Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project

Laceby Beck to River Freshney Survey

The Laceby Beck is of concern to the Environment Agency (EA) following the classification of the water body as ‘in poor status’ through the Water Framework Directive guidelines. To attempt to further identify any sediment issues and look at the long term management, the LCSP Project Officer surveyed the Laceby Beck and River Freshney into Grimsby and provided the EA with a report on identification of sediment issues and where habitat improvements Laceby Beck would enhance the chalk stream.

Laceby Manor Golf Course

Following the report, EA funding was made available to deliver on-the-ground enhancement work. The Project Officer worked with the EA to identify a location along the beck where work would deliver immediate improvements to the habitat. The beck running through Laceby Manor Golf Club was high up on the priority list. The Project Officer, working with the EA and the golf course, successfully installed a total of 14 log flow deflectors, removed bank-side scrub Laceby Beck, before along 250m and carried out a short section of revetment works using faggots and pre-planted coir roll.

Donington Mill, Donington-on-Bain

The River Bain flows through Donington-on-Bain via an old mill house. The original structures still exist in the channel and act as barriers to fish migration whilst slowing down the flow and encouraging the deposition of silt on the Laceby Beck, after gravel bed. The landowner is keen to see changes happen to this section of the river to restore the chalk stream habitat that once thrived there. The EA have funded a feasibility study via the Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project to look at the options of restoring the habitat by either removing the current impounding structures or creating new routes to bypass the mill area. With the help of the Wild Trout Trust all ideas will be collated in the feasibility study to find the right solution to restoring this chalk stream habitat for the benefit of aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna.

Catchment Restoration Fund Old weir structure, River Bain

In response to commitments made in both the 2012 Water White Paper and the 2011 Natural Environment White Paper, Defra have set up the Catchment Restoration Fund, with £28 million available nationally over the next three years. The aim is to support projects delivering the targets of the Water Framework Directive to improve the status of our rivers by 2015. The Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project has made an expression of interest to the fund and will be submitting an application in May 2012.

15 Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project

Raising Awareness

A total of 14 advisory visits were undertaken this year with farmers, landowners and communities. The Project Oﬃcer has given two illustrated talks to a total audience of 71 and led three guided walks with over 30 people attending. There were two radio interviews and attendance at a variety of events and shows with the Project Oﬃcer attending seven to raise awareness of chalk streams in Lincolnshire.

In 2011-2012 the EA paid for a leaflet to summarise the work achieved by the Project since 2006. This leaflet will be made available together with the leaflets of the LWCS. Along with the production of the leaflet, new display boards have been made and will be on show at many of the events during 2012-2013. Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project Chalk Streams Lincolnshire

Financial Summary - Chalk Streams Project 2011 - 2012

5.6% Income: £179,435 5.6% Development Budget: £78,657 (43.8%) 5.6% (inc reserve fund)

45% 55% 43.8% Environment Agency: 8.8% £55,000 (30.6%) SITA Trust: 30.6% £15,778 (8.8%) Anglian Water: £10,000 (5.6%) Expenditure: £69,370 LWCS Contribution Core Expenditure - £37,979 (55%) £10,000 (5.6%) Project Expenditure - £31,391 (45%) Natural England: £10,000 (5.6%)

16 Grant Schemes Grant Schemes

The two existing grant schemes, the Landscape Grant Scheme (LGS) and the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF), administered by the LWCS have been rationalised and revitalised in 2011-2012.

The LGS had been running for 12 years, proving extremely popular with farmers and landowners and more recently community groups. The scheme was re-launched in April 2011 as the Small Grant Scheme (SGS), with a new application form. The fund aims to encourage and support projects that protect and enhance the Lincolnshire Wolds landscape and its special features by bringing to fruition ideas from farmers and community groups. The maximum available is £1,000, with applications decided by the LWCS Oﬃcers, ensuring a quick and eﬃcient turnaround for applicants.

Due to the reduced funding available and the loss of the SDF Project Oﬃcer post, the LWCS team streamlined the application process to manage the workload of the SDF within existing work programmes. The new process has proved popular with applicants and the SDF Assessment Panel for ease of applying and available support throughout. The SDF is for applications between £1,000 and £15,000. All applicants are encouraged to source additional grant aid wherever possible to ensure that the SDF can beneﬁt more projects with fewer resources.

