company Atlantic Geomatics. The initial survey involves a combination of ‘back-pack laser’ and ‘drone’ mapping creating a hi-resolution digital map of the exterior of the church and church grounds which includes the exact location of all above ground features such as trees and monuments. The practical element of this takes place on-site and the local school can be invited to see work in progress and to learn how to populate the map.

The digital map is made available to the local archivists who can use it to ‘map’ archive material about the church. In addition the community can contribute to the digital information through submitting digital photographs of grave markers (ad similar). When these are taken with relevant reference points they can be accurately loaded to create a ‘virtual’ churchyard which can be viewed on-line.

In year 1 we intend to engage Atlantic Geomatics to undertake the digital survey. In addition to the survey itself they will supply training to the local volunteer archivist and supporters. These people will become the main users of the software. The map will be owned by the church, to be used for a variety of ways and updated as burials take place.

During year 1 the Steel Valley Project team will improve the PRoW through the churchyard, this will concentrate upon scraping accumulated soil and leaf litter etc. and redressing with suitable aggregate.

There will also be a community event held on-site to demonstrate how the project works and explain how the

community can contribute through photography and getting involved in the project as a whole.

Year 2. Habitat surveys and management The church yard is fully enclosed and already benefits from being grazed by sheep, this means that it should be possible to create good wildlife habitats as on-going management (sheep) is available. However, an initial walk-over indicates that the flora of the church yard is relatively poor; the grasses are quite layered and rank and there are a lot of nettles. This may be a result of historical leaching of silage liquor from a clamp above the yard.

The church yard is recognised as an important site for Wall Brown butterfly and this, together with bats, will form the ‘key’ species for the management prescription. These charismatic species will help engage the local community in becoming involved in the habitat management of the grounds. We will also look to creating nesting opportunities for ‘classic’ churchyard bird species such as swifts.

We will engage an Ecologist from “Supporting Species” to work with the SLLP team and the trainee for the year to survey the project site and undertake capital and volunteer tasks to ‘kick start’ habitat development and management for the churchyard. Activities will include: Ecologist and trainee to spend two community days (early spring and summer) surveying the site with community engagement to create a ‘habitat plan’. This plan will be loaded onto the ‘digital map’. Trainee with support of Volunteer Coordinator to undertake a capital project with volunteers and contractors over a number of days in summer, autumn and winter. The work is liable to include: 1. Replacement and upgrade of permanent sheep fencing, making sheep management more flexible and the fencing more attractive in the churchyard. 2. Biomass removal, mostly contractors to scarify, or turf strip, old rank grassland areas and strew green hay from Carr House Meadows (local SRWT grassland nature reserve). 3. Creation of a composting area with a view to the local community removing composted material for home use. 4. Initiation of a ‘God’s hay’ project where local people can buy mini-bales of hay for pets. 5. Ongoing management plan and survey ideas for the community to continue managing the church yard as an attractive and wildlife rich resource.

6. Design and commission an information board about the Churchyard and what people can do to help maintain it.

Year 3. Restoring the lattice In year 3 the new trainee will work with an Ecologist from (Back from the Brink?) will continue to work with the community to develop both the digital project and the practical habitat work, including introducing ‘surveying for Wall Brown’ to involve the community in monitor a key species for the site.

In addition this trainee, who like each trainee will be receiving dry stone walling training with SRWT under the Restoring the Lattice project, will undertake to help repair the dry stone wall boundary of the church yard.

Year 4. Telling local stories In the final year of the HLF funded part of SLLP The Communication and Engagement Officer with the support of that year’s trainee will organise a summer event to tell the local story. This will include:  A talk on the history, archive and notable features of the church and church yard with links to the wider history of SLLP, given by volunteers engaged during the previous years.  A folk and folk-law event based around the church and landscape areas.  A celebration of the churchyard as a wildlife and cultural centre for the areas.

Year 1 – 4 Bats Another of the ‘supporting local groups’ projects is a bat project delivered by the local Bat Group. Each year that project will survey the bats using the grave yard with a view to determining how improved management has benefitted the bats. The group will hold a bat evening each year with a view to informing the community and gaining new members. This will incur no costs regarding this project.

Supporting documents Atlantic Geomatics Brochure 2017

The Atlantic Geomatics developed with the Church of England is an award winning Burial Ground Management System (BGMS). It is a secure, easy to use solution that will hold and protect records and provide numerous additional benefits.

Based on an accurate, up-to-date and interactive map the unique and comprehensive system brings with it a host of immediate benefits:  The BGMS is secure and online. We will host digital maps and records, eliminating the risk of theft, fire and flood, which could damage or destroy your irreplaceable documents,  The BGMS is easy to access, anytime and anywhere,  The BGMS has simple tools to enable users to add or update a record, search for a grave, map a reserved plot, view record details, upload images and analyse your records, all in one place.

The BGMS map shows the location of each grave and memorial, the footprint of any buildings, trees, flora and fauna, paths, buildings, benches and signs.

The BGMS will also helps with forward planning, conservation management or tree preservation. With the BGMS organisations can also:  Turn map layers on and off  Measure distances or calculate areas  Add new graves or memorials  Print your own maps  Help visitors to find relatives graves  Carry out easy searches to find specific graves by names or date or age.

Other partners and The South Yorkshire Bat Group will carry out survey work and organisations directly engaged advise on how the site can be better managed for bats. in delivering the project The SLLP trainees will help design and deliver projects for the community. Other organisations benefitting or taking part in your project or key target audience How does the project contribute to our vision? “A wilder, more natural and resilient landscape of native clough woodland, descending down from the moorland slopes to the reservoirs, streams and farmlands below, alive to the sound of curlews and lapwings, and crossed by a lattice work of drystone walls and accessible paths and bye-ways. A landscape that provides clean air and water, supports wildlife, helps to reduce flooding and improves peoples’ health & wellbeing. A landscape for everyone to value, enjoy, understand – and feel part of.

