Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation and Interpretation Plan December 2011
Prepared by Marion Blockley - Heritage Management
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation and Interpretation Plan
Acknowledgements Image credits Contents Executive Summary and brief 5 The potential for Leisure and Tourism 1 Introduction 5.1 ‘Slow’, ‘Green’ or ‘Responsible’ Tourism 1.1 Historical Development 5.2 The profile of Slow or Responsible 1.2 Historical Significance and Designations Tourism Audience 1.3 Environmental Significance and Designations 5.3 Principles of Slow or Responsible Tourism 1.4 Amenity, Community and Social Significance 5.4 The Market for Slow Tourism in East and North Yorkshire 1.5 Ownership and Management 5.5 Segmentation of Green/Nature Tourism Market
5.6 The economic benefits of Slow Tourism 2 Issues affecting the canal 5.7 The existing visitor market for East Yorkshire 2.1 Nature Conservation Importance 5.8 Seasonality of Nature Tourism across 2.2 The Canal as part of the Buffer Zone for the Ings and East Yorkshire Lower Derwent Valley 5.9 The volume of visits to East Yorkshire 2.3 Statutory Obligations and Policies 5.10 What does this mean for Pocklington Canal? 2.4 Non- navigation factors affecting nature conservation value 5.11 How to attract the Slow/Responsible tourism audience 2.5 Influence of navigation on aquatic wildlife 5.12 Slow/Responsible tourism partners 2.6 Canal Infrastructure, dredging and weed cutting 2.7 Disturbance of birds on the Ings 6 Recommendations on agreed action 2.8 Protection of the Historic Fabric of the Canal 6.1 Develop a Visitor Management Strategy 2.9 Parking at Melbourne Arm 6.2 Prepare a Conservation Management Plan 2.10 Towpath Condition and Access 6.3 Create opportunities for community engagement and volunteering 2.11 Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliance 6.4 Provide formal learning opportunities 2.12 Lack of Awareness of the Canal 6.5 Rationalise future partnership management 2.13 The Canal as part of the Local Green Infrastructure Network 7 Conclusions and next steps
3 Options Appraisal-moving towards consensus Appendices 3.1 Criteria to be considered Appendix 1 Sources 3.2 Potential options (for consultation) Appendix 2 Building Consensus Appendix 3 Extract from SSSI Condition 4 Community Consultation Assessment 2010 4.1 Consultation Aims Appendix 4 Comments from specific consultees and user groups 4.2 Consultation and Engagement Methodology Appendix 5 International Environmental Legislation 4.3 Interactive Display affecting the Canal 4.4 Sample Size Appendix 6 Abbreviations 4.5 Other Consultation methods Appendix 7 Curriculum Links at Key Stage 2 4.6 Results of surveys to date Appendix 8 Activities Action Plan 4.7 Results from existing users Appendix 9 Interpretation Plan 4.8 Profile of existing users Appendix 10 Issues & Actions 4.9 Selection of detailed comments Appendix 11 Pocklington Canal Vision Statement
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 1 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Acknowledgements The members of the Pocklington and Wolds Gateway Partnership, many of whom have already A huge number of people helped with the research been acknowledged, also shared their aspirations, and consultation that is summarised in this report, expertise and contacts, and I would like to thank and I apologise to all those I have failed to Grahame Hicks who has not been mentioned so mention. far.
Graham Ramsden and Judy Jones of British Terry Weston shared his expertise on dragonflies, Waterways initially suggested that this would be a damselflies, birds and so many other aspects of the useful exercise and they have been a constant biodiversity of the Lower Derwent Valley. He also support throughout. Jane Thompson of BW had led a fascinating walk along the canal with the York the difficult task of picking up the threads of this Birding group and very generously supplied the complex project towards its close. exquisite wildlife photos for this report.
The committee of the Pocklington Canal Amenity Dennis Moor provided some entirely unexpected Society have been a huge help throughout this and remarkable anecdotes and photos of his sub process. Especially Alistair Anderson and Dick aqua view along the Canal over several years. Watson, like chalk and cheese, but both were Angela Brown was a great help in so many ways, immensely helpful in so many ways. Paul and I appreciate her support. Waddington, Howard and Hilary Anguish, Greg Dixon, Roger Bromley and Debbie Smith all Elinda and Martin Ratcliffe supplied information provided invaluable help. and contacts, as did Sue and Chris Bond from Devonshire Mill. Kay, David and Paul West were a stalwart support throughout the consultation process, not only The ladies from the Melbourne Methodist Church providing great hospitality but readily sharing their were a great help with both refreshments and the vast network of local contacts and knowledge. circulation of questionnaires. They opened so many doors and their support was invaluable. Kevin Duffy also willingly shared his Pocklington Town Council and their mayor, fount of local knowledge. Graham Perry, were very supportive of the plans for the Canal. John Brown was a constant support at Community Consultation events, supplying cups of tea and ice The staff at Bingley Market were a great help as cream at critical times to fuel this tiring process. He were the market traders and the staff at Burnby also provided many useful contacts and Hall gardens. introductions through his extensive local networks.
Stuart Cocker and Tony Barker from Vixen Radio deserve a special mention for their omnipresence Image credits and valuable support at community events over Figs. 1 and 3 Pocklington Canal Amenity Society the summer. They were always there, ready to record an interview, publicise the consultation and Fig. 2 British Waterways even carry out some impromptu oral history recording. Their volunteers epitomise all that is Fig. 4 Marion Blockley great about local voluntary effort and expertise. Photos pages 15 – 17 Terry Weston Phil Gilbank and Jo Green from the Pocklington and District Historical Society were a great help Photos pages 20 middle right, Pocklington Canal willingly sharing their local knowledge and Amenity Society resources and manning their displays at local All other photos Marion Blockley events alongside the Canal consultation.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 2 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Executive Summary This report was prepared for British Waterways, who issued the brief with the full support of the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group. Funding for the report was provided by the LEADER Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways (CWWW) East Riding and North Yorkshire Waterways Partnership through East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC).
The brief for this report is challenging in that, as the title demonstrates, it conflates three different and rather separate types of report: An Audience Development Plan; A Conservation Management Plan and an Interpretation Plan, each with a different format, in one hybrid document. As a consequence it can only raise issues and leave British Waterways, the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group and the wider LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership to debate and research these issues in more detail and take forward those which it wishes to seek funding for.
In addition the brief required extensive consultation, community engagement and consensus building, as well as guidance on this process. It required an approach to consultation which enabled the wider community of local stakeholders who don’t attend meetings, forums and special interest groups, to be heard, so that they can contribute to decisions about the future of the Canal. This was required to inform the development of consensus-based approaches on other waterways in the LEADER CWWW Partnership area.
The brief also requested research (both desk-based and through fieldwork) to inform the wider LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership. The issues uncovered from this research are discussed in section 2. The complexity of the brief reflects the challenges over reconciling community interests, conservation and access that affect the Pocklington Canal, the wider Waterways Partnership and British Waterways as it moves rapidly to become a third sector organisation in April 2012.
The format of the report attempts to reconcile the three key elements of the title of the brief ‘Audience, Conservation and Interpretation’ and to present them as issues, options and actions informed by research, consultation and consensus. A key requirement was to consider and make recommendations on the role of the Canal in the local Green Infrastructure network.
Consultation and awareness-raising with interest groups was specified for this contract and the techniques used are described in section 4 and appendix 2. The consultant was required to demonstrate an appreciation of the aims and aspirations of stakeholder groups and encourage a sense of community ownership of the Canal.
One of the key things that was articulated during the community consultation was a sense of confusion about the bureaucracy and the overlapping roles of the different organisations involved in the management of the Canal, and accordingly these are summarised in section (1.6).
The detailed specifications of the brief are set out below, with the relevant sections of the plan in brackets:
Aim and Objectives The objectives of the Audience, Conservation and Interpretation Plan are to:
• Engage new and existing audiences through a programme of consultation and activity to build consensus and highlight ways in which groups can work together (sections 3 & 4) • Add to the research undertaken by the LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership, providing them with further information; including suggesting ways of building a consensus among the wide range of interested parties (sections 2, 3 & 4)
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 3 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 • Increase awareness and understanding of the cultural, heritage and environmental importance of the site (sections 1, 2 & 6, and appendices 9 & 10) • Maximise the multi-functional benefits of the site and its role in the local green infrastructure network (section 2) • Provide opportunities for people to help shape the future plans for the site (sections 2, 3 & 4) • Provide opportunities for people to become involved with the future conservation of the site and its environment through a volunteer led site management programme (appendix 8) • Encourage learning and active engagement through an exciting formal learning programme linked to the National Curriculum aimed at Key Stage 2 children (section 6, appendices 7 & 8) • Managed increase of users and visitors to the canal and sustainable community asset that will encourage all users to spend longer and appreciate it more (sections 5, 6 & 8) • Creating a sense of community ownership of the canal by increasing the use by a wide range of local users and ensuring the long term sustainability (sections 3, 4, 6 & 8)
Expected Outcomes The completed Audience, Conservation and Interpretation Plan will:
• Create a full assessment of the area as a leisure and recreation opportunity (section 5) • Provide an analysis of current audiences to the canal corridor and an action plan to reach individual target audiences (particularly under-represented groups) (section 4 and appendix 8) • Provide an innovative interpretative plan for the canal corridor, taking into account existing interpretation and themes plus suggestions from the community with a view to steering away from traditional boards and panels (section 6 and appendix 8 & 9) • The implementation of a high quality, innovative interpretation scheme (appendix 8 & 9) • The final document will provide a useful document for the formal launch of the waterways partnership in autumn 2011, as well as, be used to lever in external funding for agreed priorities and a template for wider LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership projects (section 7, appendices 8 & 9) • The completed Audience, Conservation and Interpretation Plan will form a template approach and document that can be used when developing approaches for the other watercourses of the LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership • A process for future consultation and engagement with watercourse focussed groups from a range of different interest groups (sections 3&4, appendix 2)
Note that although conservation appears in the title of this brief, detailed discussion of the conservation issues requirements and recommended policies are not included in the aims, objectives and expected outcomes of the brief. The Steering Group recommended that the outline interpretation plan should go in the appendices.
Following consultation with the various stakeholders, detailed research into and consideration of environmental conservation issues has formed a central element of my consultations, and discussion within this report, in order to win trust and build consensus (section 2). However, given the broad nature of the brief all the cultural and natural heritage conservation issues and policies cannot be discussed in this document in the level of detail that would be provided in a Conservation Management Plan.
This report cannot however provide the secret to successful consensus building; this is about investing huge amounts of time and effort into relationship building, in order to win the trust of different groups of people. Each project is different and it cannot be approached in a bureaucratic or formulaic way. The key to success for the sustainable development of the Pocklington Canal lies in the genuine commitment to maintain and foster the working relationships and potential partnerships that were painstakingly developed during the research for its production.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 4 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 1 Introduction
The Pocklington Canal is nine and a half miles long flowing from the foothills of the Yorkshire Wolds near Pocklington through a traditionally farmed rural landscape, to join the River Derwent at East Cottingwith. The canal was constructed between 1815 and 1818 to enable prosperous local farmers to transport their produce to the rapidly expanding towns of West Yorkshire.