Decisions on SDF applications are made by the SDF Assessment Panel, made up of seven representatives from local communities, businesses and organisations that work within the Wolds or are concerned about the quality of life in the AONB. The Panel met three times during 2011-2012 to scrutinise applications and also oﬀered its support for this vital funding stream by attending openings and launches of successful projects.

Between the SGS and the SDF, £41,500 of grant funding has been awarded to applicants during 2011-2012. These projects brought in over £66,000 in cash and voluntary contributions this ﬁnancial year, totalling over £107,500 spent on projects within the Lincolnshire Wolds. As ever, the ongoing contributions that both grant schemes bring to the Wolds are invaluable in maintaining a thriving, high quality landscape and supporting local communities and businesses.

17 Small Grant Scheme

Here are just a few highlights from the 23 successful projects supported by the SGS:

All Saints’, Walesby – the provision of new entrance oak gates at the Ramblers’ Church, continuing to support the work undertaken by the local volunteer group.

East Lincolnshire Raptor Project – provision of materials to enable raptor boxes to be constructed and erected for use by kestrels and barn, tawny and little owls.

Small Grant Scheme Lincolnshire Beekeepers Association – contribution towards a gazebo for events and specialist beekeeping equipment for loan to beginners and children.

Ludford Village Stocks – the creation of village stocks constructed of green oak for the small village green on Stocks Lane.

Lindsey Patchworkers – a celebratory event marking the 30th anniversary of this active group, along with the design and creation of a patchwork depicting key aspects of the AONB.

Open Farm Sunday Buses – in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Market Rasen, funding towards the cost of buses for Grimsby families to attend this popular event in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

St Andrew’s, Utterby – help towards enhancements in this charming chalk constructed church, complementing the on-going Heritage Project taking place within the church itself.

St Julian’s, Benniworth – the provision of green oak benches to enhance the use of this diverse churchyard.

St Michael & All Angels’, Brookenby – help in providing display boards and information on the history of RAF/RAAF Binbrook.

2011 - 2012 Small Grant Scheme

14 14 12 12

10 10 Village Enhancements 8 8 6

6 & Public Events Engagement

4 Themes

Applicants 4 2 2 Biodiversity Bene ts Community Groups & Interest Farmers & Farmers Landowners 0 0

18 Sustainable Development Fund Sustainable Development FundSustainable Development

The ve successful projects supported by the SDF were:

Fotherby Common – restoration of car parking area including resurfacing using recycled plastic-reinforced cells with seeding.

Lindsey Trail, Lincolnshire Wolds – promotion of the new 69 mile route suitable for carriage drivers, horse riders, cyclists and walkers through the provision of interpretative panels and leaﬂets.

St Helen’s Church, Burgh on Bain – installation of toilet facilities, kitchenette area and ﬂooring to complete the ﬁnal phase of works to enable the church to be used as a community venue. The opening ceremony included presentations of plaques by the Chairman of the SDF Panel, followed by the Burgh on Bain Olympiad enjoyed by over 60 residents.

Tealby Play Area and Village Green – provision of play equipment, paths, seating and nature conservation improvements for this popular facility in the heart of the village.

Youth Drop In Centre, Binbrook – replacement of old garages with a new indoor facility for the teenagers of Binbrook and surrounding villages.

19 Strategic Planning and Policy

Often at the invitation of the relevant local planning authority, the LWCS submit specialist comments on a proposed development’s impact on the AONB. Over the past 12 months a wide range of planning applications have been reviewed with comments and recommendations returned on numerous schemes including:

Farm buildings Log cabin/holiday developments Quarrying operations and use of sites Fishing lakes Housing Equestrian facilities Wind turbines and other alternative energy schemes.

During 2011, undergrounding overhead wires within Wolds’ settlements has continued. Northern

Strategic Planning and Policy Planning Strategic Power Grid have dismantled and removed 1,175m of overhead line, replacing with underground cabling, with more work anticipated to take place during 2012-2013.