St Nicholas Church sits in the heart of the Landscape Partnership area. By creating a community project we will directly contributor to A landscape for everyone to value, enjoy, understand – and feel part of. Strategic fit

Rather than demonstrate a strategic fit with wider regional, or national initiative the key target for this project will be to demonstrate the objectives of the Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership in a microcosm. It will be impossible to demonstrate every part of what we aim to achieve by working together (such a natural flood management) but we should be able to encapsulate the spirit of the Landscape Partnership. How does your project contribute to our combined statement of significance? Not applicable

Identify how your project meets one or more of the SLLP programme objectives 1. A more connected and resilient landscape. 2. Bigger, better and more By working to improve the conservation value of the church joined up natural environment grounds the community will contribute to the wider landscape for people and wildlife. by creating a connecting feature within the landscape. 3. Better recorded and valued We will be recording the historic, cultural and ecological cultural heritage celebrated by features of the church grounds, this information will be made local people and visitors. available through SLLP. 4. Better understanding of local This project is about helping people understand their heritage heritage with more people as a complex relationship between human history, natural helping look after it – a heritage and current communities. landscape for all to learn about, value, experience and enjoy. HLF priorities met (quantitative and/or qualitative and which can be directly measured) Cross reference with the HLF Monitoring Spreadsheet. Outputs for heritage Here you can enter the numbers that you have identified from the Heritage Lottery M&E spreadsheet. You can include additional outcomes and outputs as well. Which aspect of heritage will be: - better managed 1 site of (appx) 2 hectares will be better managed - in better condition 2 hectares will be in better condition - identified and recorded 1 site better recorded Outputs for people Here you can plan for how many people and which groups will take part and how will the benefit. How many people will have: - developed skills To a limited extent participating members of the community will be trained in digital mapping techniques. - received training – 2 archivists will receive training in managing a digital mapping certified, uncertified system 10 adults and 5 young people will receive training in populating digital archives 5 local people will receive training in ecological survey techniques - learned about heritage 25 young people will learn about digital heritage mapping 50 people will attend a range of events based about this project where they will learn about local heritage. - volunteered their time 2 archivists will contribute skilled time 2 volunteer surveys will contribute skilled time through ecological survey 15 volunteers will give at least 1 day volunteering as unskilled support to various projects. Outcomes for communities

This section is less likely to have numbers, but it is where you describe the wider benefit. For instance, “The local farming community will be better recognised for the ecosystem services they supply to others.” But remember that you will be asked to describe how this might be measured later. - Negative environmental At present the church yard is quite species poor with a wide impacts will be reduced spread of nettles and rank grasses throughout, this, in part, may be a result of historic eutrophication from the neighbouring silage clamp. This project will reduce excess biomass and help restore a habitat. - more people and a In addition to the 19 volunteers who become involved with wider range of people this project we have a target of 25 young people and 50 adults will have engaged with engaging with their local heritage who otherwise would not heritage have. - your local By the end of the HLF funded element of the Sheffield area/community will be Lakeland Landscape Partnership there will be a new a better place to live, community group (not necessarily constituted) helping to work and visit protect our heritage and actively increasing community cohesion. Consents required In place Y / N From public bodies The church is grade 1 listed but we envisage no activity requiring listed building consent

The vast majority of the proposed activity and physical outcomes only Yes require PCC Consent.

The erection of bat or bird boxes on trees and possibly the repair of the dry N stone wall may require diocese consent, it is highly unlikely this would be refused (if needed).

Planning permission might be required for the redressing of the PRoW this Not yet will be sought by the church nearer the date 3rd party landowner agreements N We will need permission from the vicar and PCC but not from other parts of the church as nothing is changing physically on the ground. You may need permission via a faculty for bat and swift boxes however and would need to check this with the Diocesan Advisory Committee secretary, the Diocesan Environment Officer or the Archdeacon. Other N

Budget headlines Percentage

This project will fit within ‘supporting local groups’ and will not require match funding.

Wildscapes Landteam The Landteam support will consist of one field supervisor and three field officers, who may be supplemented by two additional workers where required. This team is available to carry out practical tasks for any partners, from clearing vegetation prior to dry stone walling events and fencing and

planting cloughs for the “working with water” projects to carrying out cobblestone replacements for the British Horse Society.

Wildscapes will not be ‘paying’ existing staff salaries from the budgets identified from projects but will engage a ‘casual’ landscape team at cost price. To deliver projects. Budget lines for 2018/19 are:

Staff time Engage a dedicated Wildscapes supervisor and three support staff at salary, plus NI & holiday entitlement only £292.40 Additional two workers £149.84

Travel The Wildscapes team will have access to a Ford Transit, flatbed crew cab commercial vehicle supplied by Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust. Mileage costs against this commercial vehicle will be charged at 65ppm.

HLF Funds required 70%

Year 1. Survey by X – 1 day plus showing school £1,000 group what is involved. Training ½ day for archivists followed by £1,000 afternoon and evening demonstration and explanation to the community. IT Hardware, laptop and digital camera for £1,000 archivists

SVP team to improve PRoW through £6,834 churchyard

Year 2. Tools and equipment for community, £500 including mini-hay baler. Materials, timber, and wiring for fencing. £1,000 Solar powers mobile electric fence for short £500 term sheep enclosures. Contractors for scarifying, turf cutting and £1,500 biomass removal. Ecology support from this budget. £1,500

Year 3. Ecology support £500

Year 4. Events, room hire, promotion, booking £1,000 participants, expenses, recording etc.

(£16,334) Partnership / match funding £ secured 0 0%

Volunteer contribution £6,500 30% 2 archivists x 5 days each skilled = £1,500 2 volunteer surveyors x 5 days each skilled = £1,500 15 volunteers averaging 5 days each unskilled = £3,500 In-kind contribution %

Total £22,834 Location Map (where will your project happen)

Grid reference SK 268 925

This will be straight forward – SLLP map with a dot for St Nick’s Photographs

The churchyard © N Abass

Demonstrate links / cross-fertilisation to at least 2 other projects This project will link with:

1. Digital landscape During year 1 of the project this project will scan and digitise the churchyard, this will be the first such project in the area and will contribute to digital landscape project by creating a ‘demonstration’ of what can be achieved.

2. Restoring the lattice Our trainees will have an opportunity to work with the community and demonstrate their newly acquired walling skills.

3. SLLP training programme Each year a trainee will help the local community deliver a project.

Cross Cutting Themes (Golden Threads) Please note, or reference from previous text, how you will contribute to or work with the following: 1. Priority species recovery This project will host the bat survey project. While Wall Brown might not be a target species for the SLLP it will be a key species for the project. 2. Telling local stories This project will host a local story event but will also be a ‘modern’ local story in it’s own right. 3. Digital landscape (i.e. using technology) Demonstrate new technology for digital archiving 4. Community engagement Creating a new community initiative 5. Communicating the good work of the Heritage Lottery Fund, and potentially other supporters.

This is wholly a HLF project and opportunity to demonstrate a Landscape Partnership in microcosm. Biosecurity / Confidentiality This is a community project on a site with mostly open access with the exception of ensuring we do not introduce non-native invasive species we do not intend to maintain any biosecurity. No confidentiality requirements. Legacy and long-term Legal and agreements management implications None required

Operational We would aim to leave a self-sustaining community group behind this project which would not require continued support.

Partner’s Environmental Policy One may be developed during the project

Risks The most significant risk is that a ‘community initiative’ will not be self-sustaining after the HLF funded element of the Landscape partnership is complete. We will work with this new group for four years, their ability to carry on after support ends will form part of the Monitoring and Evaluation programme.

