DEDHAM VALE & STOUR VALLEY NEWS News and Visitor Information for the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Free Autumn/Winter 2017/18 e v r e s e R e r u Educating the next generation t a N l l a H s is a key to a life long interest ’ w a D t a s in nature and conservation k c i t S h o o Page 14 P g n i y a l P In This Edition: Dark Skies for Dedham, page 2 d r Non-Native Species o f t a l F t eradication work, a h t a p page 4 r i a h c l e Engaging in planning, e h r w u o page 9 w t e S n r a e v g i n R i k Walking for health and ambition, e a h t m g page 10 s n r i e t e a t r n b u e l l e Community wildlife news, o C V pages 12-13 Celebrating the River Stour with Volunteers contribute Partnership attract visitors, a new Festival in 2018 hugely to the AONB page 15 Page 3 Pages 2, 4 & 7 DEDHAM VALE & STOUR VALLEY NEWS www.dedhamvalestourvalley.org 1 Your AONB These areas were targeted and varied River Stour 500 Trees broadleaved native trees and shrub species Messages from the Chairmen were planted. he AONB Project had a fantastic winter planting over 500 riverside trees on the A lack of shade is detrimental to fish and other Trivers Stour, Brett and Box. The response riverine species, particularly in the summer from landowners for trees was very months when river temperatures rise to levels encouraging and we simply couldn’t meet that are stressful for them. demand! Plans are already in place to plant a further 2,000 trees and shrubs winter 2017/18. Trees are vital for rivers in many other ways A BIG thank you to the 104 tremendous including providing food for fish in the river. volunteers that helped to plant the trees, Fish such as Dace and Trout are reliant upon including 50 primary school children from insects that fall into the river from Wells Halls Primary, Hintlesham and overhanging trees. Trees also help to input Chattisham Primary and Bildeston Primary. woody debris that helps to create important refuges for fish and invertebrates. The project was made possible due to a grant of £3,500 awarded by Essex and Suffolk Water Alex Moore da Luz Robert Erith TD DL Cllr Nigel Chapman Branch Out Fund. Trees were planted at an incredible 23 sites across the Chairman, Dedham Vale Chairman, Dedham Vale AONB and Project Area. AONB and Stour Valley AONB and Stour Valley Joint Surveys carried out in 2015 Partnership Advisory Committee (JAC) by the formidable team of Dedham Vale volunteers n 16 June the Partnership hosted a lthough tourism isn't a responsibility highlighted the riparian areas group of distinguished speakers at its of the AONB Project, I and my that were suffering from Oannual Forum in Lamarsh, the centre Acolleagues have been endeavouring, inadequate tree shading. of the Project area. A record number of over for some years, to encourage a business 100 attendees heard Howard Davies (Chief group to come together to work across the Executive of the National Association of whole valley. I am, therefore, delighted to Team of Environment Agency staff helped to plant trees at Shelley Hall on the River Brett AONBs), Professor Jules Pretty (Pro-Vice welcome the formation of a Stour Valley Chancellor of Essex University, a leading Tourism Action Group. There is more about environmentalist) and Lord Gardiner (Defra what they are up to on page 15 of this Minister responsible for AONBs and National newspaper, and we eagerly look forward to Dark Skies in Dedham Vale Parks), talk about the great benefits to working with them in the coming months. health and happiness of our outstanding he Dedham Vale Society is campaigning to astronomical darkness with no moon in the sky. landscapes. It was a thoroughly worthwhile Also featured in this edition is news about protect the night skies, and as Mike The SQM readings are on a logarithmic scale occasion with valuable content on the great next year's exciting inaugural River Stour TBarrett, our Polstead-based astronomer, meaning that a reading of 20 is twice as dark importance of our protected landscapes Festival. I am pleased to be personally reports below, things are looking very as 19, and 21 is 4 times as dark. The readings especially to our largely urban population. involved in what I think will be a promising indeed. Every single reading taken need to be taken across the AONB at See further information on page 5. tremendous celebration of the river, its with our sky meters is well within the limits approximately 1km intervals, and the grid will landscape, its culture and its people! required for designation by the International determine the status of our night skies. Lord Gardiner toured the AONB, including Dark Skies Association. the proposed extension area, remarking on I am often asked why are such things The Dedham Vale is eligible for Dark Sky its high quality and the care with which it is important to the Valley? I believe that we Another part of this campaign is to check on Accreditation as a Dark Sky Reserve. There are maintained. He also spoke at the National must recognise that the population of north ‘obtrusive lighting’. Quite small developments three tiers or this, Gold, Silver and Bronze, with Association of AONBs conference in July, east Essex and south Suffolk will continue to or external LEDs being fitted in our villages, Gold being the least affected by light pollution where I presented him with a copy of the increase over the next few years and many even a single floodlight, can have an impact on and Bronze being the most. Gold status is discussion document produced by Nick of these people will want to enjoy, exercise upon a dark place if inappropriately fitted. awarded for SQM readings greater than 21.75, Collinson and Simon Amstutz which charts and relax in and around the AONB and wider Silver between 21.74 and 21.00, and Bronze the way in which AONB boundary reviews valley. I want us to be ready to properly Charles Clover between 20.99 to 20.00. can be speeded up. As a result, the Minister welcome them all. I am a firm believer in a discussed this with Natural England and we 'Natural Health Service' and happily echo the Dark Sky Survey Results The initial results of the survey carried out in understand that the process is under review. words of the 19th century social reformer, spring 2017 found that Dedham Vale was There are at present just 13 suggested Octavia Hill, who wrote: ‘The need of quiet, The darkness of the night sky is measured using within the range of Bronze status all over and designation projects of which two are new the need of air, and, I believe, the sight of a Sky Quality Meter (SQM) during periods of Silver in the western area. Not surprisingly the National Parks (based on existing AONBs), sky and things growing, seem human needs, sections to the east of the AONB fared worst five are new AONBs and six are AONB common to all’. I am encouraged by the with Cox’s Hill near Manningtree recording a boundary variations, of which the Dedham number of young families that I have met SQM of 20.11 (still well within the banding for Vale extension is one. At the present rate of recently who, having moved to the area, Bronze) whilst the western edge between progress this work would take 50 years to have discovered the Stour Valley and Nayland and Bures returned readings of more complete, an unacceptable situation. We enthuse to me about all the area has to than 21 in the Silver category. The best reading have the support of all MPs in the area and offer. We must continue to inspire them. to date was taken on the Green at Polstead at all local authorities so I am encouraged to 21.34. believe change is on the way. Finally, a brief mention that the Draft Stage of Colchester's Local Plan has recently been Further readings will be carried out this Other new initiatives include a proposal to agreed and the next stage is to seek the autumn/winter, including in the periphery of erect “Entering Dedham Vale Area of approval of the Secretary of State. I believe the AONB and in the proposed AONB extension Outstanding Natural Beauty” signs on main that we have strengthened policies that area, with multiple readings taken at the same roads at the entrances to our AONB, see relate to the AONB and I am particularly site. page 8. This is part of a wider campaign to pleased that it clearly refers to the desire to raise the profile of these beautiful and recognise the quality of the night sky in the Once we have confirmed eligibility we need to diverse landscapes. There are also early Vale, which has recently been recognised as do a survey of all the street lights within the discussions about the replacement of being of a standard good enough to qualify boundaries and persuade the various councils Countryside Stewardship and other for an award from the International Dark and other bodies to have a controlled lighting payments to farmers following Brexit.