AREA GREENSPACE PARTNERSHIP

SPREADING THE WORD

Nicola Lipscombe Chair October 2015 The Vision for the Partnership

Working together:

 To provide an overview and strong local voice for greenspace, and raise awareness of its value and the benefits of good quality green infrastructure

 To create a more resilient and sustainable environment for people and wildlife in Salisbury and the surrounding area

 To influence policy and provision, and the enhancement and management of the greenspace network for the longer term Where has the Partnership come from?

• The idea • Launch in 2012 – keynote speaker Ian Phillips……. • Importance of green space/green infrastructure • Workshops provided mandate • Steering Group

Urban woodlands Current partners Local Specialist Interest Groups Local Authority South Wilts Biodiversity Group Council – officers concerned with public Salisbury & District Natural History open space, public rights of way, green Society infrastructure strategy, spatial planning, River Bourne Community Farm landscape, ecology, countryside, public health CPRE South Wiltshire Group Salisbury Vision Salisbury Civic Society Parish Councils COGS (Cycling Opportunities Group Salisbury) Salisbury City Council Bemerton Activity Trails Laverstock & Ford Parish Council Salisbury Beekeepers Wilton Town Council Community/ Wiltshire Bat Group Five Rivers Association Bat Group Volunteers Wiltshire Botanical Group Friends of Watermeadows Wilton Community Land Trust Dean & Chapter, Salisbury Cathedral Friends of Harnham Slope Friends of Churchill Gardens Environmental Sarum Academy Agencies Salisbury Wildlife Group Natural England Walking for Health Link2Nature (Wiltshire & Swindon Wessex Community Action Local Nature Partnership) Forestry Commission Environment Agency RSPB Wiltshire Wildlife Trust English Heritage Current target area for the Partnership

Wilton Laverstock and Ford Salisbury City The steering group

• Pam Rouquette – Walking for Health • Roger Dudin – South Wiltshire Biodiversity Group • Les Lipscombe – Salisbury Wildlife Group • Councillor Michael Pope – Salisbury City Council • Councillor Colin Froude – Salisbury City Council • David Bradley – Parks Manager, Salisbury City Council • Mary Noyce – Technical Officer, Open Spaces, Wiltshire County • Phil Sheldrake – Conservation Officer, RSPB • Russell Spencer – Hampshire Avon Co-ordinator, Environment Agency • Chris Cochrane – Broken Bridges • Jacob Dew – Co-ordinator, Hampshire Avon Catchment Partnership • David Law - Laverstock & Ford PC • Nicola Lipscombe – Salisbury Civic Society, Current Chair What is greenspace/green infrastructure? Downland Cemeteries/ Playing fields Urban Churchyards

Parks

AllotmentsAllotments

Street trees River corridors

Woodlands/Forest Cycle ways & Footpaths

WaterUrban meadows woodlands Village greens Urban woodlands Why is GI so important?

 It is multifunctional and plays a vital part in delivering the ecosystem services we need to survive:

varied and biodiverse habitats clean air and water climate change mitigation flood protection maintenance of soil fertility food fuel Why is GI so important?

 It enhances our quality of life:

provides inspiring places places that are rich in wildlife places to play and exercise places to relax and enjoy places to experience and learn about the natural world Why is GI so important?

 It helps create attractive and distinctive places in which to live:

adds value to property attracts businesses to invest in an area stimulates job opportunities brings local communities together Local issues

 Lack of knowledge about what and where green spaces are  Poor connectivity between existing green spaces  Lack of joined up thinking  Lack of resources, skills and vision for the overall planning and management of current greenspace assets  Management regimes that bring few benefits for wildlife eg. ubiquitous grass mowing  Problems of overuse and misuse especially on the urban fringe Local issue – Fragmented Ownerships

Durnford Country Park at South Woodford Hampton Park 2 Newton

Avon Valley Nature Reserve Laverstock & Ford River Bourne Quidhampton Community Farm Wilton Salisbury Clarendon Park

Netherhampton

Harnham Slope Woodland Britford Local issue – Development Pressures Longhedge Durnford South Woodford Old Sarum Newton Airfield

Fugglestone Red Laverstock & Ford Erskine Salisbury Hampton Park Barracks Quidhampton Wilton Clarendon Park The Maltings Netherhampton Southampton Road Gateway?