In November 2011, the LWCS, at the instruction of the Lincolnshire Wolds JAC, organised an extraordinary meeting to discuss the issue of renewable energy generation and energy reduction measures in the context of the AONB. A range of experts were on hand to stimulate debate and discussion to help inform both the forthcoming AONB Management Plan and aid the individual planning authorities through a collaborative approach. On balance, the event was well received with strong views expressed on both the opportunities and constraints of the various energy technologies. There was general agreement on the need for the JAC to assist the respective local authorities in developing a careful approach towards any future development proposals both within and immediately adjacent to the AONB as their various planning strategies are reviewed.

A wide range of input was submitted to the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to assist in national responses to a wide range of legislative and government policy documents.

Formal comments were submitted, or workshops attended, on a variety of strategic planning and policy documents and consultations including:

Lincolnshire Biodiversity Action Plan 3rd edition (Peer review) Lincolnshire Green Infrastructure Strategy Lincolnshire Natural Environment Strategy National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Core Strategy and Business Plan National Planning Policy Framework - Draft North East Lincolnshire Green & Open Space Strategy.

20 Partnerships Partnerships Local Partnerships

The Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service (LWCS) currently implements a varied work programme on behalf of the Lincolnshire Wolds Joint Advisory Committee and its core funders (Lincolnshire County Council, East Lindsey District Council, West Lindsey District Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and Defra). The LWCS works alongside a wide range of organisations, local landowners, community groups and volunteers advising on policy and undertaking activity that furthers the interests of the AONB and wider Wolds character area.

The care of the AONB has been entrusted to the local authorities, organisations, community groups and those who live and work in the area. Much of the area is in private ownership, with few publicly owned and managed sites. Private landowners, particularly farmers, have a crucial role to play in continuing to safeguard this unique landscape.

Over the past 12 months the LWCS has maintained and developed links with the following local partnerships and initiatives:

Caistor Walkers are Welcome Steering Group Campaign for the Farmed Environment Churches Conservation Trust – ArChWay Project East Lindsey Local Strategic Partnership - Climate Change and Environment Specialist Network Hubbard’s Hills Trust Life on The Verge Project Lincolnshire Biodiversity Action Plan: Farmland and Grassland Group Lincolnshire Biodiversity Action Plan: Rivers and Wetlands Group Lincolnshire Biodiversity Action Plan: Trees and Woodlands Group Lincolnshire Biodiversity Action Plan: Urban Group Lincolnshire Biodiversity Partnership: Lincolnshire Geodiversity Group Lincolnshire Biodiversity Partnership: Local Wildlife & Geological Sites Panels Lincolnshire Biodiversity Partnership Lincolnshire Coast Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative Steering Group Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project Lincolnshire Funding Advice Network Lincolnshire Grazing Marsh Project Lincolnshire Heritage At Risk Project Lincolnshire Historic Landscape Characterisation Lincolnshire Local Access Forum Lincolnshire Marsh Water Vole Project Lincolnshire Walking Forum Lincolnshire Wolds Heritage Working Group Lincolnshire Wolds Walking Festival Lindsey Action Zone - Rural Development Programme for England Louth Town Partnership Market Rasen Walkers are Welcome Steering Group Traditional Roadsigns in Lincolnshire West Lindsey Local Strategic Partnership - Wolds Area Forum.

21 Partnerships

Working in Partnership Joint Advisory Committee

The Wolds has an established Joint Advisory Committee (JAC): a partnership of public, Ocers Working Group private and voluntary organisations and representatives who have a special interest or Joint Management JAC Topic Groups working knowledge of the area. The JAC acts as Group Partnerships a forum to advise and guide activity on a wide Lincolnshire Wolds range of issues across the Wolds and is Countryside Service instrumental in developing, implementing and monitoring the AONB Management Plan.

"I am very impressed by the diverse range of initiatives being undertaken to help protect, enhance and raise awareness of the Lincolnshire Wolds AONB. The success in strategic and project delivery as detailed in your report provides an inspiration for continuing partnership and community action to safeguard this nationally important landscape. Keep up the good work."

Dr Tom Moat, Area Manager, Natural England.