Climate Change

SLLP Project Development Pro Forma

Name of Project Enhancing Nature Reserves: Supporting Local Groups – The Bat Group

Sponsoring partner South Yorkshire Bat Group organisation & Delivery Partner not Steering Group main contact 150 -word summary Full project description The South Yorkshire Bat Group The South Yorkshire bat group was originally set up with the aim of furthering the study and conservation of bats in the South Yorkshire region. To achieve this we set the following objectives: • Develop a database of bat records for the South Yorkshire region. • Increase the number of Natural England Volunteer Bat Workers. • Provide training for group members to increase the skills and knowledge of those interested in studying bats in South Yorkshire. • Support projects suggested by bat group members. • Assist Local Planning Authorities, Government Bodies, charities and other organisations wherever possible in matters relating to bats. • Provide talks, walks, and presentations to members of the public.

Meetings and events throughout the year for members in training, roost visits, hibernation checks, and participation in the national bat monitoring scheme We also provide a bat rescue and rehabilitation service which is kindly run by bat group volunteers.

The Project The SYBG do not manage nature reserves themselves but are very keen to both improve nature reserves and other sites for bats and to help people who manage sites better understand and value the bats that rely upon these sites. In addition, the groups want to strengthen habitats and connectivity across the SLLP to increase the resilience of existing populations and increase opportunities for bat species movement, particularly north-south to as adaptation to climate change. Bats are also a key indicator species for habitats health, our project will generate information that will help the SLLP measure success and evaluate the value of the work it has done to improve habitats for wildlife.

In order to do this, the group plans to approach the project using a tiered public engagement and survey strategy which will be informed by the skill level required to undertake the event or task safely ( i.e. without risking injuring bats or people). All events and/or surveys will be undertaken within the Landscape partnership Area. The first two years survey and events will aim to determine key sites within the area for bats

Delivery phase During delivery phase the bat group will:

• Undertaken a ‘hibernation site' search of the landscape partnership area. This will include a desktop study to identify potential hibernation sites within the area (i.e. underground sites, historic structures) utilising GIS and the minimum of 1 hibernation site visits per year. • Undertake Transect and Static Surveys of key sites within the landscape partnerships area as and when identified. • Undertaken harp trapping surveys of woodlands within the LLPA. This will feed into the national Small Myotis project and inform landscape-scale management of several sites within the area. • Undertake at least 3 bat walks per year within the Sheffield Lakelands to both educate the general public about bats and to gain new members for the group. • Provide advice to the site owners and managers on ways to encourage bats throughout the LLPA as and when required.

• Work with site owners and managers to install and monitor roost boxes. • Undertake harp trapping survey at any potential swarming site identified within the hibernation checks

In the final year of the project, the group will assess the data generated and support the M&E programme with species- based evidence of habitat / condition improvement on both specific sites and regional connectivity, species mobility.

Supporting documents South Yorkshire Bat Group Habitat suitability Models outputs (2015)

Mitchell- Jones A.J. Bat Mitigation Guidelines (2004) English Nature ISBN 1 85716 781 3

Gunnel, K, Grant, G and Williams, C. (2012) Landscape and urban design for bats and biodiversity. Bat Conservation Trust

Collins J. (2016) Bat surveys for professional Ecologist: Good Practice Guidelines (3 rd ed.) The Bat Conservation Trust

National Bat Monitoring Programme Annual Report NBMP (2016) Bat conservation Trust http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/nbmp_annual_report.html

Other partners and The f ollowing partners (Steering Partners and Delivery organisations directly engaged Partners) will have bat group activity on their sites: in delivering the project SCC Forestry YW Forestry SRWT Reserves Steel Valley Partnership

Other organisations benefitting List of sites (subject to access being arranged) or taking part in your project or St Nicholas church key target audience Wadlsey and Loxley Common Bowfield cemetery Midhope Local Wildlife Site (LWS) Stores wood Wyming Brook Nature Reserve Fog Nagg Ewden Valley woodlands and Beck Yew Tree wood Lower Little Don

How does the project contribute to our vision ? “A wilder, more natural and resilient landscape of native clough woodland, descending down from the moorland slopes to the reservoirs, streams and farmlands below, alive to the sound of curlews and lapwings, and crossed by a lattice work of drystone walls

and accessible paths and bye-ways. A landscape that provides clean air and water, supports wildlife, helps to reduce flooding and improves peoples’ health & wellbeing. A landscape for everyone to value, enjoy, understand – and feel part of.

Strategic Fit

The Small Myotis Project

Bats are highly cryptic and mobile species. There are 18 resident species within the United Kingdom, of which 8 are currently known to be present in South Yorkshire. Due to their cryptic nature, (i.e. only be active at night and virtually undetectable without special equipment) bats are inherently difficult to survey and historical records are often compiled from here say accounts. Different species have involved specialising in different habitat types utilises selected niches and hunting strategies. The main method of the survey used to detected bats is the detection of their echolocation calls which the bats use for navigation, hunting and social activities. Of the eight species known to be present in South Yorkshire, 4 are from the Myotis genus. The Myotis genus echolocation calls are currently indistinguishable from each other with any reasonable confidence using modern analysis techniques. As such, their current distribution and population estimates at national, regionally and local scales are presently determined from a very poor data set and are mainly derived from expert opinion (NBMP, 2016). In addition to these survey constraints, some Myotis species are also extremely difficult to identify within the hand, whiskered and Brandt’s bats population estimates are presently combined due to the difficulty of separating them with any confidence in the field without DNA sampling. This uncertainty has been compounded by the discovery of Alcathoe bat in the UK in 2010 in, a third cryptic species in this small Myotis species group. The distribution of Alcathoe bat in the UK is also poorly known although it is thought to be localised and rare and it is likely to have occurred in the UK prior to its discovery in 2010. Likewise, there is currently one reliable record (DNA dropping sample from a roost) of the Brandt’s bat within South Yorkshire and records of whiskered bats are rare and poorly recorded. The swarming project was undertaken by South Yorkshire Bat Group in 2016 and 2017 recorded whiskered bats

The small Myotis project is a national project managed by Local Bat Groups and professional species specialists to gather data to better inform the distribution of small Myotis species throughout the UK. The project involves undertaking harp trapping surveys at suitable woodland sites with the aid of the AT100 acoustic lure. The data collected will inform population estimates at national and regional scales and will be used to inform conservation strategies and regional policies.