The Canal runs from Canal Head one mile south west of Pocklington. It is one of the few canals in Britain to have been completed for less than its original estimated cost. This is because it was originally intended to lead into Pocklington, but stopped just south of the turnpike, which was too costly to engineer a crossing.
A relatively late canal, it operated for only a short period of time and (apart from at Canal Head and Bielby Arm) there are few of the traditional warehouses and other canal side structures that are normally associated with long established commercially successful canals.
It carried coal, lime, fertiliser and road stone for use in the market town of Pocklington and surrounding area. The canal was bought by the York and North Midland Railway Company in 1845 and gradually run down. Agricultural produce was transported down the canal until the last cargo was carried in 1932.
In 1959, controversial plans to use the canal as dumping ground for ‘harmless sludge’, prompted the formation of the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (PCAS). Since 1969 PCAS volunteers have restored and maintained sections of the canal, fundraising, clearing the towpath and re building locks and bridges. They continue to work alongside British Waterways staff helping to maintain the canal, and also operate a popular trip boat from Melbourne. Half of the canal is navigable from East Cottingwith to Melbourne.
All nine locks have been afforded Grade II listed status and the four brick road bridges are currently scheduled monuments (fig 1). The status of the bridges as scheduled monuments is slightly anomalous and English Heritage is currently reviewing their status. If they are re-categorised as listed buildings they will still be protected by law, but the statutory jurisdiction for their care would pass to the Local Authority, East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
Virtually the entire length of the Canal falls within one of three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). From Canal Head to Church Bridge the Canal is designated as the Pocklington Canal SSSI, whilst downstream of Thornton Lock the Canal falls within the Melbourne and Thornton Ings and Derwent Ings SSSIs (fig. 1). These Ings comprise a series of seasonally flooded, traditionally managed hay meadows, which in addition to their nature conservation interest are thought to have been a feature of the landscape for nearly a thousand years. The term ‘Ings’ derives from the Old Norse for a water meadow or marsh close to a river.
In addition to their SSSI status, the Ings also receive international recognition as a Special Protection Area (SPA), Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Ramsar Site (for explanation of these designations see below section 2.7)
1.1 Historical Development
The primary source for the history of the canal is the East Yorkshire Local History Society Publication Inland Waterways of East Yorkshire 1700-1900, by Baron F Duckham, 1973. There are original copies of the survey by George Leather in 1814 and many engineering drawings and dredging plans from between 1910-1930s housed in the registry of the British Waterways offices at Fearns Wharf in Leeds (appendix 1, list of sources)
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 5 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 The Pocklington Canal was relatively late in construction, and short lived in its use. The business leaders, landowners and farmers of Pocklington had wanted to connect with the Market Weighton Canal and thence the Humber Estuary as early as 1767, as they were concerned that the town was bypassed by the Turnpike road from Hull to York, (now the A 1079) one mile to the west of the town centre.
In 1802 they commissioned a study by William Chapman, engineer of the Driffield Navigation scheme, he proposed three potential routes, and recommended a thirteen and a half mile route to join directly with the Ouse at Howden. The Earl Fitzwilliam, who owned the Derwent navigation, wanted the new canal to generate additional boat movements and toll income along the River Derwent, so he consistently blocked the plans.
Further progress was delayed for many years by the lack of support from Lord Fitzwilliam. He was not in favour of the proposed link to Howden and delayed the canal’s construction for more than 10 years. In 1812 he commissioned George Leather to consider a new line from Pocklington to just above Sutton Lock. This was deemed not feasible, so in 1814 George Leather revived one of Chapman’s original plans for a link between the Derwent and Pocklington at East Cottingwith.
Public meetings were held during 1814, a resolution to create the Pocklington Canal Company was passed and the project was agreed. In a meeting held at the Feathers in Pocklington 63 people subscribed a total of £20,500 towards the project. They originally planned to build eight locks, but eventually built nine.
There was much debate about a link through to the town centre of Pocklington, and there was disagreement about the additional cost this would entail. The terminus was finally agreed at Canal Head, one mile south west of Pocklington, adjacent to the busy turnpike road from Hull to York. They decided instead to add two short arms to the villages of Melbourne and Bielby and create an additional lock.
There was little parliamentary opposition and work commenced in 1815, starting from the River Derwent. Each section was filled with water as it was completed, to allow construction materials to be brought in by boat. Works were completed in July 1818. The final cost of £32,695 was actually under budget, taking into account the two additional arms and additional lock, as the planned link through to Pocklington was never built. Eventually it was opened on 30 July 1818, with a public wharf at Canal Head and a Lock Keeper/Toll Collector, living in the attractive Lock House, and paid £50 per annum.
Unlike most canal companies they did not provide warehousing, but this was provided at Canal Head by private individuals who tendered for this business opportunity. Thomas Johnson won the contract to build the wharf and warehouse at Canal Head and in 1834 Sir Robert Dennison, one of the main sponsors of the canal, took land there for a coal yard and warehouse as well as building a public house.
At Canal Head Thomas Johnson’s warehouse, originally a granary, dating from around 1820, still survives. By 1910 it was marked on the OS map as a disused saw mill. Photos show that it was dilapidated by 1973 and it was converted for residential use around 2000. Maps of Canal Head show a bone mill and associated structures just east of the turnpike at Canal Head. There was a terrace of workers’ housing at the curiously named Oshawa Terrace (Oshawa was a town in Ontario Canada) now demolished, which survives as a small estate of modern houses known as Oshawa Dell.
On the opposite side of the turnpike (now the A 1079) which formed the terminus of the canal, the Wellington Oak public house (now much altered) was built to take advantage of the opening of the Pocklington Canal at Canal Head in 1818. It was named after the Duke of Wellington’s victory over Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 6 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 The public house was owned by Sir Robert Dennison of Kilnwick-Percy, who promoted the idea of the canal, and sales particulars from 1836 indicate the potential of his complex at Canal Head:
WELLINGTON INN, with four grass and one tillage field adjoining, being on the high road between Hull and York, and well calculated for taking in cattle for the York markets. Also, large and commodious warehouses, granaries, lime-sheds, coal wharves and cottage, joinng onto the Canal, capable of carrying on a very extensive business, being in the middle of a large corn district.
Canal Head developed on both sides of the turnpike. What is now known as, Ings House was the Canal Inn, with its associated house for the landlord. On the north side of the turnpike there was a bone mill. Cranes were erected along the public wharfage (known as ‘the landing’ in 1910).
The former Lock House at Canal Head is now in private ownership, and the former pig sty is used as an information point by PCAS on Sunday afternoons.
Mill buildings and former warehousing also survive at Bielby Arm.
The Pocklington and District Local History Group have researched the history of the canal and published some sources on their website: www.pocklingtonhistory.com partially based on the account in the guide to the canal published by the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (2008).
Roger Bellingham and his wife Barbara produced a photographic survey of the locks and bridges of the canal with sketch plans in 1969, immediately prior to the restoration works undertaken by Pocklington Canal Amenity Society. This report is stored in the archive of the Pocklington and District Local History Group and was kindly made available by them for this study.
During the community consultation for this report the residents of Ings House, Canal Head, (formerly the Canal Inn) provided information about a World War Two fighter plane that tragically crashed into Ings House. The official RAF report records that it demolished outbuildings and killed the crew, as it flew low on its return flight path back to Pocklington aerodrome. Sadly it may be that the crew mistook the road for the runway, as another plane crashed into Red House Farm opposite Canal Head.
During another community consultation event, Mrs Elizabeth Lambert, a Pocklington resident talked of her father, who had been the last boat man to work on the canal, operating the keel Ebenezer. He brought flour to local bakers in Pocklington. He courted her mother (a house maid) along the canal; the family lived on the boat and her brother was born on the boat. Vixen Radio very kindly recorded her reminiscences about the canal at the community consultation event at Melbourne Methodist church in September 2011.
In 1959 Sheffield Corporation Waterworks proposed to use the canal as a tip for ‘inoffensive sludge’ from their water treatment works at Elvington. This led to a campaign by local residents, the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) and other waterways enthusiasts, that ultimately led to the creation of the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society in 1969.
Over the years, especially in the late 1970s and early 1980s much work was carried out with manpower and Central Government funding from the Community Programme to provide training and work for long term unemployed at a time of recession.
Unlike other canals there is a shortage of historic photos of vessels on the canal, although the Pocklington Canal Society does have an excellent archive of historic photos of the canal and their restoration work since 1969, compiled by its former Secretary Sheila Nix MBE (www.pocklingtoncanalsociety.org)
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 7 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 �
�������������������� ���������������� ���� The Pocklington Canal
CANAL HEAD
ALLERTHORPE Lock 1, Top Lock & Basin (Grade II Listed)
Lock 2, Silburn Lock (Grade II Listed)
Lock 3, Giles Lock SUTTON (Grade II Listed) UPON DERWENT
Lock 4, Sandhill Lock (Grade II Listed)
Swingbridge 3 Lock 5, Coates Lock (Grade II Listed)
Lock 8, Gardam Lock THORNTON (Grade II Listed) Coates Swingbridge 4 Bridge Hagg Bridge (Scheduled Ancient (Scheduled Ancient Monument) Monument) (Grade II Listed) Bridge 5 (Grade II Listed) (Accomodation Bridge Now Fixed)
Swingbridge 6 Swingbridge 7 Lock 7, Thornton Lock (Grade II Listed) Swingbridge 2
Church Bridge Lock 6, Walbut Lock (Scheduled Ancient (Grade II Listed) Monument) Walbut (Grade II Listed) Bridge Swingbridge 1 (Scheduled Ancient Monument) MELBOURNE (Grade II Listed) Swingbridge No. 8
BIELBY
Cottingwith Lock (Grade II Listed)
EAST COTTINGWITH
Swingbridge
Road Bridge
Accomodation Bridge
Lock
SSSI
RAMSAR/SAC/SPA
Highlighting The Pocklington Canal
0 250 500 1,000 Metres
Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO. © Crown copyright and database right, 2009. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100019843. Landmark Licence number 100022432. © Next Perspectives, 2009. Produced by: ak, date: 04/09/2009 ELVINGTON POCKLINGTON Pocklington Canal Canal Head Top Lock (restored) River SUTTON Derwent ON Silburn Lock DERWENT (to be restored) Giles Lock (to be restored) Swing-bridge 3 Hagg (across lock) Sandhill Lock THORNTON Coates (to be restored) Bridge Swing-bridge 4 Lock Gardham Thornton (restored) Coates Lock Swing Lock Walbut Bridge Baldwinʼs bridge 7 (restored) Bridge (5) Bridge Swing Swing-bridge 2 bridge 8 Swing (fixed) bridge 6 Church Bridge Walbut Swing-bridge 1 Melbourne BIELBY Arm Lock N MELBOURNE (restored)
Navigable 0 Miles 1 Cottingwith Lock Not navigable EAST COTTINGWITH Registered Charity 500637
To Barmby To & tidal Ouse © PCAS 2010 1.2 Historic Environment Significance and Designations
The Canal has historic environment significance as a typical example of a small early 19th century canal, providing evidence of transport technology and infrastructure prior to the arrival of the railways. It embodies local character and distinctiveness in the style of its locks and bridges, and attractive wooden accommodation bridges which had moveable sloping sides, designed to accommodate heavily laden hay carts.