National Partnerships

The LWCS team has regularly participated in a number of events organised through the National Association for AONBs (NAAONB) to share skills and training opportunities with our colleagues from other AONBs.

During July 2011, the International Year of Volunteers, staﬀ attended the NAAONB conference entitled ‘National Issues – Local Solutions’ at the Combined Universities of Cornwall, Tremough Campus, Penryn, Cornwall. The overall message from the Conference was that the integrated, collaborative approach taken by AONB partnerships locally makes the AONB Family, as a whole, a strategic national asset. Partnership working helps unlock the full potential of our greatest resource – the people that care passionately about these areas.

Protected Landscapes Monitoring Pilot

The Lincolnshire Wolds AONB has been one of four areas trialling a new national framework of indicators for monitoring the condition and environmental outcomes of protected landscapes. The project has been taken forward in joint partnership between Defra, Natural England, NAAONB, English National Park Authorities Association and English Heritage. Depending on the ﬁnal conclusions and recommendations of the pilot, it is hoped that a collaborative approach to the collection and provision of national and local datasets will encourage the development of an evidence base for the future. Such an approach will help to ensure the best use of limited resources to protect and enhance the AONB and its immediate surroundings, providing incentives for further research and, where relevant, supporting external grant funding applications.

22 National Partnerships National Partnerships The LWCS has represented the Lincolnshire Wolds AONB at the following:

East Midlands Landscape Partnership National AONB Conference, Penryn, Cornwall National AONB meeting - Lead Ocers and Chairmen’s meeting National AONB meeting - National funding meeting Northern AONBs Group meetings Northern Power and Western Power Protected Landscapes Working Groups.

The Lincolnshire Wolds AONB Partnership has supported and endorsed the NAAONB on a wide range of initiatives undertaken on behalf of the all of the 46 AONBs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Just some of the important NAAONB activity has included:

Securing continued central government support and funding Developing common objectives for the AONB family Working to develop national identity for the AONB family Developing a new website www.landscapesforlife.org.uk Lobbying and inuencing decision makers Commenting on national strategies.

One focus for the NAAONB has been to develop a national identity for the AONB family, working with the AONBs. Whilst most AONBs have developed an individual local approach to awareness raising, there has been previously limited national shared branding and proﬁle. The purpose of the national identity will be to raise the proﬁle of the AONB family. It also adds strength to the common national objectives, also being developed.

23 Financial Summary 2011 - 2012

Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service Core expenditure: £246,489

0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 1.25% 0.25%

3% Sta & Governance - 53% 5% Projects - 28% Printing / Graphics - 8% 8% Premises - 5% Vehicles - 3% 53% Equipment / Materials - 1.25% Subscriptions / Conferences - 0.5%

Financial Summary Financial 2011 - 2012 Miscellaneous - 0.5% 28% Advertising / Promotions - 0.5% Consultancy - 0.25%

There is a signed Memorandum of Agreement between Lincolnshire County Council, East Lindsey District Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and West Lindsey District Council and Defra endorsing commitment as funding partners to manage the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, through supporting the Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service staﬀ unit.

Project expenditure: £70,066

7% SDF & SGS Schemes - 59% 9% Chalk Streams Project - 14% Lincolnshire Wolds Walking Festival - 11% 11% Life on the Verge Project - 9% 59% TRiL Project - 7%

14%

24 Local Partnerships

Over the past 12 months the LWCS has maintained and developed links with the following local partnerships and initiatives:

Financial Summary 2011 - 2012 Financial 2011 - 2012 Summary

Income: £363,874

Defra Grant - 52% Development Budget - 27% 0.5% 27% Miscellaneous Income - 0.5% 5.5% Local Authority Contribution - 20.5% 20.5% 5% 52% Lincolnshire County Council - 9% 9% East Lindsey District Council - 5.5% 1% West Lindsey District Council - 5% North East Lincolnshire Council - 1%

Lincolnshire Wolds Grant Scheme Total income: £41,564 Total expenditure: £41,564

Grant oered and total project match funding

11% Grant Oered - 39% Match Funding - 61% 39% 61% 50% Public Sector - 50% Private Sector - 11%

25 AONB Survey Work

Life on the Verge

Life on the Verge was launched in April 2011 in partnership with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust (LWT), Natural England, Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service and the local authorities. This two year initiative, which has received £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, recruits volunteers to survey wildflowers on the roadside verges of the Lincolnshire Wolds National Character Area which includes the AONB. Surveyors are provided with training and a wildflower identification guide that can be used to assess the wildlife conservation value of roadside verges.