Sheffield City Council Green and Open Spaces Strategy 2010, 2030 The project will engage with local groups and volunteers. “The potential also exists to develop volunteer training programmes – training volunteers in exchange for structured involvement in management. PP S2 Promote community involvement and establish community green space groups in all areas

The Paris Agreement – Climate Action

It is predicted and been demonstrated to some degree already that climate change is affecting species ranges and distributions. There is currently not enough information to confidently predict how climate change will impact bats. However, the subsequent changes in habitats and successive invertebrate distributions will undoubtedly impact bat species, with the more specialist species potential suffering due to lack of resources. The project will better inform the distributions of bats throughout the region and provide good quality baseline data to predict the effect of climate

change on bat species within the LLPA and add additional evidence to the regiona l and national data sets.

The Lawton Report

The Lawton Report – Making Space for Nature recognises that England supports internationally rare species of bats. It also acknowledges that recent agricultural intensification has had detrimental effects on species and that is difficult to know what effects this has had on specialist groups such as bats. It also recognises that bat landscape projects can make a real difference.

The Batscapes Project led by Bath and North East Somerset Council between 2003 and 2007, involving 35 different land-holdings, promoting a wide range of community-led activities; a key feature was protecting and enhancing bits of the landscape important for bats (Haysom et al. 2010). More of such activities will make a real difference. Indeed, studies have found that habitat heterogeneity can be more important than size in influencing the species diversity of wildlife sites (Báldi 2008).

How does your project contribute to our combined statement of significance?

Identify how your project meets one or more of the SLLP programme objectives 1. A more connected and Bats are mobile species with rapid response to climatic and resilient landscape. habitat changes as such they can be used to help measure improvements in habitat resilience over a landscape scale. 2. B igger, better and more By working with all willing landowner/managers within the joined up natural environment SLLP programme on a limited range of species which have for people and wildlife. requirements for connected habitats and a range of habitats the SLLP can create a more coherent long-term plan for habitats. 3. B etter recorded and valued This project will build a better picture of our bat populations cultural heritage celebrated by and inform local people about the bats they rarely see but are local people and visitors. there, their importance as indicator species and how they can help protect both habitats and species in future. 4. A better understanding of By working with the land managers the Bat Group will increase local heritage with more people the skill level and understanding of key individuals and helping look after it – a organisations in the SLLP and beyond. landscape for all to learn about, value, experience and enjoy. There will be a range of public events where communities can visit local sites, meet experts and experience first-hand bats and the work of the bat group.

HLF priorities met (quantitative and/or qualitative and which can be directly measured) Cross-reference with the HLF Monitoring Spreadsheet. Outputs for heritage Which aspect of heritage will be: - better managed At least 4 sites will have management prescription and boxes to improve habitats for bats. - in better condition N/A – as above - identified and recorded The minimum of 4 sites will be trapped for bats during the first year. The results of these trapping sessions will inform further tapping events in the preceding years with the intention of expanding the survey effort to include additional sites

Outputs for people How many people will have: - developed skills We aim to recruit 5 number new members to our group, these will all receive in-house training to increase their bat identification and survey skills. - received training – While undertaking the range of survey and events new and certified, uncertified existing members of the group will gain experience undertaking a varied mix of bat surveys.

The trapping events will allow members to be trained in ‘in the hand, bat identification New and existing members will develop survey skills and learn new techniques. - learned about heritage 20 number of peop le will take part per public bat events (3 public events per year). - volunteered their time 30 volunteers from the bat group will contribute one or more days to the project during development and delivery (record separately) Outcomes for communities

- Negative environmental Land managers will be more aware of the requirements of bats impacts will be reduced within the habitats throughout the landscape partnership, this will include the importance of not ‘cleaning up’ things like dead wood and providing unlit dark corridors for foraging and commuting bats. - more people and a We will hold 1 event per year , these would normally be wider range of people advertised to local communities and would attract the usual will have engaged with suspects. However, three events will be targeted directly heritage toward supporting the SRWT ‘connecting steps’ project which aims to engage hard to reach groups. - your local Not sure – as M&E Consultant area/community will be a better place to live, work and visit Consents required In place Y / N From public bodies N NE Bat licences, in hand 3rd party landowner agreements N Other N The Bat Group will require landowner/manager permission to survey sites, Yes erect boxes and hold events. Budget headlines Percentage

HLF Funds required 30 %

Site equipment; boxes, harp traps, lure, £12,159 detectors, loggers DNA Tests £400

Volunteer training and support £1,600 Admiration support from Ecological £800 Consultants responsible for converting information from this project into usable data

Total £14,959 Partnership/match funding £ secured %

Volunteer contribution 70 % Skilled Volunteer at £150 per day, Organising and administering events etc. 48 days £7,200 Professional Volunteer, licenced volunteer undertaking surveys, habitat management or community engagement 80 days at £350 per day

£28,000

In -kind contribution %

Total £50,159 100 Location Map (where will your project happen)

A map identifying listed sites will be created.

Photographs

Demonstrate links/cross -fertilisation to at least 2 other projects We have agreed to support a range of partner projects in the SLLP programme including: 1. The Wadsley and Loxley Commoners and the St Nciholas Church project in ‘Supporting local Groups’ 2. Visiting Storrs Wood, which has a project in the ‘Hidden History’ project. 3. Our work will also feed in to future management f forestry and woodland in the ‘Woodland Heart’ project. 4. The findings of our work will create usable data for use under the ‘Back from the brink / to be renamed’ project.

Cross -Cutting Themes (Gold en Threads) Please note, or reference from previous text, how you will contribute to our work with the following: 1. Priority species recovery We expect that bats (as a group of species) are going to be a priority ‘species’ our surveys will support that work. 2. Telling local stories We will hold community events to engage people and tell them of the importance of habitats for species if this can be coordinated with wider engagement projects such as a bioblitz we will do our best to contribute to the local history as well. 3. Digital landscape (i.e. using technology) We will introduce people to bat detectors, GIS mapping and analysis software 4. Monitoring and evaluation

Our work will be available to support the M&E Programme with specific emphasis on habitat connectivity and potentially a significant outcome for climate change adaptation. 5. Evidencing ecosystem services As above 6. Community engagement Our events will contribute to community engagement outputs and if we can recruit new members we will have contributed to community engagement outcomes (more people taking part in active conservation work). 7. Communicating the good work of the Heritage Lottery Fund, and potentially other supporters. All reports will recognise HLF support and we will follow guidelines in recognising HLF support at all events. Biosecurity / Confidentiality All data will be gifted to the bat group to inform conservation strategies and to be used for planning consultation request. All survey will be undertaken following best practice guidelines following.

Landowner and managers will be asked during the risk assessment process if any biosecurity issues or concerns are present and best practice guidance followed to prevent any contamination Legacy and long -term Legal and agreement s management implications We will require a Natural England Licence for this work, we have included the writing of such requests as a training element in our project so that new and inexperienced volunteers can better understand legal requirements.