The Canal and its features contribute to the Historic Landscape Character of this significant, seasonally-flooded lowland, traditionally farmed landscape. The lock gates have an unusual and distinctive form of paddle gear, operated by a large six-spoked wheel. Replicas of this paddle gear have been installed on the restored lock gates.
There are archaeological sites along the length of the canal, including the remains of a small water mill at Walbut Lock, and the remains of a brickyard and smithy close to Hagg Bridge. The old water-mill at Bielby used to grind corn until around 1940 it is now used as residential accommodation.
The four graceful brick bridges with curving walls and buttresses carrying the roads across the canal and six wooden swing bridges (all restored/modified) give access across the canal for local landowners. Silburn, Giles and Sandhill Locks are all Grade II listed structures, which were designated in 1986 in their un-restored state. They have particular heritage significance as they survive in a largely original condition without modern replacement materials.
1.2.1 Heritage Partnership Agreement
The cultural heritage of the canal is protected through a ‘Heritage Partnership Agreement’ (HPA) entered into by British Waterways, English Heritage and East Riding of Yorkshire Council in 2009. The HPA exists to create better and more streamlined management of the historic assets of the canal. Heritage Partnership Agreements have been promoted nationally by English Heritage to speed up the existing consents regime, to enable works to be carried out more efficiently and effectively, to protect the significance of complex heritage sites like the Pocklington Canal.
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Church Bridge Coates Bridge
Coates Lock, restored by PCAS, to traditional design Former Lock House, Canal Head 1815-1818
Hagg Bridge Pigsty used by the former Lock Keeper at Canal Head, is now the PCAS Information Centre
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Replica of historic gearing Silburn Lock
Top Lock, Canal Head Walbut Bridge
Walbut Lock, restored by PCAS Warehouse Canal Head
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 13 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 1.3 Environmental Significance and Designations
Pocklington Canal is listed by British Waterways as one of its top ten sites for biodiversity. Most canals and rivers are dominated by a few pollution-tolerant species and only 10% of British Waterways are designated as SSSI or higher.
As previously stated, part of the Pocklington Canal falls within a number of SSSIs for its assemblage of aquatic, fringing swamp and tall fen plant communities, its invertebrate community (particularly its dragonfly and damselfly diversity) and breeding bird populations.
The diverse aquatic and emergent flora, included the scarce species of soft hornwort (Ceratophylum submersum), and flat-stalked pondweed (Potamogeton friesii) (both of which were considered scarce at the time, although this has subsequently been revised 1994- Ref JNCC Scarce plants in Britain), along with several other Potamogeton species.
At the time of designation the Canal supported thirteen species of dragonfly and damselfly including the notable red-eyed damselfly (Erythromma najas). The breeding bird community included tufted duck (Aythya nyroca), sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaebus), reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) and reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus).
Likewise the stretches of canal within the Derwent Ings SSSI and Melbourne & Thornton Ings SSSI were designated on account of their aquatic plant, invertebrate and wetland bird communities.
The Ings are seasonally flooded, traditionally managed hay meadows and some pasture. They are of international nature conservation importance and also a unique cultural landscape, preserving a 1000 year old landscape management tradition. During spring and summer these meadows are a blaze of colour supporting many species of wildflower and providing a home for hundreds of nesting wildfowl and waders. In winter these same meadows support even larger numbers of wildfowl, birds coming from as far away as Siberia and Poland.
As stated previously the lower reaches of the Canal fall within a wider designated landscape, the surrounding fens, meadows and pastures being internationally important for their traditional hay meadow plant communities, invertebrates and wader and waterfowl populations. This is the Lower Derwent Valley SPA, Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Ramsar site.
The SAC and SPA’s are designated under The Conservation of Habitat and Species Regulations 2010 (“ The Habitat Regulations”) which implement two European Directives known as the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive respectively. These two pieces of legislation aim to protect and improve biodiversity within the European Union through the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.
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Four-spotted chaser Ruddy Darter
Common Hawker in flight Red eyed Damselfly
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Barn Owls Comma Curlew
Kingfisher Reed Warbler Grey Heron
Toad Small Copper Little Grebe
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Otter Reed Bunting
Water Rail Water Vole
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 17 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 1.4 Amenity, Community and Social Significance
The canal is a much loved local amenity for a wide variety of different local users, who enjoy using it for quiet recreation and peaceful contemplation. Local residents enjoy visiting it at different times of the year to see it change with the seasons. It has inspired many people to take up their camera and photograph it through the year, and local adult education classes use it as a place for creative inspiration. The canal is free for anyone to enjoy so it is a genuinely inclusive experience.
The peace and quiet of the canal, and access to nature through the seasons, is clearly valued and provides important refuge from the stresses and strains of everyday life. Monks from the local Buddhist retreat centre (at Kilnwick Percy Hall, home of Sir Robert Dennison who promoted the idea of the Canal and owned property at Canal Head) applauded the initiative to enhance the natural beauty and tranquility of the canal.
Walkers, dog walkers and ramblers regularly walk from Canal Head Melbourne, Walbut Bridge or Hagg Bridge. The benches at Canal Head and beside Walbut Lock are popular places for a summer’s afternoon or evening picnic. The canal is valued and used by some local schools as a place to introduce children to wildlife and local history.
Widespread and relatively common species such as herons, mute swans, mallards, kingfishers and dragonflies give much pleasure and attract leisure users (ramblers, dog walkers, picnickers, school groups, families, cyclists, kayakers, fishermen, bird watchers and boaters).
The Canal has significant health and social benefits. The connection between better health and access to green space has been established. People are more active if they live within an attractive green environment, whether through jogging, cycling along the bridleway to Coates Bridge, or a family outing.
For Pocklington Town Council the canal is a source of local pride and memories and they would like to see canal boats once again at Canal Head, as a resource for local schools but also to help bring more prosperity to the market town of Pocklington, which like many others nationally is struggling in the current recession.
The canal has the potential to deliver LEADER Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways objectives, for sustainable tourism, support of rural economic development and sustainable transport etc.
The Canal is an under-used educational resource and has the potential to be a green classroom, and deliver the learning outdoors agenda, citizenship, with a wide range of curriculum links at Key Stage 2 (appendix 7).
The staff of the Pocklington Youth Centre who run the Local Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme are also keen to use volunteering on the canal as a resource for their participants.
One of the things that became clear from the community consultation (section 4, appendix 8) is the potential social benefit of the canal and developing activities along it for local people. At all my consultations residents of local sheltered accommodation in Pocklington came to see me. Staff from there commented that it would be great for them to have activities and events to get involved with at Canal Head and further along the canal. Similarly there were a number of familiar faces who I saw at all my talks and consultation events, who were keen to have the social companionship of being part of a community project.
Again this illustrates the potential social value of providing a range of volunteering and participation opportunities along the canal. The Local probation service (through Community Payback Scheme) and Primary Care Trust (Green Gym, exercise on prescription) are other potential partners for and potential beneficiaries of, conservation volunteering activities along the canal (subject to finding adequate supervision).
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 18 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 For the existing PCAS volunteers, volunteering acts as an important point of social contact, a source of friendships and an opportunity to work as a team. It clearly provides significant benefits to those of retirement age, and these benefits could be extended by recruiting more local volunteers of all ages.
It is clear, talking to the PCAS volunteers, many of whom have volunteered on the canal for many years, that they derive a sense of satisfaction and achievement from their involvement, and of being respected by others for their contribution.
If more young volunteers from the local community can be recruited, through the Pocklington Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, and local secondary schools like Woldgate College and Pocklington School, it will also encourage inter-generational dialogue and communication
A popular spot for picnicking Canal Head
Existing Interpretation at Canal Head Feeding the ducks at Canal Head
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 19 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
Local pubs benefit from proximity to the Canal Melbourne Arm
Melbourne Methodist Church a venue for teas and PCAS restoration volunteers in the 1970s community display about the Canal
PCAS Trip Boat Pocklington is proud of its links with the Canal and keen to develop these.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 20 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
Dog walker PCAS bench Canal Head
PCAS Trip Boat, New Horizons
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 21 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
Popular with Birdwatchers The PCAS Trip Boat New Horizons moored at Melbourne Arm
1.5 Ownership and Management
Pocklington Canal is owned and managed by British Waterways.
British Waterways is working with key partners and stakeholders from the LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership and local groups to achieve their objectives for the Canal Corridor. The partners are:
• The LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership • British Waterways • Pocklington Canal Amenity Society • Natural England • East Riding of Yorkshire Council • Environment Agency • English Heritage
1.5.1 Remainder Canal Status
Pocklington Canal is classified as a ‘Remainder Waterway’ by British Waterways, which means that there is no government grant aid for, and no obligation, to maintain it for navigation. Works are only carried out when funding is available. Under the 1968 Transport Act Waterways are divided into three categories: Commercial; Leisure and Remainder. Remainder Canals are those which are perceived to have no commercial or leisure use. Under the terms of the Act there is no requirement to maintain a Remainder Waterway or to keep them in a navigable condition. They are to be treated in the most economic way possible, which could mean abandonment. Parts of, or the whole length of a Remainder Waterway can be transferred to a Local Authority and under the terms of the Act it is acceptable for roads or motorways to be built across them, to avoid the cost of a bridge or aqueduct. At the same time the Act also allows for Local Authorities to contribute to the upkeep of Remainder Waterways.
1.5.2 British Waterways and the new Waterways Charity
This report has been prepared for British Waterways, who are the navigation authority for the Pocklington Canal. As the canal has Remainder Status, British Waterways are not provided with funding from Central
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 22 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 government to maintain it for navigation. However they are obliged to monitor and maintain the SSSI in a favourable condition.
This study comes at a time of significant organisational change for British Waterways which is moving towards becoming a third sector organisation in Spring 2012. This will enable it to access a wider range of funding sources and require it to work more effectively with volunteers locally and nationally. The new charity will inherit the same responsibilities for maintaining access, heritage value and biodiversity.
The fact that the new Canal & River Trust will not receive central government funding to carry out routine maintenance to enable navigation on the Pocklington Canal, might actually make it easier to obtain funding for this purpose from other sources. If volunteers are actively involved and training is provided for them the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and other potential funders may see this as an ideal Third Sector (charitable sector) project.
The Canal & River Trust is being established as a new charity to care for 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales, and its name and identity (a swan against a bridge) has been decided after lengthy public and private consultation. British Waterways say in the Oct 2011 launch of their new logo:
‘People have told us that the waterways are important to them as a local haven, for themselves and for nature. Stepping onto a towpath is like entering a different world, where the stress of daily life can be escaped. The Canal & River Trust and our new symbol represent what our waterways mean to so many people.’
