Annual Review 2012 - 2013 Chairman’S Foreword
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Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Annual Review 2012 - 2013 Chairman’s Foreword It has been another excellent year despite an atrocious summer bracketed by two horrendous winters - however the sun now shines, walking boots are being polished, the cat has been forcibly evicted from my anorak and waterproof trousers and we are looking forward to another season of excellent walking, kick-started with this year's very successful Lincolnshire Wolds Walking Festival launch held at Scrivelsby Estate. This builds on the success of the 2012 Festival which last year, despite a soggy second week, saw well over 4,500 walking across our Wolds; your chairman enjoyed six good walks last year and looks forward to exploring more of our gorgeous landscape. Another highlight was the acceptance of the prestigious Bowland Award from the National Association for AONBs at the conference in York. This award was presented to the Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project following a vote amongst the UK's 46 AONBs. It is an accolade presented annually for the best project, best practice or for outstanding contribution to the wellbeing of the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so it was a very proud day for the whole of the Wolds team. Our thanks go to Ruth Snelson who has so very ably led the project, but also crucially the Environment Agency, Anglian Water and other funding partners, without whom this would not have happened. Work is ongoing in organising the chance to get Lincolnshire school eld trips out into the Lincolnshire Wolds, the rst of these should start next year. More than £80,000 was awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Down Your Wold project. Over the next two years residents will be involved in discovering, researching and celebrating the heritage and cultural features of the Wolds and its many farms and villages. Much good work goes on with grants and practical help to organisations and parishes in the Wolds; from a youth centre in Binbrook, notice boards, to replanting hedges and supporting volunteers in protecting our wildowers through the Life on the Verge project. Wherever we can make a dierence, Steve, and his hard working team at the Louth Navigation Warehouse, really punch above their weight. Thanks to all our partners who loyally support us, there are simply too many to name, also to our Vice Chairman Stuart Parker and the various councillors who attend our meetings in Louth and Horncastle. Finally this autumn we will be holding a conference at Market Rasen Racecourse, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Lincolnshire Wolds designation as an AONB - a nationally important and protected landscape - and discuss how we can best take forward the delivery of the new AONB Management Plan (2013-18). We welcome the views of all who live, work or visit the Lincolnshire Wolds, including thoughts on how we can sustainably develop the area with tourism in mind. Best wishes and keep everything crossed, for a lovely summer for our hard working businesses in the Wolds, and our visitors who simply wish to enjoy what we take for granted! Lewis Strange Chairman, Lincolnshire Wolds Joint Advisory Committee 2 Facts & Figures The Lincolnshire Wolds was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1973 and is one of the UK’s 46 AONBs. Facts & Figures Facts Size 558 km² (216 miles²) Area by Land Use 82% farmland (13% in permanent pasture), 4% woodland, 14% other Number of Parishes 74 parishes; 97 villages Population 10,253 (LWCS estimate from 2001 statistics) Settlement Numerous attractive farmsteads, country houses, hamlets and nucleated villages that contribute to the Wolds’ special character. Market towns located at the periphery of the AONB - Alford, Caistor, Horncastle, Louth, Market Rasen and Spilsby. Landscape North west scarp Character Chalk wolds Ridges & valleys of the south-west South east claylands Special Sites 97 Scheduled Monuments (SMs) 19 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) 21 Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGS) 282 Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs) 15 Roadside Nature Reserves (RNRs) Rights of Way Footpaths – 226,460 metres Bridleways – 180,780 metres Restricted Byways – 3,100 metres Byways Open to All Traffic – 2,700 metres Long distance walk route – the Viking Way (Humber – Rutland) National Cycling Route (Hull – Harwich) Planning Authorities Lincolnshire County Council: 516.5 km² East Lindsey District Council: 397 km² West Lindsey District Council: 119.5 km² North East Lincolnshire Council: 41.5 km² 3 Management Planning The Lincolnshire Wolds AONB Management Plan (2013-2018) Following a detailed peer review, extensive public consultation and Strategic Environmental Appraisal the updated Lincolnshire Wolds AONB Management Plan (2013-2018) was circulated to all relevant local authorities in January for its formal adoption. This final stage is nearing completion with an official publication and launch planned for June 2013. Despite the significant challenges facing all of the UK's protected landscape family, with added pressures through these difficult economic times, the Management Plan sets out an agreed Strategy and Action Plan to encourage Management Planning and support everyone in working towards the shared vision… The Lincolnshire Wolds will continue to be a vibrant living and working landscape through the primary inuence of sustainable agriculture, forestry and land management. It will retain its unique and nationally important sense of place: an area of open rolling hills, dramatic views, farmed elds changing with the seasons, tranquil valleys, woodland, pasture, streams and attractive villages. The Wolds' natural and cultural heritage will be well known, enjoyed and widely respected by both residents and visitors. It will continue to provide a place of tranquillity and inspiration for those fortunate enough to visit the area, whilst meeting the economic, social and environmental needs of those who live and work there. A sustainable approach to ongoing and future planned management activity will be normal practice with an emphasis on integrated farming and land management providing a wide range of innovative solutions to tackling the issues of climate change mitigation and adaption, carbon storage, food production, water quality and supply, recreation provision and energy demands. Greater connectivity between landscapes and green infrastructure will help to provide and cater for an increasing dynamic environment and help to contribute to a good quality of life for all. The Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service will continue to work closely with all partners, landowners and community groups to help raise awareness and crucially encourage delivery of the Plan. We look forward to working with everyone with an active interest in the area to ensure that future change will be for the better – not least in safeguarding and enhancing the special qualities of this nationally protected landscape. "We congratulate you on this huge eort, and for the signicant contribution the review makes to the ensuring that 15 per cent of the land area of England is under the protection of a statutory AONB management plan. We look forward to receiving copies of your published plan, and to working with you and the Lincolnshire Wolds AONB partnership during its delivery and monitoring from 2013 and onwards." Dr Tom Moat, Natural England Area Manager Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Peak District 4 Raising Awareness & Understanding Raising Awareness & Understanding Raising Awareness Wolds News Two editions of the popular AONB partnership newsletter, Wolds News, were produced in 2012-2013. This gives readers a taste of some of the projects and initiatives taking place across the AONB, whether by the LWCS, its partners or community groups. It is a chance to promote their work, events and grants to all who live, work and visit the Wolds. Once again, this year we reduced the number of printed copies available as more people access it electronically via the website, but still 24,000 copies were distributed throughout the Wolds and further afield over the course of the year. Articles covered a range of topics including the Festival of Conservation, Lindsey Trail, raptor boxes, local archaeology, news from the AONB family, Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project, local produce, the Lincolnshire Biodiversity Action Plan, events, activities, snippets and much more. Current and previous editions of Wolds News are available on the LWCS website. Publications All publications are available as pdfs on the website, however they are all reviewed and reprinted as and when necessary. The leaflet, Making the Most of the Lincolnshire Wolds, had its annual update early in 2013. This popular publication highlights the facilities within the Wolds’ villages and market towns. The parish and town councils are contacted each year for any changes prior to printing, ensuring the most up-to-date information is available. In addition, one of the Wonders of the Wolds series, Water, has been revised and reprinted in partnership with the Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project. The circular walk leaflet around Nettleton, along with two of the Market Rasen and four of the Louth Gateway walks have been revised and reprinted. The Market Rasen walk leaflets now include the Walkers Are Welcome logo to recognise the hard work the community have put in to obtain the award. We would like to thank the continued support of East Lindsey District Council and West Lindsey District Council in assisting with the