Operational All equipment will be ‘written off’ over the lifetime of the project or through agreed disposal.

Strategic We are looking developing a stronger volunteer bat group by undertaking this work.

Partner’s Environmental Policy Attached

Risks The group is heavily reliant on volunteers, as such the number of people available to carry out the project may vary a little over the life of the project. However, the group does have several core long-term members who are unlikely to leave the group in the near and distant future.

All survey and events are dependent on access restrictions and suitable weather conditions. Climate Change The project will better inform the distributions of bats throughout the region and provide good quality baseline data to predict the effect of climate change on bat species within the LLPA, as well in the wider region and nationally.

SLLP Project Development Pro Forma

Name of Project Bowcroft Cemetary Photograph (key image)

Photo: Bowcroft Cemetery, Neil Theasby Geography.org.uk/p/3846971 Creative Commons

Sponsoring partner organisation The project will be run by the Steel Valley Project and be & overseen by Bradfield Parish Council, who own the land. main contact 150 word summary Bowcroft Cemetary is an ancient Quaker burial ground, where members of the Shaw family were laid to rest back in the 1700s. The cemetary is located on Riggs High Road, situated on a high ridgeline above Stannington in a rural, isolated location, with panoramic views across Sheffield and the Peak District.

The site is now cared for by Bradfield Parish Council and there are some basic site facilities available, such as benches and a stone inscribed with basic information on the site. There is a small lay-by on the road which provides limited parking for those wishing to visit.

The project aims to conserve, restore and interpret the features of interest on site, alongside improving the habitats for wildlife and some small-scale access improvements, to help people to walk around the site. Full project description Entrance improvements The entrance is currently accessed via a small but steep step up from the lay-by adjacent to the road. SVP would install a 3m section of surfaced path to make the sit more accessible.

Interpretation

The on-site information currently consists of a stone carved with a brief site description. SVP would install an interpretation panel to inform site visitors about the history of the site, based on Bradfield Parish Council archive information.

Wall repairs

The cemetery is bordered by a substantial dry stone wall, which has become dilapidated in sections with some of the sawn coping stones missing. SVP would carry out the walling repairs across 10 metres of wall and find suitable replacement stone using local quarried sandstone.

Vegetation management

There are hedges and trees on site, which provide protection from the weather and a home for wildlife. Some of the vegetation is starting to encroach on the paths and some of the trees are crowding each other as they mature. SVP would carry out sensitive vegetation management to improve access on the site, whilst retaining the habitat that the trees and hedges provide for wildlife.

Supporting documents Bradfield Parish Council archive information on the site is available.

Other partners and organisations directly engaged in Bradfield Parish Council own the land and have provide delivering the project historical information to inform the production of the on-site interpretation.

Other organisations benefitting N/A or taking part in your project or key target audience How does the project contribute to our vision? “A wilder, more natural and resilient landscape of native clough woodland, descending down from the moorland slopes to the reservoirs, streams and farmlands below, alive to the sound of curlews and lapwings, and crossed by a lattice work of drystone walls

and accessible paths and bye-ways. A landscape that provides clean air and water, supports wildlife, helps to reduce flooding and improves peoples’ health & wellbeing. A landscape for everyone to value, enjoy, understand – and feel part of.

The project will help to improve members of the public’s understanding of this historic site and enable them to access it more easily. The site also provides a ‘stepping stone’ for wildlife within in area of agricultural land, with its dry stone walls and trees connecting the lowland and upland habitats that characterise the Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership area.

Strategic fit

The Outdoor City Strategy 2015- ‘Infrastructure to support a quality experience’- this project will contribute towards improved infrastructure to enable access to the outdoors.

The Move More Plan 2015- ‘Empowered Communities’ and ‘active environments’- this project will engage volunteers in their environment encouraging them to be active in the outdoors leading to positive health outcomes.

Green and Open Space Strategy 2010- ‘Green connections for people and wildlife’- this project will contribute towards improved habitat connectivity between lowland and upland habitats and provide improved access for people.

The Peak District, Dark Peak (Yorkshire Fringe) Strategy 2009- ‘Repair and protect dry stone walls’ is a priority throughout the landscape priority type.

How does your project contribute to our combined statement of significance? This Cemetery tells an interesting historical story back into the 1700s of a family who belonged to a persecuted religion at the time. The site has the potential to be better understood by members of the public and involve volunteers in its restoration conserving it for current and future generations to enjoy and learn from.

Identify how your project meets one or more of the SLLP programme objectives 1. A more connected and Bowcroft cemetery provides a stepping stone between resilient landscape. lowland and upland habitats.

2. Bigger, better and more The habitats at Bowcroft Cemetery will be improved, providing joined up natural environment a better connected landscape for wildlife. for people and wildlife. 3. Better recorded and valued On site interpretation will draw attention to the interesting cultural heritage celebrated by history and story behind the site. local people and visitors. 4. Better understanding of local Bowcroft Cemetery will be better interpreted and understood heritage with more people by members of the public for its historic and cultural value. helping look after it – a Volunteers will help to look after the site and work on its landscape for all to learn about, restoration and interpretation. value, experience and enjoy. HLF priorities met (quantitative and/or qualitative and which can be directly measured) Cross reference with the HLF Monitoring Spreadsheet. Outputs for heritage Which aspect of heritage will be:

- better managed 573m2 of mixed deciduous woodland will be better managed. 3 metres of new footpath will be created. - in better condition 10m of dry stone walls will be repaired - identified and recorded 1 new interpretation panel will be designed and installed. Outputs for people How many people will have: - developed skills 10 - received training – 10 certified, uncertified - learned about heritage 10 - volunteered their time 10 Outcomes for communities

- Negative environmental The damaged dry stone walls will be repaired, without this impacts will be reduced intervention they would eventually be lost, this wildlife corridor will be preserved.

- more people and a Members of the public will learn more about the history of the wider range of people site through volunteering and new site interpretation. will have engaged with heritage - your local Access will be improved to the site, enabling a wider number area/community will be of people to enjoy the heritage and wildlife at the cemetery. a better place to live, work and visit Consents required In place Y / N From public bodies Y- BPC are a strategic partner in the SLLP 3rd party landowner agreements N Other N

Budget headlines Percentage

HLF Funds required £5,000 77% Partnership / match funding £ secured 0% £0

Volunteer contribution Labour £50pd- £900 23% Skilled £150pd- £600 Professional £350pd- £0 In-kind contribution 0%

Total £6,500 100 Location Map (where will your project happen)

SK 29387 88302

Photographs

The gravestones on site are still intact and situated at the far end of the cemetery.

Sections of the wall where the dressed stone has been removed, will be replaced.