The Canal & River Trust is scheduled to launch in April 2012, holding 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in trust for the nation.
1.5.3 British Waterways North East Waterways Partnership
British Waterways is also setting up its own Waterways Partnership in each of its regions. It is inviting volunteers from a wide range of community groups, and special interest groups, including the local canal trusts to join their local Waterways Partnership.
One of the early challenges of the British Waterways North East Waterways Partnership will be to determine the long term strategy for the waterway. This needs to fully embrace local engagement and participation whilst balancing national priorities. Involvement in the local trust gives a real opportunity to embrace this for North Yorkshire and the East Riding. The collaboration will keep the new Canal and River Trust engaged with local decision makers and communities. The insight it gains will help with its strategy and, help to balance the interests of local users, communities and visitors to the waterway. It is also hoped that working in partnership will allow the new Canal and River Trust to generate new funding sources, attract volunteers and generate additional participation. The Canal and River Trust looks forward to promoting the interests of the waterways to local public and private sector organisations and voluntary sector leaders together.
The duplication in name and overlapping objectives with the LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership may well cause confusion amongst local community groups, and this will need careful management and a clear communication strategy to differentiate the two Waterways Partnerships. Delegates to the first LEADER CWWW Waterways Conference raised concerns about duplication of existing activity, and the need for clarification of objectives (Ryder 2009).
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 23 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 1.5.4 Waterways Adoption
One of the key activities that British Waterways is developing in its move to the third sector, is a seismic shift in the level of volunteer involvement with canals. At a national level Pocklington Canal has been identified as an ideal Third Sector canal, because of its character, significance, small size and the presence of an established and active canal society, PCAS.
There is enormous volunteering strength in people’s desire to make a difference to their community. Local waterway adoption schemes have been set up to enable canals to benefit from that.
Adoptions can form the heart of a community, and local businesses and community groups can play a central role in improving facilities and promoting canals and rivers to their communities by formally adopting a stretch of waterway.
British Waterways, which is moving towards becoming a new Waterways Charity in April 2012 wants to engage people with their waterways by encouraging local businesses and groups to adopt the stretch of canal or river neighbouring their property or within their local community.
It aims to inspire key decision makers to get involved with promoting and enhancing stretches of waterway, working with local community groups on the different ways they can help. This could include recording and improving wildlife habitats, taking part in practical work parties, promoting the waterway to other local people and running events and guided walks.
The ultimate aim is to increase local ownership, build relationships with British Waterways at a local level and give local communities a say in their local waterway. Adopters will essentially be working with British Waterways to make improvements to their local waterway for the benefit of the local people and all waterway users. Suitable candidates to engage in an Adopter Volunteer Agreement could be:
• Local businesses • Schools • Youth Groups • Community groups such as environment societies, waterway interest organisations or 'friends of the waterway' etc • Parish and Town Councils • Residents Associations
An adoption scheme could be taken up by any of the above or several in conjunction with each other.
1.5.5 Pocklington Canal Liaison Group
Since 1999 key stakeholders have met though the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group. The founding members were English Nature (now Natural England), The Environment Agency, British Waterways and Pocklington Canal Amenity Society. Subsequently it expanded to include the East Riding of Yorkshire Council and English Heritage. This group was initially established to enable a dialogue to occur between interested parties, allowing different organisations to discuss their interests, concerns and aspirations and thereby help overcome potential conflicts of interest between the different interest groups.
The Liaison Group meets quarterly and continues to act as a discussion forum for organisations with an interest in the Canal. It is chaired by Natural England and PCAS provides the secretariat.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 24 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 The Liaison group has recently (September 2011) agreed a vision statement for the Pocklington Canal (appendix 11)
British Waterways commissioned the Audience, Conservation and Interpretation Plan (ACIP), with the full support of the Liaison Group to: inform its strategic planning; seek the views of wider stakeholders and to help to achieve consensus for future actions.
BW set up a smaller Steering Group to manage the delivery of the report, this consisted of representatives from British Waterways; LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership (which provided funding for the study); Natural England and Pocklington Canal Amenity Society.
1.5.6 The LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership
The LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership covers parts of the East Riding and North Yorkshire. The partnership area includes canal navigations, (including the Pocklington Canal), rivers, lakes and streams, and was established, and is funded by, the LEADER CWWW Local Action Group (LAG). These watercourses add greatly to the LEADER CWWW area’s attractiveness and prosperity, and to people’s quality of life. They are important for navigation, biodiversity, recreation, flood management and trade.
The Waterways Partnership has been set up to unlock the unrealised economic, environmental, cultural and social benefits of the LEADER CWWW area’s waterways, building the capacity of the organisations that care for, manage and maintain them.
Many of these waterways face similar management challenges (balancing multiple priorities, diverse audiences, geographic position at the end of the national network, and a lack of capacity to access funding and expertise). The LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership aims to bring the organisations involved in this management together, to build consensus between differing priorities, agree mutual strategic objectives and work together to deliver practical projects for implementation.
The Partnership is governed by an elected Executive Committee and aims to:
• Broadly represent the interests of the waterways of LEADER CWWW area in East Riding and North Yorkshire, and bring economic, environmental, cultural and social benefit to the region as a whole. • Develop a strategic approach to the development of the LEADER area’s waterways
By: • Developing facilities and networks of activity that create a focus and enable understanding and connectivity to local heritage and landscape
The Waterways Partnership will assist organisations in applying for funding for small projects, with a view to developing more ambitious grant applications, by providing the infrastructure for groups to collaborate, maximising the chances of success. The Partnership also provides an arena for resolving conflicts between different waterways organisations and user groups and hopes to create a spirit of cooperation between local, regional and national organisations.
Two forums contribute to the Waterways Partnership: a Technical Forum advises on key technical issues (drainage, flood defence, navigation, biodiversity, business proposals, land use etc) and a Community Forum deals with local development (access, recreation etc) and provides funding advice and technical support to community groups.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 25 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 It is hoped that this report will help the development of a local level approach to developing partnership working that can be used for other waterways in the Partnership area.
1.5.7 Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (PCAS)
PCAS was formed in 1969 to protect and restore the canal and to promote it as an amenity for everyone to enjoy www.pocklingtoncanalsociety.org A major objective of PCAS is full restoration of the canal. A lot has been achieved but there is plenty more to be done.
The Society was formed in 1969, to protect and restore the Pocklington Canal. It is a Registered Charity, number 500637. Some members are interested in waterways in general but many just value their local canal. PCAS publishes a magazine called Double Nine (the canal is nine miles long with nine locks), which is sent to members.
PCAS promotes the canal as an amenity to be enjoyed by everyone and liaises with public bodies and other organisations that have an interest in the canal. A major objective of the Society is the restoration of the canal to allow boats to reach the terminus at Canal Head. There is a real possibility that the navigable length of canal will be extended in the near future, so that boats can reach Bielby.
It has around 300 members, including over 170 life members.
Restoration work is very expensive: the rebuilding of Walbut Lock, which was in a derelict condition, cost nearly £50,000, despite extensive use of volunteer labour. Fund-raising is a vital task since it enables the Society to support restoration and maintenance. Whilst every opportunity is taken to obtain grants for projects, much of the money is raised through the efforts of members and from donations. A common condition for government grants is that at least 50% of the cost of a project must be raised by the Society.
The trip boat New Horizons has become a useful source of income and publicity for PCAS, as well as a very popular local amenity. The small information centre at Canal Head, open on Sunday afternoons over the summer, also provides income, as does the collection of aluminium drinks cans, etc.
The Society also organises various social events for members and the public. Events help to generate interest in the canal and attract new members, as well as providing funds for restoration work. The Society have installed picnic benches and interpretive signage at key locations along the canal.
There is a regular volunteer working party that carries out routine maintenance tasks under the supervision of British Waterways. Historically PCAS carried out large scale restoration projects, but current health and safety restrictions mean that it cannot carry out some of the larger scale projects it worked on during the 1970s and 1980s. Its active members are also getting older and the society would like to recruit some younger, local volunteers.
PCAS was awarded British Waterways Volunteer Organisations Recognition Award for the North East Region in 2010. Committee members are actively involved in the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group; the LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership and the Steering Group for this report. Their committee members have provided considerable help and information towards the production of this report, which is much appreciated.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 26 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 1.5.8 Natural England
Natural England is the government’s advisor on the natural environment. They provide advice, grounded in science, on how best to safeguard England’s natural wealth for the benefit of everyone. Their remit is to ensure sustainable stewardship so that people and nature can thrive. It is their responsibility to ensure that England’s rich natural environment can adapt and survive intact for future generations to enjoy.
Their remit is to ensure sustainable stewardship of the land and sea so that people and nature can thrive. It is their responsibility to see that England’s rich natural environment can adapt and survive intact for future generations to enjoy.
They work with farmers and land managers; business and industry; planners and developers; national and local government; interest groups and local communities to help them improve their local environment.
Their responsibilities include:
• Managing England’s green farming schemes, agri-environment schemes • Increasing opportunities for everyone to enjoy the wonders of the natural world • Reducing the decline of biodiversity and licensing of protected species across England • Designating National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty • Managing most National Nature Reserves and notifying Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Given the protection afforded to the Pocklington Canal and much of the surrounding land, Natural England has a statutory responsibility to safeguard the Canal and its environs. Formal consent is required from them prior to undertaking certain works on the Canal, and they have a responsibility for ensuring requirements of environmental legislation are complied with.
1.5.9 East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC)
East Riding of Yorkshire Council has a wide range of statutory functions some of which have particular relevance to the Pocklington Canal. One of the most significant of these is its role as the Local Planning Authority. They are responsible for setting out a Local Development Framework for the area and ensuring that this is implemented and monitored in the correct way. ERYC also acts as a lead partner for the Local Biodiversity Action Plan and for the development of a local Green Infrastructure Network. They have a Regulatory Role, through the Development Control process, which determines planning applications and considers listed building consents.
ERYC also has a statutory role to play in terms of land drainage and flood risk management and by working in partnership with communities, landowners, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and other partners it works to ensure that risk from flooding is managed appropriately.
They also promote Countryside Access, Sustainable Tourism, Rural Economic Development, Sustainable Development and Sustainable Transport, including the management and designation of the Public Rights of Way network.
Through the recently published Cultural Strategy, ERYC is working with the area's Cultural Partnership to promote ‘place shaping’. This promotes the general well being of a community and its citizens to help them enjoy a good quality of life. It aims to capitalise on the potential of heritage, as both a subject and setting, to develop cultural learning opportunities and build community pride.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 27 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 ERYC is also working through the Biodiversity Partnership to promote the wide range of benefits, or 'ecosystem services' that the natural environment provides to society, especially through the principles of Green Infrastructure. Through the Destination Management Organisation, Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, the Council works to promote and maximise the tourism potential of the area, and is also actively engaged and involved with the wider LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership.