Wildflower identification field classes were held at Red Hill LWT reserve and at Elsham Pastures Local

AONB AONB Survey Work Wildlife Site during June and July. In all, 125 people attended and feedback was very positive, with 79% saying that they intended to carry out surveys for the project.

Volunteers need no previous experience or botanical knowledge because a free identiﬁcation guide is provided which shortlists plants that indicate wildlife value. The project website enables the majority of volunteers to locate and claim road sections for survey using online maps and satellite images, printing out maps and forms to ﬁll in. Alternatively, all paperwork can be sent by post on request.

In the first year, over 30 volunteers have surveyed 146km of the 860km of road within the AONB (17%) which, when combined with surveys carried out ‘virtually’ and by the Project Officer, totalled 306km (36%). Verges found to be rich in characteristic wildflowers are scored against criteria for Local Wildlife Site (LWS) designation. So far, 63km of verge has been found to be high enough quality for LWS designation within the AONB. The best verges discovered so far are clustered around Horncastle and Sotby, Louth and Claxby; but further surveys in 2012 may highlight more extensive areas of quality.

Life on the Verge in the Wolds follows on from a similar initiative in the limestone area of South Lincolnshire and Rutland. The data collected by these surveys is already helping conservation management decisions on roadsides. Once the most important potential wildlife corridors have been identiﬁed across the Wolds, there will then be an opportunity to engage landowners and communities throughout the AONB to encourage a sense of stewardship for chalk grassland - a priority habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. This survey can help not only to conserve a rapidly disappearing element of local landscape heritage, but also provide a vital ﬁrst step in halting and even reversing trends of local extinctions in the county.

26 Governance and Stang Structure Governanace and Staﬃng Structure Lincolnshire Wolds Joint Advisory Committee (JAC)

Membership as at 31st March 2012: Bold type denotes representatives on the Joint Management Group (JMG)

Tim Allen English Heritage Cllr Alan Caine (JMG Chairman) West Lindsey District Council Dave Carter Lincolnshire Sports Partnership Paul Chaplin North East Lincolnshire Council Cllr Iain Colquhoun North East Lincolnshire Council Karen Devonport Natural England Charles Dobson National Farmers Union Roger Douglas Country Land and Business Association Vicky Dunn Groundwork Lincolnshire Cllr William Gray East Lindsey District Council Sally Hewitt Lincolnshire County Council David Hickman Lincolnshire County Council Rob Lawton West Lindsey District Council Terry Miller Churches Together in all Lincolnshire Andrew Mozley Environment Agency Stuart Parker (JAC Vice Chairman) Ramblers Cllr Tom Regis West Lindsey District Council David Rodger BTCV Andrew Shirley Country Land and Business Association Ella Sivil Campaign to Protect Rural England Henry Smith National Farmers Union David Start Heritage Lincolnshire Caroline Steel Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Cllr Lewis Strange (JAC Chairman) Lincolnshire County Council Cllr Anthony H Turner, MBE (JMG Vice Chairman) Lincolnshire County Council Kay Turton East Lindsey District Council David White Forestry Commission Fiona White Community Lincs

Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service (AONB Unit) as at 31st March 2012

Stephen Jack Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service Manager Helen Gamble Project Officer Louise Niekirk Project Officer Ruth Snelson Project Officer (Lincolnshire Chalk Streams) Claire Harrison Administration and Technical Assistant

Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service Navigation Warehouse, Riverhead Road, Louth Lincolnshire LN11 0DA Tel: 01507 609740 Website: lincswolds.org.uk Email: [email protected] Photographs kindly supplied by © LWCS, Nev Gurnhill, Richard Enderby, LWT, Heritage at Risk LWT, NevRichard Enderby, Gurnhill, kindly © LWCS, Photographs supplied by

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