Vegetation management will be carried out sensitively to both open up access and improve the site for wildlife.

Demonstrate links / cross-fertilisation to at least 2 other projects Hidden History- There is potential to both feed into and benefit from this project, with the potential for new information on the archaeology of the area that may shed light on the wider context of the history of Bowcroft Cemetery.

Audience development- There is potential to work in synergy with this project to promote Bowcroft Cemetery and encourage more people to visit and learn about the site.

Cross Cutting Themes (Golden Threads) Please note, or reference from previous text, how you will contribute to or work with the following: 1. Priority species recovery N/A 2. Telling local stories The legends and stories associated with Bowcroft Cemetary will be incorporated into the on-site interpretation. 3. Digital landscape (i.e. using technology) N/A 4. Monitoring and evaluation N/A 5. Evidencing ecosystem services N/A 6. Community engagement

Volunteers will be engage in the project and will participate in the practical work required to complete the different aspects of the work, this will include informal training. 7. Communicating the good work of the Heritage Lottery Fund, and potentially other supporters. Steel Valley Project will promote this project through its website, social media and local media contacts. HLF will be recognised on the interpretation panel. Biosecurity / Confidentiality When undertaking practical work, SVP staff and volunteers will clean PPE and equipment to prevent the transfer of diseases, spores and seeds to contain potential biohazards.

Legacy and long-term Legal and agreements management implications N/A

Operational Bradfield Parish Council own and maintain the site and will continue to provide maintenance, including the newly installed interpretation, through their groundsmen.

Strategic Volunteers will be engaged in the project and will develop an understanding of the site and its history.

Partner’s Environmental Policy Steel Valley Project’s Environmental Policy is attached.

Risks Lack of volunteer support- this will be mitigated by SVPs volunteer recruitment and support, including providing transportation for volunteers to this remote site.

Climate Change This project will provide small scale habitat management which will improve the connectivity between lowland and upland habitats vital for species being pushed further north as the climate warms.

SLLP Project Development Pro Forma

Name of Project SLLP For Rivelin Photograph (key image)

Rivelin Corn Mill will make a great location for a wildlife pond

Sponsoring partner organisation & Rivelin Valley Conservation Group main contact Graham Appleby 07850712988 [email protected] 150 word summary The Rivelin Valley to the west of Sheffield, made a significant contribution to the early industrial revolution over the last 500 years with its water powered mills. It has since become a popular visitor attraction with 3 miles of nature trail passing the remains of those mills, a park, café and paddling pools all providing idyllic outdoor exercise for the community. The Rivelin Valley Conservation Group for over 25 years has played an important role in helping keep much of the valley accessible to the public, helping preserve some of the millponds for wildlife and providing interpretation for its heritage. Unfortunately lack of investment is quite noticeable around popular areas of the nature trail with footpaths that are extremely muddy and uneven and

almost impassable for wheel chairs and push chairs. The RVCG would like to help upgrade these paths, create a wildlife pond and extend the heritage interpretation.

Full project description Rivelin Valley to the west of Sheffield, is a popular visitor attraction for walking, running, cycling and horse riding on various paths along its 3 miles of nature trail. The government is currently promoting healthy physical and mental exercise to help improve public health and to help reduce the costs of ill health to its NHS. The Rivelin Valley can play an important part in supporting these initiatives by enticing the public with a quality nature trail that provides interest and education on its recent history while surrounded by a wealth of wildlife. The Rivelin Valley Conservation Group (RVCG) has an army of volunteers from all different backgrounds and who, for over 25 years, regularly enjoy helping maintain the nature trail and for which the passing public often show their gratitude. The RVCG work closely with the Sheffield City Council (SCC) who own the land and with whom they have developed a unique trust that work carried out by the RVCG is done safely and effectively. There are some larger projects that the RVCG would like to undertake but which require assisted funding. 1. Footpath restoration Most visitors to the Rivelin Valley tend to use the areas around Rivelin Park because of the public facilities available and its proximity to local residents. The footpaths either side of Rivelin Park are very muddy and uneven and unsuitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs and children’s cycles. Restoration of these footpaths would make the nature trail much more accessible to all in this very popular location. 2. Rivelin Mill Wildlife Pond The RVCG helped rebuild Rivelin Mill Pond following a campaign to have it restored after the dam wall was breached in 2001. The RVCG also helped install an oak dipping platform, an outdoor classroom and picnic benches. The new dam was officially opened on 17 May 2007 but is quite sterile due to lack of pond vegetation and the RVCG has had a long-term desire to create a wildlife pond. It is proposed to do an ecological survey before and after to reveal the benefits of a wildlife pond 3. Signage and Interpretation The Rivelin Park Café was once Spooners Wheel Mill and the adjacent childrens playground was the adjoining millpond. The RVCG would like to provide information at this location to inform visitors of the history and original function of this heritage.

4. National Heritage Day The RVCG would like to organise a heritage day during the national Heritage Weeks to encourage families into the valley and to provide short walks and information about the environment of the nature trail, its history and its heritage. The RVCG would like to purchase a large gazebo for this and other future events 5. Tools and Safety Wear The RVCG provide basic safety wear for its task team members and would like to provide safety boots and foul weather gear as some individuals attend task days ill equipped. The purchase of some items of digging equipment will also increase the task teams capability and efficiency. 6. Training The following training would be useful to a few members of the task team  Use of a chain saw  Woodland Management  First Aid 7. Site Visit To arrange a site visit for a few task team members to possibly Blackburn Meadows to discuss the details of creating a wildlife pond

Supporting documents Walking the Rivelin – an RVCG publication

Other partners and organisations Digger Contractor – TBC directly engaged in delivering the Wildlife planting – Peak District Countryside project Maintenance

Other organisations benefitting or The Sheffield City Council is the current owner of the taking part in your project or key land adjacent Rivelin Mill and Yorkshire Water are target audience responsible for the River Rivelin and associated dams. Both will be consulted as part of the design and invited to contribute to the overall project.

How does the project contribute to our vision? The Rivelin Valley has 3 miles of winding river through a wooded valley rich in wildlife. The valley has a nature trail end to end which passes the 20 mills of the historic Rivelin Cutlery industry. The remaining mill ponds provide a haven for wildlife and added interest for passers-by. The East end of the valley has a park with playground, café, toilets and paddling pools which is a magnet for families. The valley supports walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders The upper end of the valley to the West terminates at Rivelin Mill and with its car park is a popular place to start walks at the quieter end of the nature trail. Strategic fit

Can you identify international, national and regional strategies under which your project meets a need or requirement (but not statutory duty)?