1.5.10 The Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body, within Defra. Its principal aims are to protect and improve the environment and to promote sustainable development. It plays a central role in delivering the environmental priorities of central government.
It also has a Regulatory Role, and is responsible for delivering the Water Frameworks Directive. It is concerned with Hydrology, Water quality, Flooding and Pollution.
1.5.11 The York Consortium of Drainage Boards
The Foss (2008) Drainage Board and the Ouse and Derwent Drainage Board are part of the York Consortium of Internal Drainage Boards and maintain the drainage ditches in the hydrological catchment adjacent to the Pocklington Canal. Internal Drainage Boards operate in areas of special flood risk.
Their main role is to carefully manage water levels within its drainage district for: land drainage; flood risk management; irrigation and environmental benefit.
In addition to their primary role in sustaining land use, including housing, agriculture, industry and recreation, they also responsible for sustaining natural habitats. They help to maintain and improve all SSSIs and other designated environmental areas within their District. They are also required to develop and implement an Internal Drainage Board Biodiversity Action Plan.
The Drainage Boards liaise closely with British Waterways, Natural England and the Local Planning Authority, ERYC.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 28 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 2 Issues affecting the Canal
Consultations with stakeholders and desk based research have identified a number of issues affecting the management of the Pocklington Canal. Essentially these involve reconciliation of conservation and access, and taking account of the needs and aspirations of the various local communities. Funding for works on the Remainder Canal has always been a challenge, but if consensus can be achieved there are a number of funding streams available, especially with the transfer of British Waterways to the Charitable Sector.
The canal is a unique and attractive waterway that has remained largely as built and relatively undisturbed providing quiet recreation for a range of different users, including a small number of boaters, as well as local residents and community groups taking the canal boat trip from Melbourne.
According to the lockage figures from Gardham Lock over the past three years there have been just 92 Boat Movements in 2009; 130 in 2010 (discounting an anomalous figure of 15 movements in January) and 136 up to the end of August 2011. These boat movements include the regular trip boat. This is significantly lower than the nationally agreed threshold (Eaton and Hatcher 2003; IWAC 2008: 41-50) at which boat movement becomes an issue for conservation, 500 Boat Movements per Year (500 BMY).
A number of issues arose from extensive consultation with different members of the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group, the LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership and other user groups, local residents and wider stakeholders.
There are conflicting views among special interest groups and different user groups over conservation, access and shared use of space, and some of these views and attitudes are polarised and entrenched.
However the vast majority of local residents and community groups consulted (more than 300) wish to see a more consensual approach to sensitively managing the canal for a wide range of quiet recreational uses, including extended navigation. Most expressed sadness at the reduction in open water and unmanaged growth of dominant sweet reed grass (Glyceria maxima) in recent years, from the Top Lock at Canal Head down towards Walbut Lock. They would like to see a more proactive approach to managing the canal (section 4, appendices 4 & 8)
2.1 Nature Conservation Importance
According to British Waterways, Pocklington Canal is one of the most important waterways for wildlife in Britain. It is home to a host of interesting plants, insects, birds and mammals. This means that a priority for its management must be to maintain and enhance this Nature Conservation Value.
The exceptional value placed on critically threatened species and on the best wildlife sites, like Pocklington Canal and the traditionally farmed Ings landscape through which it flows, is recognised by giving them special protection under national and international policy and legislation.
There has been a steep decline in the extent and quality of natural wetland habitats in Britain since the early 20th century. Sites like the Pocklington Canal and the wider Ings Cultural Landscape have been given protection under EU and UK legislation. The nature conservation value at a local level is also recognised in the Local Biodiversity Action Plan.
In addition to its national nature conservation significance relatively common species such as herons, mute swans, mallards, kingfishers and dragonflies have a high social and community value. They give much pleasure and provide contact with nature for a wide range of leisure users including ramblers, dog walkers, picnickers, school groups, families, cyclists, kayakers, fishermen, bird watchers and boaters.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 29 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Most canals and rivers are dominated by a few pollution-tolerant species and only 10% of British Waterways are designated as SSSI or higher.
Nationally the key factors which influence the significance of a canal are:
• Natural habitat type
• Water chemistry and quantity
• Bank and channel structure
• Boat pressure
2.1.1 The Canal as a Man-Made Habitat
A key issue to consider is that the Canal is entirely a man-made habitat which mimics natural conditions which are now rare. Therefore it needs to continue to be actively managed if it is to maintain this artificial habitat type.
Man-made structures like the Pocklington Canal, and the adjacent land drainage dykes of the Ings through which it flows, help to recreate an ancient habitat now largely lost from lowland Britain. This habitat type is more than 2000 years old, when natural low-land rivers meandered across floodplains in a maze of slowly flowing channels and pools. Man made canals (especially with low boat usage like the Pocklington Canal) recreate this now uncommon slow-flowing river habitat type very closely; even to the extent that canal dredging mimics the natural, periodic channel scouring of river floods (IWAC 2008 : 26).
Drainage, modern agricultural practices and flood prevention measures have all changed British flood plains. Most lowland rivers are now deeper, faster-flowing and confined to a single channel. The wide range of flood plain channels has disappeared, and as these habitats have disappeared the plants and animals that evolved to occupy them, have become rare. This has been made worse by the threat of water pollution. To maintain this man-made habitat requires active management.
2.1.2 Succession
Without active management a shallow body of standing water, like Pocklington Canal, will become colonised by submerged and emergent vegetation. In a relatively short space of time, emergent species such as reeds and rushes extend across the whole water body. Over a longer period silt and decaying vegetation will replace open water. Eventually trees take over and the wet habitat will be lost through this process known as ecological succession.
In the non-navigable section of the canal this process is clearly underway and is particularly evident below Top Lock where vegetation now extends across the whole channel and very little open water is present.
In most river navigations, even those no longer used by boats, the colonisation of reeds is limited by flow velocities, and no specific management is needed to maintain open water habitat. Canals with low flow velocities and low boat movements, need weed cutting or dredging to prevent loss of open water habitat. Such management can benefit both users of the canal and maintain the biodiversity value of the canal aquatic habitats.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 30 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Further, the British Waterways Waterway Supervisor commented that from his experience regular weed cutting can allow the Sweet Reed Grass and reeds to replenish, rather like cutting a lawn (pers comm. Martin Walton). He has suggested that to be effective, the corms and roots have to be removed by dredging. This work has to be done with care, to mitigate impacts on invertebrates in the larval stage of their life cycle, and to prevent damage to the clay lining of the canal.
The canal is lined with clay, and isolated to a large extent from the surrounding hydrology (except at times of seasonal flooding of the Ings). Therefore if the water supply is not maintained beyond Top Lock succession will result in the loss of all aquatic and wetland habitat, with the canal bed ending up full of trees.
Active management of the canal SSSI between Top Lock and Church Bridge is therefore necessary to maintain the aquatic and associated wetland wildlife, quite apart from any potential navigational interest.
2.1.3 The Canal habitats for plants, invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals
Plants that grow in aquatic habitats are usually divided into three groups depending on where they like to grow: submerged (pondweeds and true pond weeds), floating (water lilies, duckweed) and emergent (reeds, rushes, sedges, irises and flowering plants like water forget-me-not and flowering rush that thrive in wet ground). One of the most significant group of plants of aquatic habitats is the true pondweeds (Potamogeton species) of which several species occur in the Pocklington Canal.
Along the towpath grassland plants such as oxe-eye daisy, and betony can be found, along with dramatic clumps of greater willow herb, which give great pleasure to people using the towpath or travelling by boat or canoe along the canal.
Some Potamogeton species can be affected by large numbers of boat movements and agricultural run-off. Native yellow water lilies are able to tolerate more pollution from agricultural run-off so are more likely to thrive and dominate as they do in the navigable sections of the Pocklington Canal with open water (and are much appreciated by local users of the canal).
Most marginal wetland plants such as reeds, rushes and sedges are more tolerant than submerged aquatic plants. They can also help to cleanse the water of these pollutants. Tall mat-forming species like sweet reed grass (Glyceria maxima) are also robust enough to withstand considerable boat wash (and can be observed as large clumps floating down the canal to colonise new areas).
In a still or slow-moving canal like the Pocklington, the greatest variety of invertebrates is usually found at the channel margin and amongst submerged or marginal plants. Few animals live in the fine easily disturbed sediments of the channel centre. Marginal plants and natural banks are important, providing shelter or food for invertebrates, like the nationally important group of damsel and dragonflies.
The canal was traditionally known for its stocks of bream, freshwater eel, dace, perch, roach, rudd, tench and pike. Fishing was considered good in the lock pounds that were not too severely affected by weed, the most popular section being above Walbut Lock, according to local fishermen. The fishing rights are leased from British Waterways by the York and District Amalgamation of Anglers. Their secretary informs me that fish stocks and variety have declined dramatically over the last 10 years, due to the gradual loss of water through weed encroachment and declining habitat quality.
The natural banks, vegetation margins and network of secluded dykes associated with the canal are ideal habitat for otters and water voles. Boat owners report seeing water voles amongst the boats moored in Melbourne Arm (pers comm. Debbie Smith 2011).
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 31 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 A wide variety of birds are seen and heard along the Canal and the commonest: herons; mute swans, coots, moorhens and mallards are widely appreciated by general users of the canal towpath and canal itself and require no specialist knowledge or equipment. Kingfishers can be spotted quite regularly, and are specially protected under schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, making it an offence to disturb this bird during the breeding season.
Other birds are found along the canal corridor, including tufted duck, kingfisher, grey wagtail, sedge warbler and reed bunting. Barn owls may be heard and seen hunting over the canal at dusk near Melbourne Arm. The bittern, a nationally rare bird visits the canal most winters, but is very hard to spot. Mute swan, coot and moorhen regularly nest in the marginal vegetation, and turtle dove and whitethroat use the fringing hedges. Lapwing and curlew nest nearby on the Ings and the haunting call of the curlew can be regularly heard.
The farmed flood plain meadows of the Lower Derwent Valley (Ings) through which the canal flows, provide a home for many nesting wildfowl, waders and other farmland birds such as skylark. In winter these same meadows support even larger numbers of wildfowl, birds coming from as far away as Siberia and Poland.
2.1.4 SSSI Condition Survey
The condition of the SSSI has been assessed by Natural England on a regularly basis since notification. The most recent condition assessment of the Pocklington Canal SSSI, which used both plant survey data, physical and chemical data was undertaken in 2010 (Appendix 3) indicated that the majority of the SSSI was in an ‘unfavourable/declining condition on account of plant diversity, excessive sediment, shading and turbidity condition. Stretches of the Canal falling within the other SSSIs are also considered to be in an unfavourable declining condition according to Natural England.
