Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Conservation Action Plan 2019-2024 The story of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs 3 1.1 Acknowledgements Contents Our thanks go to the organisations, their representatives, and individuals who have been involved in the development of Chalk, Cherries and Chairs from the outset – a great example of the sector working on a landscape scale to celebrate all that the Central Chilterns has to offer. In particular, we would like to thank the Advisory Group members and lead partner organisations. In addition, Part 1 our thanks go to all the people who have offered their considerable expertise and time in Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ iv contributing to this Landscape Conservation Action Plan. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ vi Section 1: The story of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs ................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction to the Central Chilterns .............................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Geology ....................................................................................................................................................................... 9 1.3 Natural Environment ..............................................................................................................................................13 1.4 Chalk, Cherries and Chairs timeline ...............................................................................................................18 1.5 Archaeology ........................................................................................................................................................... 20 1.6 The working landscape ......................................................................................................................................23 1.7 Landscape character ............................................................................................................................................28 Section 2: Statement of significance ..................................................................................................................35 Section 3: People of the landscape .....................................................................................................................47 Section 4: Threats and opportunities ................................................................................................................59 Section 5: The Scheme ................................................................................................................................................71 5.1 Vision, aims, development and consultation ...........................................................................................72 5.2 Chalk, Cherries and Chairs area .....................................................................................................................76 5.3 Marketing and communications ....................................................................................................................77 5.4 Themes and projects .......................................................................................................................................... 80 5.5 Finances .....................................................................................................................................................................87 5.6 Structure and management ..............................................................................................................................91 5.7 Risks ........................................................................................................................................................................ 100 Section 6: Monitoring and evaluation ..............................................................................................................103 Section 7: Legacy ......................................................................................................................................................109 Part 2 The Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB), an independent body established by Project Summaries Parliamentary Order with 27 members drawn from local communities, has a statutory Available at Chalk, Cherries and Chairs duty to protect, conserve and enhance the Chilterns AONB. Our vision is that the Chilterns is recognised, conserved and appreciated as a vibrant, internationally significant landscape which offers unique social, health and economic benefits to its communities and beyond. AppendicesAppendices We achieve this through developing innovative partnerships and projects which value and sustain the benefits that the Chilterns provides for society, support the economic Available on request from CCB and social wellbeing of local communities, promote public understanding, and mobilise people to take action for its conservation. www.chilternsaonb.org The Scheme seeks to connect or reconnect local people to the wildlife and cultural heritage of the Central Chilterns through a number of individual but interweaving projects under the Executive Summary following themes: The Chilterns AONB1 is one of the UK’s finest and most distinctive Wildlife and Landscape landscapes, and the Central Chilterns2 area reflects all of the special characteristics that contribute to this distinctiveness. Creating and/or restoring large-scale habitats on farm and other private land; improving and It has a stunning backdrop of chalk hills; extending wildlife sites; providing groups with the ‘scarp edge’ of the hills created when the skills and resources to manage their own glaciers came to rest and rushing meltwaters community wild spaces; increasing the number carved deep narrow valleys with clay and flint of people able to monitor wildlife; advising Cox Ashley summits. These have left an intimate mosaic and helping landowners to improve their land Adonis Blue butterfly, a specialist of chalk grasslands, Yoesdon Bank of woodland, chalk grassland, farmland, chalk to benefit wildlife. streams, commons and parkland, with a dense network of ancient routeways, tiny winding Heritage and Landscape green lanes and deep hollow-ways connecting photo to be supplied the hills and valleys. Creating opportunities for people to explore, experience and learn about their rich cultural Its proximity to London means that the Central Chris Smith heritage and how it relates to their experience Chilterns has benefited from easy access of the landscape today; creating an enduring to markets. In the 1700s and 1800s, fruit The dynamic interplay interpretation and record of this heritage, growing became a major livelihood, with the King Stuart to inform and inspire future generations. chalky soils being a natural host for cultivated between people and place Alan Dean, Chair Turner, at Holmer Green, 1972 cherries. By the turn of the 1900s, everyone over thousands of years is in the rural communities would stop working People and Landscape on their other jobs to help harvest the cherries a relationship of perpetual, and celebrate Cherry Pie Sunday. Providing groups and communities with incremental change. the knowledge and skills to look after their By the mid-19th century, the woods were busy local special places and landscapes, through with ‘bodgers’, the men who turned wood to Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape effective engagement with the planning system, make parts for chairs, to supply the furniture Partnership Scheme (the Scheme) is the catalysing local volunteering, and directly caring workshops and factories in and around High coming together of diverse organisations for local green space; creating activities and Wycombe, an industry that came to define and communities in the Central Chilterns opportunities to help break down barriers the region. Murfett Lucy to work towards a vision of: which prevent people from experiencing and Future custodians of the landscape The dynamic interplay between people and “A healthy, resilient, connected landscape; enjoying the countryside around them. enjoying the great outdoors place over thousands of years is a relationship of perpetual, incremental change. Yet the with its unique natural, historical, and Common threads, such as volunteering, learning, digital media and providing small pace and scale of change from housing and cultural heritage cherished by present grants to encourage community initiatives, will run across the themes. infrastructure development that the area and future generations.” now faces are of an entirely different order. The programme will leave a legacy of improved conservation and land management, Combined with other forces for change, Led by the Chilterns Conservation Board partnership working, skills, volunteers, and engaged and aware communities caring they are putting the characteristic landscape (CCB) and supported by the Heritage for the future of their heritage. features, cultural heritage and ecological Lottery Fund (HLF), the Scheme will provide connectivity of the Central Chilterns at opportunities for people to get involved and considerable risk. Construction of High volunteer; to increase and improve wildlife Speed