The Lawton Report – ‘That we better protect and manage our designated wildlife sites’. Rivelin Corn Mill dam was restored in 2007 and is a prime site to become a wildlife pond with the appropriate profiling and planting The Sheffield Waterways Strategy – City of Rivers ‘As beautiful places for people to relax and enjoy’ ‘As rich habitats for wildlife’ Rivelin Corn Mill is a popular meeting place for visitors to relax and enjoy the diversity of wildlife with its outdoor classroom, picnic benches and dipping platform. Creation of a wildlife pond would create more wildlife diversity and added interest for its visitors. The Outdoor City Strategy The Rivelin Valley is a very popular destination for visitors wanting to experience the tranquillity and spirit lifting effects of the outdoors. Improved footpaths will make it more accessible for all Don Catchment Rivers Trust (DCRT) Recovery and improvements at Rivelin Corn Mill will help support the DCRT strategy “To conserve, protect, rehabilitate and improve the Rivers Don, Dearne and Rother and the associated non-tidal and tidal systems that might influence their fauna, flora, water quality and hydrology.”

How does your project contribute to our combined statement of significance? Rivelin Corn Mill was built around 1600; operated until the early 20th Century and consisted of cottages, stables and the flour mill with two water wheels and four grinding wheels. Around 1920 the building was used as a base for the ‘Rivelin Artists’ one of which is the grandfather of Chris Baines, the famous naturalist and leading environmentalist and who has a growing collection of the paintings from that period. As well as an important history, it is also attractively located at the tip of the Rivelin Valley trail where its car park currently attracts many walkers. The RVCG has already installed a pond dipping platform, picnic benches, a long willow tunnel and an outdoor classroom where children and walking groups can all sit together. The new pond and the area backfilled following the dam wall collapse in 2001, is quite sterile and the area would really benefit from a comprehensive planting scheme. Improvement of the nature trail at the more popular East end of the nature trail will make the valley more accessible to its visiting public. Identify how your project meets one or more of the SLLP programme objectives 1. A more connected and resilient Creation of a wildlife pond at Rivelin Mill will provide the landscape. opportunity for a diversity of wildlife 2. Bigger, better and more joined up Footpath improvements will allow greater public access natural environment for people and for wheelchairs, pushchairs and children’s cycles. wildlife. 3. Better recorded and valued cultural The RVCG have already installed a mill marker at each heritage celebrated by local people mill location with the name of the dam and a QR code and visitors. allowing those with smart phones to access more information on its website 4. Better understanding of local Additional interpretation will help make the public heritage with more people helping aware of the history of the children’s play area and look after it – a landscape for all to Rivelin Café. The RVCG has already provided mill learn about, value, experience and markers with QR codes allowing visitors to access the enjoy. RVCG website which provides information on each dam. HLF priorities met (quantitative and/or qualitative and which can be directly measured) Cross reference with the HLF Monitoring Spreadsheet. Outputs for heritage Here you can enter the numbers that you have identified from the Heritage Lottery M&E spreadsheet. You can include additional outcomes and outputs as well. Which aspect of heritage will be:

- better managed Training in Woodland Management will help us plan task days more effectively. Chainsaw use and First Aid training will improve our safe working practices and allow us to have first aiders on hand - in better condition 1. The footpaths on the most popular parts of the nature trail 2. Rivelin Mill wildlife pond - identified and recorded An ecological survey at Rivelin Corn Mill before and after the creation of a wildlife pond will help us understand the benefits to local wildlife Outputs for people Here you can plan for how many people and which groups will take part and how will the benefit. How many people will have: - developed skills The newly trained task team leaders will pass on their knowledge and skills to members of the task team at the appropriate time. Also the construction of footpaths to the required standard will be a necessary skill. - received training – certified, Two RVCG task team leaders will be trained in Woodland uncertified Management, first aid and will achieve the licensed use of a chainsaw. - learned about heritage The RVCG plan to hold an open day during Heritage Days to familiarise local visitors with the remaining Rivelin Valley heritage and its history - volunteered their time The RVCG task team has about 30+ volunteers on record with between 10 and 20 in attendance at any one time at each of its task day events. Other members of the RVCG will also contribute towards its public events such as Heritage Days Outcomes for communities This section is less likely to have numbers, but it is where you describe the wider benefit. For instance, “The local farming community will be better recognised for the ecosystem services they supply to others.” But remember that you will be asked to describe how this might be measured later. - Negative environmental Resurfaced footpaths at key locations will improve the impacts will be reduced accessibility and safety for the public. The creation of a wildlife pond at Rivelin Corn Mill should greatly improve the environment for wildlife. Removal of silt from the smaller pond to help create the wildlife pond will also improve the waterflow into the dam - more people and a wider Rivelin Corn Mill already has numerous information range of people will have panels, an outdoor classroom, picnic tables and an oak engaged with heritage pond dipping platform. The creation of a wildlife pond will be an important addition for the benefit of its visitors such as school children, cubs, scouts and guides. - your local area/community One of the chief aims of the RVCG is to engage parents will be a better place to live, to encourage them to introduce their children to the work and visit great outdoors, the industrial history of the Rivelin Valley and the nature reserve at Rivelin Corn Mill. Improved footpaths will also encourage the public to visit the valley and to experience the benefits of its nature trail

Consents required In place Y / N From public bodies Y The RVCG task team works closely and with the permission of the Sheffield City Council who will fully support these projects 3rd party landowner agreements (If you are delivering something to other N/A people they need to agree to it and to maintain it, see legacy) Other N/A

Budget headlines Percentage

Using headings from the budget spreadsheet, provide some a short explanation (narrative) about what the figures mean / how they have been arrived at.

HLF Funds required £19,844 64.23%

Footpath materials £2744 Rivelin Corn Mill Wildlife Pond £800 Ecological surveys £2000 Hardcore £4000 Digger Hire £2000 Aquatic plants

PPE (boots and storm jackets) £2500 Heritage Day gazebo + equipment £1000 Tools £1000

Training Woodland Management (2 day / 2 persons) £1000 First Aid (2 persons) £100 Chain Saw C&G Certificate (2 persons) £2000

Spooners Wheel Interpretation £500

Blackburn Meadows Wildlife Pond visit expenses £200 Partnership / match funding £ secured 0.0% None

Volunteer contribution 35.77% 1 supervisor / 13 days @ £150 / day £1950 14 volunteers / 13 days = 182 @ £50/day £9100 £11050 In-kind contribution 0.0%

Total £30,894 100% Location Map (where will your project happen) The full Rivelin Valley nature trail can be viewed at: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3871491,-1.5367802,15z

Two sections of footpath requiring uplift

Rivelin Corn Mill Map.pdf

Photographs

Muddy uneven footpaths are real hazard in certain areas of the Rivelin Nature Trail. Here are some examples:

Public bench on the footpath to Roscoe Mill

Footpath to Roscoe Mill

Demonstrate links / cross-fertilisation to at least 2 other projects As this is a partnership project we need to identify synergies and mutual benefits across the partnership. Describe how your project will work with programme strands. This is not the same as the cross-cutting themes below.