2.1.5 Gaps in data-research needed to inform management
In addition to the specific attributes measured to monitor the condition of the SSSI, there have not been the resources to carry out detailed surveys of the wider range of species listed from the canal that inform our understanding of its biodiversity and inform management decisions. There are significant gaps in the data for invertebrates, crustaceans, amphibians, mammals, fish, birds, trees and other species to provide a baseline for comparison and to inform management and monitoring. Terry Weston carried out the most recent Dragonfly and Damselfly survey in 2004.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 32 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 In 2004 consultant ecologists working for British Waterways (Brickland and Silver 2004) made recommendations on surveys which should be undertaken along the Pocklington Canal to fill the gaps in data to make informed management decisions and monitor the impacts of changes:
Priority Species or Group 1 Water vole 1 Dragonflies (and damselflies) 1 Breeding Birds 1 Trees 2 Butterflies 2 Towpath vegetation survey 3 Bats 3 Great Crested Newts 3 Reptiles 3 Crayfish
They stated that the data recorded for crayfish and water voles at that time showed presence but did not give any detail of distribution or quantity. Since that time there have been no further surveys of these species.
2.1.6 The Canal as a Wildlife Corridor
Research shows that dredged sections of canal re-colonise quickly with plants and animals (IWAC 2008 : 26); species affected by pollution or loss of habitat can spread easily into new areas as water and habitat quality improves. The negative side of this, is that the canal can also provide a rapid dispersal route for less desirable non-native invasive species e.g. mink and red-eared terrapin (reported from Silburn Lock by a number of local residents during the consultation). Fortunately many of the invasive plant species associated with open water e.g. parrots feather (Myriophorum aquaticum) and Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii) are absent from the Canal.
2.2 The Canal as part of the Buffer Zone for the Ings and Lower Derwent Valley
As has been said, the Canal is part of the much larger internationally significant wetland landscape of the Lower Derwent Valley. Parts of the Valley are managed as a National Nature Reserve and are also internationally designated as a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and Ramsar site.
In addition to the areas designated as Ramsar Sites, SAC, and SPA, there is also the internationally recognised concept of the Buffer Zone, which applies both to natural and cultural heritage sites (World Heritage Sites) of international significance. The idea is that Buffer Zones are those areas adjacent to a designated area which should also receive a high degree of protection in order to minimise visual and other impacts on the designated area.
This is particularly relevant to the Lower Derwent Valley SPA/SAC/Ramsar site and there is a requirement under the Habitat Regulations that any plan or project likely to have a significant effect on the site (whether within the site or not) e.g. any planning proposals or public utility infrastructure must be subject to requirements of the Regulations.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 33 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 2.3 Statutory Obligations and Policies
The Habitats Regulations transpose the EU Habitats and Birds Directive into UK Law and apply to the Canal and its Lower Derwent Valley setting, including the concept of the Buffer Zone to protect the SPA, SAC and Ramsar Site.
Planning Policy Statement 9 (PPS 9) Biodiversity and Geological Conservation, recognises the importance of biodiversity in sustainable development and rural renewal, and is particularly relevant to schemes for restoration of the Canal.
As part of their statutory obligations all public bodies including British Waterways the Environment Agency, Natural England and ERYC have a responsibility to further nature conservation in carrying out their own function. In the case of British Waterways, these obligations will transfer to the new Charity the Canal and River Trust.
The ratification by the UK of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1994 placed a duty on the UK government to promote sustainable development and encouraged the development of biodiversity action plans. In line with this BW is currently aiming to develop Biodiversity Action Plans as well as Heritage Action Plans (the Heritage Directory and Heritage Partnership Agreement for Pocklington) to help evaluate and manage the natural and cultural resources in a consistent manner.
Action - Given its national biodiversity and heritage significance, a Conservation Management Plan should be undertaken.
2.4 Non-navigation factors affecting nature conservation value
Hydrology, channel characteristics, water quality, tree shade, fish stocking and the presence of non native invasive species, all affect the nature conservation value of the Canal. It is essential to understand the wider context of the geography of the catchment of the Pocklington Canal, and the decline in water levels on the Pocklington Beck which feeds the canal. According to the York Amalgamation of Anglers the pollution incident on the Beck in 2003 had a catastrophic effect on the ecology and fish populations.
Changes to hydrology such as over-abstraction of water, which alter natural patterns of flooding, will change the supply of water to, and nature conservation value of, the Canal.
Floods on ‘natural’ (albeit historically canalised) rivers are part of the annual cycle, sweeping away much of the aquatic vegetation each winter. Floods may also scour soft sediment from the river bed, to restore a more natural channel. This process is beneficial to navigation and to wildlife (IWAC 2008 : 26).
The annual floods of the Derwent ensure the biodiversity significance of the Ings. Climate change, or at least variability within a cycle, appears to be occurring. The trend towards greater storminess and summer rainfall leads to a more variable pattern of flooding. Storm events can result in increased silt entering watercourses which can adversely affect the plants and animals they support. Likewise unseasonal flood events can have dramatic events on the Ings grasslands. Summer floods in 2007 and 2008 resulted in the loss of much of the hay crop in the Lower Derwent Valley, likewise drier summers (like 2011) will affect the aquatic ecology of the Canal through lowering of water levels.
The basic water chemistry is highly important in determining the diversity of water communities, in the absence of pollution or disturbance by boats.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 34 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 The canal is fed by Pocklington Beck, which flows down from the Wolds. The ‘hard’ waters of its chalk catchment on the Wolds, are also affected by any potential pollutants, mainly of human origin. Water quality can also be affected by land drainage inputs. The thick deposit of sediments that has built up in the canal, can act as a ‘sink’ for pollutants. If conditions change they may be re-released into the water column.
Action - Assessment of the levels of pollution in the sediment is a pre-requisite for developing a Dredging Management Plan, including the potential costs for disposal.
2.4.1 Water quality and Pollutants - Eutrophication
Below Top Lock Canal Head Filamentous algae near Top Lock, summer 2011
The adverse effects of nutrient pollution (Eutrophication) can lead to the rapid growth of pollution tolerant plants, such as filamentous algae (very prominent in summer 2011) and Sweet Reed Grass, which rapidly dominate and edge out the more sensitive and rarer plants, which the canal was designated for in the first place. Lack of oxygen can affect the entire food chain, from plants, invertebrates and fish through to mammals.
There is a water treatment plant on Canal Lane within half a mile of Canal Head, This has been a significant contributor to phosphorus entering the Canal in the past. Additional treatment facilities were however put in place in 2000 and this has resulted in the significantly reduced levels of phosphorus being discharged resulting in lower levels entering the Canal. That said, failures at the works have resulted in pollution incidents, the most significant being in 2003 which resulted in a large fish kill.
The ecological value of the canals can be degraded by pollutants, diffuse pollution has been identified as a key pollutant on the Pocklington Canal. The key potential pollutants are: Agricultural livestock, inorganic fertilisers, septic tanks, detergents, industrial discharges, treated sewage effluent according to the IWAC 2008 report on balancing the needs of navigation and wildlife.
It is estimated that 50% of phosphorus and 70% of nitrogen pollutants are derived from farming, and the remainder from human and household wastes, mainly the treated effluent of sewage works (Eaton 1989; IWAC 2008 : 37).
The Water Framework Directive, currently being implemented, sets ecological quality targets for all water bodies (including the Pocklington Canal) and defines a programme of measures to achieve this.
Action - Water quality is a major factor influencing the wildlife value of the Pocklington Canal. There needs to be regular data collection on water quality, and measures to improve this, in partnership with the Environment Agency
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 35 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 2.4.2 Tree Shading
The unmanaged growth of trees along the banks of the canal is another problem that needs to be addressed, which is affecting the quality of the ecology of the canal. Trees have shaded out the margins and central water areas, leading to the decline of important aquatic and marginal plant communities and their associated invertebrate fauna. The loss of marginal reeds in places can also reduce the potential for these plant fringes to give natural bank protection from boat traffic, thus adding to the overall stress on aquatic biota.
Although trees are a valued part of the landscape and provide refuge and shade for fish in hot weather, the accumulation of dead leaves may also partly de-oxygenate the water column and add to siltation rates (Eaton 1996).
2.5 Influence of navigation on aquatic wildlife
The key area of potential conflict on the Pocklington Canal (along with the potential disturbance of birds on the Ings by dog walkers and other canal users) is concern over the effect of navigation on aquatic wildlife. It is fair to say that those who have expressed these concerns during the consultation process are few in number, but are very effective lobbyists, so their voice is heard over that of the silent majority.
Their concerns are genuine and do need to be addressed in some detail (based on the most up to date research available, summarised in the IWAC report Balancing the needs of navigation and wildlife 2008) in order to mitigate any potential damage and to meet the strict obligations of EU and UK habitat regulations.
Great care will need to be taken to minimise pollution from boats, for example antifouling paints and spillages of fuel and lubricating oils, and careful disposal of washing up water.
In fact the effects can be divided into adverse and beneficial effects that result:
• Directly from the movement of the boat (physical damage to plants, creation of high turbidity {stirring up the silt and making the water cloudy} maintenance of open water habitat)
• Indirectly from the design and maintenance of navigation infrastructure (e.g. dredging, bank protection, mooring pontoons)
It is important to be well informed about the mechanisms by which navigation use can affect nature conservation, in order to select the most appropriate management regime to ensure navigation is sustainable.
There is considerable evidence which shows that powered boat can have a range of undesirable impacts on the wildlife of navigable canals. Some navigation related activities have a positive effect on canal wildlife, provided they are carried out appropriately.
Dredging, as has already been discussed above, is essential to arrest succession and help maintain high quality submerged plant communities in the canal.
In Britain, boat impacts on submerged plants have been mainly studies in smaller canals, where the ratio between boat cross-section and channel cross-section is at a maximum so that effects are likely to be greatest (Eaton 1989; Eaton and Hatcher 2003; IWAC 2008 : 46). Submerged aquatic plants are the most susceptible to impacts from boats.
It has been suggested from research (Eaton 1989; Eaton and Hatcher 2003; IWAC 2008 : 46) that the rarer pondweeds (found in the Pocklington Canal) thrive best in canals which either have no boats and are
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 36 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 maintained by periodic dredging, or have very low levels of boat movements (up to 500 boat movements per year BMY) to keep open water.
In canals it is quite possible to retain a marginal vegetation fringe up to quite high traffic levels (considerably more than 500 BMY). The fringe width will depend on many factors including the bed gradient near to the canal edge. The profile of Pocklington Canal is very variable along its length and always has been historically, as is shown by historic dredging plans housed in the archive of the Leeds office of British Waterways at Fearns Wharf.
Research shows that Sweet reed grass will root out to nearly 2m from the bank with no boat traffic, and this reduces down to 0.5 metre at 2500 BMY (Eaton and Hatcher 2003; Willby and Eaton 2002).
2.5.1 Effects on invertebrates
Surprisingly few studies have looked directly at the effects of boat traffic on invertebrates. Generally it is believed that effects on invertebrates (like the larval stages of the nationally important dragonfly and damsel fly populations on the Pocklington Canal) are likely to be through loss of habitat (Murphy and Eaton 1983). Marginal plants provide a refuge from predators, protection from water movement, egg-laying and emergence sites. The loss of submerged or emergent marginal plants will have a potentially damaging effect on invertebrates.