Britford Local issue – Complicated administrative groupings

Amesbury Area Board

Southern Area Board Salisbury Area Board South West Area Board

1 Local Authority, 4 Community Areas Local issue – Complicated administrative groupings

Durnford South Woodford Newton

Laverstock & Ford

Quidhampton Wilton Salisbury Clarendon Park

Netherhampton

Britford

+ 10 Parishes Opportunities & priorities for action

 Fill the knowledge gaps by asset mapping & data gathering

 Influence the local planning process - development control decision making as well as policy

 Involve local people & businesses, & spread the message about the value of greenspace assets & green infrastructure

 Create a one-stop shop for greenspace matters & volunteers

 Improve habitat diversity and range; encourage reviews of existing management practices eg SAGP input into SCC review

 Provide one voice for greenspace and share responsibility, skills and resources Greenspace audit & asset mapping

Greenspace – what and where it is, the existing links, the gaps and the potential for making improvements

Typology:

1. Readily accessible community greenspace 2. Restricted/controlled access greenspace 3. Natural/semi-natural greenspace 4. Productive greenspace 5. Strategic greenspace Sample Map 6. Linear features Detailed greenspace mapping typology Phase 1 & 2 Habitat Mapping

Improved grassland

Small swamp area Neutral grassland

Broadleaved, mixed & yew woodland

River Bourne Community Farm

South Wiltshire Biodiversity Group are co-ordinating the habitat mapping of area & working with Salisbury & District Natural History Society & other local specialists to survey the Cathedral Close & other priority areas. Data will be shared with WSBRC Gathering additional baseline data

Public Open Space Parish Surveys Surveys

• Trained SAGP volunteers have supported with their Public Open Space Survey. The data is being used to develop county wide standards & is also available for SAGP to use locally

• WC consultation on Part 1 Draft as part of Core Strategy Review ends on 26 May Local residents training for their hedgerow surveys in Laverstock & Ford Evaluating the potential for improvement

Opportunities for groups & volunteers to get actively involved in more greenspace surveys to find out……… • How greenspace is currently used • How people value their local green spaces – what they like & don’t like about them • Historic & cultural value – of spaces & features eg. Market Place • Landscape/townscape value – contribution of setting & local features such as key trees, tree groups, views, landmarks etc to local distinctiveness eg. Lombardy Poplars • Linear features – informal routeways, hedgerows & lines of trees often associated with footpaths, cycle routes & other transport corridors • Ecosystem service delivery – contribution to biodiversity, water retention, air quality, carbon capture, climate change mitigation, jobs, food, fuel etc

Urban woodlands The digital mapping set up

FlexViewer Wiltshire Council Server ESRI ArcGIS ESRI ArcGIS SAGP Viewer Volunteer version OS Licence Access for Controlled access Data storage partners to view for editing etc

Email attachment WFS Link Google Drive SAGP data SAGP Quantum storage GIS Database & MAGIC Natural England workspace QGIS Cloud Forestry Commission Access for partners English Heritage to view Environment Agency Ordnance Survey Wiltshire Council Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Record Centre SAGP

Data sources 20 September 2015 Resources for Partners

 The greenspace asset mapping will provide a tool for managing & enhancing local greenspace, improving connectivity & developing a longer term strategy

 It will be possible to see the bigger picture across wards & parishes, & allow for joined up thinking & action

 It will support the neighbourhood planning process

 It will be possible to better defend our green spaces against loss from development

Website: http://salisburyareagreenspacepartnership.co.uk Resources for Partners

In the longer term SAGP would like to see:  A regular greenspace forum with a co-ordinating role and to ensure local aspirations are represented to the local authority, business and developers

 All green space managed to maximise the ecosystem services it provides, and in particular for wildlife, amenity value and landscape setting

 Other community resources including a community greenspace project officer and dedicated fund to secure the future of local green infrastructure

Website: http://salisburyareagreenspacepartnership.co.uk