Rivelin Corn Mill is a popular location at the head of Rivelin Valley for parking, walking, picnicking, pond dipping etc. It is proposed to reprofile Rivelin Mill pond with coarse rubble to create shallow areas which will then hold the new silt which is to be transferred from the smaller leading pond. This in turn will increase waterflow into Rivelin Mill pond particular during dryer weather. Appropriate aquatic planting within the pond will help create new wildlife habitats and improve the diversity of the environment. It is positioned at the gateway to Sheffield on the A57 from Manchester. It is frequented by other conservation groups such as the CPRE and Sheffield Wildlife. Many local walking groups often begin or end their walks at Rivelin Corn Mill. This will also support the aims of associations like the Ponds Conservation Trust, Sheffield Partnership for Rivers in Town Environments and Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

Restoration of the footpaths around Rivelin Park will help support the ‘The Outdoor City’ Sheffield project to encourage the public to utilise the outdoor environment with a view to improving public fitness and mental health

Cross Cutting Themes (Golden Threads) Please note, or reference from previous text, how you will contribute to or work with the following: 1. Priority species recovery 2. Telling local stories The RVCG holds events throughout the year where local stories are recorded and members are also encouraged to write to us and have their stories published in its newsletter 3. Digital landscape (i.e. using technology) 4. Monitoring and evaluation Members of the RVCG regularly walk along the nature trail and report issues directly to the RVCG who will either deal with the issue of pass it to SCC if outside our remit. The task team leadership also play an important role in constantly monitoring its past work for durability and effectiveness. 5. Evidencing ecosystem services It is proposed to have a full ecological survey at Rivelin Mill and again some time after the creation of the Wildlife Pond to help determine the impact on wildlife diversity. There will also be some learning for the RVCG from the ecologists which will help in future plans 6. Community engagement The RVCG already engages the public in a number of ways. SLLP will help provide the right tools and equipment for future events such as Heritage Open Days in September 7. Communicating the good work of the Heritage Lottery Fund, and potentially other supporters. The RVCG has a quarterly newsletter where historic and modern events in the Rivelin Valley are published. These items are also reflected on its website which is available to the public and the RVCG also holds Open Meetings and invites members of the public to attend. All these platforms will be used to raise awareness of SLLP and HLF

Biosecurity / Confidentiality The RVCG is aware of its public responsibilities as a volunteer group and will work with and support SCC and Yorkshire Water to help maintain the highest standards. Legacy and long-term management HLF require their investment to be maintained/retained implications for a period of ten years. Explain how you will do this: Legal and agreements The RVCG is a voluntary body which carries out its conservation work normally on land owned and maintained by the Sheffield City Council. Any work undertaken by the RVCG is with the permission and support of the SCC who will provide any necessary maintenance in the future should it beyond the RVCG’s capability

Operational How will you ensure that money spent physical works on the ground or working with local groups continues to provide benefit / be maintained in the future?

The RVCG began life in 1991 and has over 500 members with 80+ active members helping run the organisation. Therefore it is a long established organisation with its primary task of maintaining the Rivelin Valley for future generations. We are confident that our investment and physical effort is used wisely and effectively and so making good use of public donations and in agreement with the SCC which helps agree our priorities and who monitor the quality of our work to ensure it meets current regulatory standards. The RVCG campaigned strongly to have the Rivelin Mill dam restored following the collapse of part of the dam wall with total loss of water. When a solution was finally agreed with SCC, the RVCG actively helped rebuild the dam wall and help install some of the surrounding infrastructure and will continue to monitor dam water level, the local facilities and to help keep the area litter free. Strategic For you as an organisation, us as a partnership or the wider community, what legacy does your project leave behind? Hopefully Rivelin Corn Mill dam will continue to exist for many years to come for the pleasure of the public and the crucial support of its existing wildlife at the beginning of this important wildlife corridor. It is an ideal location for families, organisations and school children to visit and learn about Rivelin Corn Mills contribution to the industrial revolution. Improvement of the footpaths should last many years for the enjoyment of its passing public Partner’s Environmental Policy The following has been extracted from the RVCG webiste http://rivelinvalley.org.uk/about.php

Introduction to RVCG

The group was formed in 1991 with the aim to encourage the effective management of wildlife habitats and to reverse the decline of the nature trail over the past decade. The Rivelin Valley is two and a half miles long and with over 700 lime trees lining the road making it the second longest lime tree avenue in Britain.

The fast flowing river, regulated by its constant release from moorland peat proved ideal for powering the wheels for the twenty mills along its course. One of the oldest being the Hind Wheel 1581 with some still working up to the 1950's. Perhaps the most famous being Mousehole Forge at Malin Bridge which produced world famous anvils and is being carefully restored by its present owner.

What remain are the ponds which used to feed them and with support of the Ponds Conservation Trust and Yorkshire Water, the group intends to restore as many as possible for the wildlife to inhabit and the public to enjoy.

Risks There is a risk that the conduit leading to Rivelin Mill Dam may silt up as a natural occurrence associated with the movement of water but hopefully the Sheffield City Council will take action to avoid loss of Rivelin Mill pond which is has already invested many thousands of pounds in. Some dams in the Rivelin Valley have already been lost due to silting up. Desilting can be expensive and access is often difficult for big machinery and so the RVCG does its best to maintain even just a small amount of water in its remaining dams to help maintain the wildlife infstructure.

Creation of the Rivelin Mill wildlife pond and footpath resurfacing will take place in active public areas and therefore special care will need to be taken to keep the passing public safe as the RVCG will always do anyway and has the appropriate insurance cover

Climate Change HLF ask all projects to identify how they support mitigation, adaptation or resilience to climate change. Not all can, but if you can please do. It might be that the species you have identified as supporting in your project is moving north?

Mitigation – reduce climate change (reduce CO2) Adaptation – for instance create corridors for species to move north

Resilience – comes from Adaptation, for instance species range expands northward. The RVCG tries to create and maintain an environment that would favour most wildlife, take care of important archaeological and industrial features which will all help to provide interest for the visiting public in relative safety. Species identification will form part of the ecological study and there will be discussions to help ensure the right species are selected for the locality of Rivelin Corn Mill. The removal of invasive species is also a priority for the RVCG who often help actively remove them or report instances to the SCC. There is also concern that the Rivelin Valley is a major contributor to the flooding along the Don Valley corridor running through Sheffield. The RVCG are actively looking at alternatives for slowing down or holding back flood waters but this does not form part of this SLLP project.