The sediment potentially stirred up by boats in the shallow waters of the Pocklington Canal could potentially smother invertebrate communities by clogging their breathing structures. This can cause starvation in freshwater mussels by reducing their feeding ability (Garrad and Hey 1987). It is however unlikely that the current low levels of boat usages are a cause for concern and presumably will not be an issue as long as boat movements per year are kept below 500.
Action - A programme of research and monitoring of invertebrates on the Pocklington Canal needs to be undertaken as part of a Biodiversity Action Plan to devise thresholds for measuring change and monitoring the impacts of management decisions.
2.5.2 Effects on fish
There is a considerable body of research on the impacts of boat movements on fish (Eaton et al 1989; Hendry and Tree 2000; Arlinghaus et al 2002; Hodgson and Eaton 2000; Pygott et al 1990) Canoes for example, cause no more than minor, localised impacts. As a general rule, canals with low levels of boat movement and abundant vegetation are usually dominated by roach, and perch with bream, tench in the weeds and pike hunting by sight.
Potential effects of boats on fish can include: the direct effects of current dislodging eggs and young from favourable habitats. There are indirect effects from the loss of aquatic plants, which can reduce the abundance of invertebrate food, and reduce cover from predation by pike and otters. Increased suspended sediment in the water can clog the gills of very young fish and reduce breeding success by depositing silt over the egg masses. Increased turbidity can make it difficult for fish to find food and disrupt courtship and egg laying. Noise and disturbance can adversely affect fish behaviour, and therefore survival.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 37 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 2.5.3 Factors that influence vessel impacts on canal wildlife
Canal size Vessel impacts are greatest in narrow, shallow, still or slow-flowing canals. Here the propeller is and type very close to the bottom sediments and the channel base and sides receive the full force of all currents generated by the hull, bank reflected cross-currents, and the propeller jet. The magnitude of the impact will decrease with greater depth of the channel. So dredging would help to mitigate the effects of the vessels. Number of Vessel impacts increase with the number of boats that move along the canal. This is currently vessels less than 200 per annum, according to the lockage count at Gardham Lock. Very low levels of boat movements are defined as up to 500 boat movements per year (BMY). The tidal access from the River Ouse is difficult, which limits the number of boats entering the canal, which is in itself a dead end. There are a limited number of moorings and these are fully occupied. Vessel Increased speed and larger boats, have a greater impact on the canal. However with low levels speed and of boat movement and low speeds, 2-3mph, rather than 4mph the impacts on rare plant species size can be minimised. Vessel Impacts on the channel sides and bed can be strongly influenced by the shape of the boat’s hull design and by the design of the propellers and stern gear. The historic Packet Boats (the hull of Alexandra survives at Ellesmere Port) were designed for speed, created little wash and provide examples of good hull design.
2.5.4 Effects on birds and mammals
As with invertebrates the main impact on birds at very high boat densities, is the potential loss of vegetation. This could also affect water voles, as marginal wetland plants form a significant part of their diet. Direct effects on burrowing animals such as water voles and kingfishers can arise from excessive wash at the bank. Disturbance may also be a factor, although research has shown that boat movements (especially at levels below 500 BMY) form only a small part of human disturbance on canals. On many waterways species become habituated to human activity (IWAC 2008 : 46).
A particular issue for the Pocklington Canal is the impact of any potential combined disturbance on the wider Lower Derwent Valley. As previously stated the international status and importance of this area must be taken into account when considering disturbance issues.
2.5.5 Optimum level of boat movements
Research on other canals shows that at levels of boat movement below 500 BMY there will only be periodic mechanical and hydrodynamic damage to plants from propellers and hulls (IWAC 2008 : 46). At this level plant species will remain high, and uncommon submerged plant species thrive. There is a diverse invertebrate community in marginal and aquatic vegetation. The canal will support a mixed population with tench, pike, stickleback and eel and there will be a good range of habitats for water birds and mammals.
This is in contrast to canals with no boat movements, where there will be progressive domination by floating leaved species such as duckweed, tall emergent species like Sweet Reed Grass, and fast growing willows. Canals with no boat movements also have declining fish populations as the channel becomes shallower.
As stated above however any increase in BMY must take into account possible impacts upon the wider Lower Derwent Valley.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 38 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 2.6 Canal Infrastructure
The banks of the canal are reasonably natural and soft, protected by a natural margin of emergent reeds and other marginal vegetation.
The demand and need for moorings needs to be assessed as part of a Visitor Management Strategy, and this needs to be informed by the policies in the Conservation Management Plan to maintain habitat and minimise threats to water voles, kingfishers, otters and other protected species.
Piling can restrict burrowing by water voles and kingfishers and access by otters.
Although British Waterways have Permitted Development Rights for certain developments along the canal there is still a requirement to consider the Habitats Regulations for plans or projects, e.g. the recently installed LEADER funded mooring pontoons.
Action – Undertake mooring feasibility study as part of a Visitor Management Strategy, and relate this to the policies in the Conservation Management Plan
2.6.1 Dredging
This detailed discussion on the effects of dredging on aquatic wildlife is taken from the IWAC report Britain’s Inland Waterways: Balancing the needs of navigation and wildlife 2008: 49
As has been discussed above, dredging can have positive effects on wildlife value, and the condition of the SSSI as it:
• Enlarges the channel, reducing the intensity of boat disturbance • Limits succession by restoring open water conditions on disused or little used canals in the same way that flooding does on rivers, thus maintaining habitat for submerged plants. • Often benefits some of the rarest species which are typically early succession plants, that decline and are lost as canals fill with silt, and floating leaved and marginal plants fill-in the channel. • Removes fine sediments, which may leave a firmer base for plant and invertebrate colonisation, increasing their chances of withstanding buffeting from boat traffic. • Removes polluted sediments, where these have accumulated • Removes sediment-bound nutrients, particularly phosphorus
Typically silt and plants from the centre of the channel are removed in the winter months, and bank angles are designed so that any vegetation fringe on either bank is largely retained.
The impact of dredging on ecosystems is always disruptive in the short term. Submerged plants are lost, together with the invertebrates living among them and on the canal bed. Losses will be particularly significant for long lived invertebrates such as freshwater mussels if appropriate mitigation is not in place. However in the medium and long term positive effects are achieved.
The cost of dredging is the biggest unknown, mainly because no evaluation has been undertaken recently on the levels of contaminants in the silt, which all agree needs to be dredged from the Upper Reaches of the canal between Melbourne and Canal Head, to improve its biodiversity and habitat value, as well as improve access. If the silt is contaminated with run-off from agricultural chemicals it will need to be removed by lorry and disposed of in a designated site, this could be very expensive.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 39 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 In the instance of the Pocklington Canal there may well be issues with regard to the ecological status of the adjacent fields and an Environmental Impact Assessment would have to be carried out. However it could be argued that the silt from the Canal is derived from the adjacent agricultural land and is simply being replaced. The question is how much would local farmers charge for the use of their fields. Clearly in terms of value for money, longer continuous lengths are cheaper than short isolated lengths, but it may be appropriate to dredge in shorter lengths on Pocklington Canal.
The following figures from other recent canal dredging projects give an indication of the likely scale of cost, which could be in the region of £500,000. Ian Marmont, the National Dredging Manager for British Waterways, who provided these figures, says that Audlem is the closest comparator for Pocklington.
Blackburn £59.82m3 £114189/km
Ribble £79.92 m3 £41269/km
Shipley £31.59m3 £27527/km
Hockley Port £125.74m3 £181070/km
Skipton £53.35m3 £114766/km
Parbold £59.35m3 £97891/km
Birmingham and Fazeley (spot dredging) £54.35m3
Audlem £35.64m3 £57180/km
In addition there are the costs of bringing the un-restored listed locks back into safe operational condition subject to Listed Building Consent and retaining historic fabric. Perhaps in the region of £200,000 per lock, with the skilled volunteer assistance of the IWA Waterways recovery Group.
Action - The canal needs to be actively managed to maintain its SSSI status and true dredging costs ascertained, this will be undertaken via the production of a Dredging Management and Maintenance Plan.
2.6.2 Restoration of navigation from Melbourne up towards Canal Head
The most acute issue on the Pocklington Canal is the conflict perceived by some consultees, between nature conservation and restoration works, especially dredging and extension of navigation. The derelict stretch of the canal has developed significant nature conservation interest and has therefore been designated a SSSI. However as discussed above, ‘doing nothing’ has led to the decline of the SSSI.
The recent strengthening of EU and UK nature conservation and water environment legislation has major implications for the restoration of the remaining half of the Pocklington Canal. However, if carefully planned and considered, with appropriate mitigation procedures in place there is a body of good practice to draw on to develop restoration in conjunction with Natural England, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the Environment Agency and ERYC, EH and all interested parties.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 40 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Waterways restoration/management projects which have placed nature conservation at the heart of their schemes include:
• The Broads (Ramsar, SAC, SPA, and SSSIs)
• Montgomery Canal (SAC and SSSI)
• Rochdale Canal (SAC and SSSI)
• Basingstoke Canal (SSSI).
The recognition of the wider benefits of creating a waterway that supports a diverse ecology means that the following action is essential for the development of restoration on the Pocklington Canal:
Action – This would be addressed as part of a Conservation Management Plan which would include consultation with statutory and non-statutory nature conservation organisations and stakeholders at an early stage in the development of detailed plans
2.6.3 The effectiveness of weed cutting
If carried out indiscriminately or too frequently weed cutting may reduce plant diversity and encourage unwanted plant species. However for invertebrates there is rapid recovery after plant cutting.
Action - This needs to be utilised as part of a portfolio of effective habitat management techniques enshrined in the proposed Conservation Management Plan for the Canal.
2.7 Disturbance of birds on the Lower Derwent Valley and the Pocklington Canal
Local ornithologists (including the York Birding Group) have raised concerns about the impact of recreational users of the network of footpaths linking to the towpath. Some have raised objections to dog walkers along the towpath from Melbourne down to East Cottingwith at peak season for migrating birds. They are concerned at the potential disturbance of wading birds on the flooded Ings in winter, by uncontrolled dogs. This was also the main concern of Ian Carstairs of the Carstairs Trust, which owns and manages land adjacent to the canal.
This is not just an issues for the consultees mentioned above. As previously stated many of the grasslands adjacent to the Canal receive international protection through there designation as SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites in part on account of their wintering, passage and breeding bird aggregations.
There is an extensive body of research on the impact of dogs on wildfowl and management techniques for monitoring and reducing the impacts (Countryside Recreation Network 2005, 2007, 2009; Natural England 2009 NECR003). Historically the stock response was to restrict access to the countryside, now countryside managers are becoming more sophisticated in their understanding of the techniques of visitor management, to manage recreational behaviour to enable access and conservation to co-exist for mutual benefit.
Ian Carstairs, of the Carstairs Countryside Trust, was supportive of extending the navigation of the canal and very enthusiastic about developing educational facilities and activities at Canal Head and Melbourne as part of a wider Lower Derwent Valley Visitor Management Strategy which provides focal points for enjoyment at robust gateway locations (Canal Head, Melbourne Arm, Bank Island, Duffield Carrs) with ‘restraint and sanctuary elsewhere’. He remains concerned about irresponsible dog owners allowing dogs to run across the Ings and flush out birds.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 41 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Recommendations on techniques of visitor management and interpretation to inform, educate and modify people’s behaviour are discussed below in section 6.
2.8 Protection of Historic Fabric of the Canal
It is fair to say that on a national scale the historic fabric of the Canal is of less significance than the natural environment. Partly because it was only used for a short time, was located at the end of the national network and failed to prosper. Therefore, apart from at Canal Head, Walbut Lock, and Bielby Arm it does not have the characteristic range of warehouses, Lock Keepers Cottages and other typical canal-side structures like mills.
At a local level the locks with their characteristic six spoke paddle gear wheel are an important part of the character of the local historic environment and contribute to local distinctiveness and sense of place. However the original paddle gear wheels have been replaced with replicas at Walbut Lock, Gardham Lock, Top Lock Cottingwith Lock and Coates Lock.
Further, much of the historic fabric of the Gardham Lock has been substantially replaced and extensive repairs have been undertaken to the other navigable Locks.
The accommodation swing bridges have been substantially rebuilt and are no longer original.
The remaining locks would require complete restoration to enable navigation to Canal Head, and should be recorded (as has already happened at Sandhill Lock) prior to restoration. It is possible that there could be remains of canal side structures at Canal Head, so any development at Canal Head should be preceded by an Archaeological Desk based Assessment (ADBA) carried out by a competent contractor, and potentially an evaluation under the normal development control procedures.
At Hagg Bridge there is evidence of a brick yard which may have been associated with the construction of the Canal and any development there should also be subject to ADBA and potentially an evaluation under planning procedures.
Church Bridge has been damaged by wide vehicles crossing over it, and measures should be taken to prevent this damage. The appearance of both Church and Hagg Bridges have been spoilt by large service pipes and replacement of coping stones. The British Waterways Heritage Directory for the Canal highlights all issues for the Historic fabric of the Canal and sets out a clear set of statutory procedures to be followed for consents (Judy Jones, British Waterways 2008).
2.9 Parking at Melbourne Arm and elsewhere along the canal
Residents living on the track down to Melbourne Arm have complained about the uncontrolled nature of parking down at Melbourne Arm when people are using the canal and the PCAS trip boat on a Sunday afternoon. There is insufficient space in the British Waterways car park, and alternative provision and management action needs to be taken to resolve the problem.
There is also very limited car parking beside the roads on the approaches to Coates Bridge, Walbut Bridge and Hagg Bridge. This limited capacity should not be extended to restrict impacts on the towpath, and on road safety grounds.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 42 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 2.10 Towpath Condition and Access
The Canal Towpath from Canal Head down to Coates Bridge is promoted as part of a network of cycle routes from Pocklington, promoted by the Pocklington and Wolds Gateway Partnership, with funding from ERYC.
The poor condition of the towpath below Giles Locks is a potential health and safety issue and several people consulted commented on the condition of the towpath from Canal Head down to Silburn and Giles Lock. This is an issue, as the rural character of the towpath is one of its great assets and it would spoil its character to create a flat, urban tarmac style surface.
Several cyclists also commented that they would like a flatter and harder surface to cycle along, whilst others acknowledged that the charm of the towpath was its ‘Off Road’ character. Current levels of cycling along the towpath from Canal Head are moderate and there was no evidence of conflict between cyclists and pedestrians as is so often the case on canal towpaths with high levels of cycle usage.
Overhanging branches on the towpath below Canal Head are an issue for towpath users and are shading the canal, potentially damaging the habitat.
Between Bridges 1 and 2 at Storwood the old signs for the National Nature Reserve have been moved and placed on the access route along the towpath, by someone other than Natural England. This is clearly an attempt to confuse people and discourage them from using the towpath. Natural England are taking steps to remove these signs.
2.11 Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Compliance
Several people consulted commented that they would like to be able to travel further down the towpath from Top Lock, but were unable to negotiate this uneven surface in their wheelchair. This raises the question of whether there should be an extension for limited distance from the accessible car park and accessible fishing platforms at Canal Head.
Car parking needs to be rationalised at Melbourne and DDA compliant parking spaces probably need to be provided in the British Waterways car park, for trip boat users. The surface of the towpath down beside the Melbourne Arm would also benefit from refurbishment to meet DDA standards.
Several older people consulted said they would like to travel on the existing trip boat, but could not get onto it.
Longer term, consideration needs to be given to seeking grant aid for a platform lift to enable wheelchair users to use the trip boat. However the current trip boat is not suitable for modification.
Action - Undertake Visitor Management Strategy, which will include recommendations for parking and access
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 43 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 2.12 Lack of Awareness of the Canal
During the consultation it was surprising how many people, who live locally did not know how to find the canal, or had never been along it. This was particularly the case at Allerthorpe, despite there being a network of local footpaths creating a circular walk from Allerthorpe and along the canal towpath. Some people were aware of the trip boat, but were unsure where it operated from (despite extensive leafleting and attempts to erect banners at key locations).
2.13 The Canal as part of the Local Green Infrastructure Network
A specific element of the brief was to maximise the multi-functional benefits of the site and its role in the local green infrastructure network.
Natural England are the lead agency promoting the concept of Green Infrastructure nationally. Locally they also prepared the Green Infrastructure Network for the area and guidance for its strategic planning and delivery. Nationally and locally they work with local planning authorities to explain, promote and support green infrastructure planning and delivery.
The Pocklington Canal is not included on the definitive Green Infrastructure Map for this area, and this is an important omission from the Local Green Infrastructure Network.
Green Infrastructure is a strategically planned and delivered network comprising the broadest range of high quality green spaces and other environmental features. It should be designed and managed as a multifunctional resource capable of delivering those ecological services and quality of life benefits required by the communities it serves and needed to underpin sustainability. Its design and management should also respect and enhance the character and distinctiveness of an area with regard to habitats and landscape types.
Green infrastructure includes established green spaces and new sites and should thread through and surround the built environment and connect the urban area to its wider rural hinterland. In that sense the linear nature of canals which are designed to connect different locations makes them especially important for Green Infrastructure networks. Within the typology of Green Infrastructure Canals and their banks are defined as Green Corridors, supporting rights of way along the towpath. The Green Corridor of the Pocklington Canal is part of the more extensive habitat and ecological network of the Lower Derwent Valley corridor and flood meadow landscape. It is all the more surprising that it is not listed as part of the Green Infrastructure Network prepared for this area
Action - Efforts should be made to rectify this situation through the ongoing consultations relating to East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Local Development Framework.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 44 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 2.14 Lack of Resources for the Remainder Waterway
One of the main barriers for any management work on the Canal is its status a Remainder Waterway with a reduced allocated budget. Accordingly all works have to be funded through grant aid, fund raising or in the unlikely event of an annual surplus. British Waterways is facing a massive backlog and deficit in its maintenance budget, which has prompted the transfer to the third sector, to cut costs and generate new sources of income.
In 2007 PCAS prepared an estimate of the amount spent on restoration works to get the canal to its present, deteriorating, state:
Works cost
4 locks fully restored £440,000
3 locks partially restored £350,000
7 swingbridges renewed £350,000
1 swingbridge substantially renewed £45,000
Bank maintenance £70,000
Culverts £50,000
Road bridges £200,000
Dredging £650,000
Moorings £75,000
Sanitary Station £40,000
Total £2,270,000
Supervision etc. £230,000
Grand Total £2,500, 000
However locks need constant maintenance and regular replacement if they are to hold the increasingly precious resource of water; the system of culverts needs to be regularly maintained to help with land drainage, and banks have to be regularly monitored and maintained if they are not to fail and result in catastrophic loss of water. The canal needs to be dredged to prevent build up of silt from Canal Head and dominant water plants need to be regularly cut to maintain open water and a healthy environment for the SSSI.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 45 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 3 Options Appraisal - moving towards a consensus
Having considered the various issues and constraints affecting the canal a series of options for wider consultation was agreed by the Pocklington Canal Liaison group at an additional meeting in early July so that the Community Consultation could commence. The options needed also to be weighed against a range of criteria, to inform the decision making.
The options and criteria were circulated directly via email to specific organisations like the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Parish Councils, Pocklington Town Council and individual officers within the Environment Agency, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Carstairs Countryside Trust , Environmental Groups and interested individuals.
They were also presented as large charts in an interactive display accompanied by photos and explanations, and people could vote for those options that they approved of. More than 100 people voted for the various options and left comments on post-it notes.
The same options were presented as a questionnaire and more than 300 were completed with many people adding detailed written comments. These detailed written comments have been retained in the project file which will be placed with British Waterways, as evidence of need to support future funding applications.
The results of the consultation are summarised in section 4.6
3.1 Criteria to be considered
• Legal implications (EU habitat regs. ‘Appropriate Assessment’ etc.) • Implications for navigation • Implications for nature conservation • Water resources and quality • Implications for built heritage • Implications for landscape and archaeology • Implications for community use and education • Engineering costings • Implications for running costs/maintenance • Implications for rural regeneration • Implications for capital funding
3.2 Potential Options
1 Meet minimum legal obligations (SSSI, Remainder Canal, Drainage, health and safety) 2 Maximising benefits of canal as of 2011 (active management of status quo) 3 In-channel nature conservation, with low navigation levels 4 Restoration to Bielby only (no access to Bielby Arm, just turning point at entrance to the arm) 5 Restoration to Canal Head 6 Enhanced Interpretation for current users (no increase in use), parking management and benches at Melbourne Arm 7 Enhanced interpretation and education facilities, toilets, water and power at Canal Head; electric-powered education boat running from Canal Head, with trail route from Town Centre and safe road crossing improvements/refuge.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 46 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 4 Community Consultation
A wide range of local residents and special interest groups were consulted on the seven options agreed above at the special meeting of the Pocklington Canal Liaison group in July 2011.
This involved moving away from the structures of formal weekday meetings; looking at issues on the ground and resolving them through informed and courteous debate with local residents and users; at times and places which are convenient for them and where they feel comfortable.
Good communication is key to building consensus, and it is important that the views of different individuals organisations and groups are made explicit and clear in meetings. Further it is often easier for people to air their views and be heard by someone who is not linked to a specific organisation or agenda.
4.1 Consultation Aims
The brief emphasised two key aims:
• The need to engage new and existing audiences through a programme of consultation and activity to build consensus and highlight ways in which groups can work together • Provide opportunities for people to help shape the future plans for the site Accordingly an extensive and varied programme of community consultation was undertaken during July and August and September.
4.2 Consultation and Engagement Methodology
Following best practice a range of different methods were used to gauge peoples’ views. Not everyone has the time or patience to complete a survey form; many people are deeply suspicious of online surveys and most people like looking at colourful pictures; adding their comments to plans and chatting to someone, or sharing their stories with a group of like- minded and interested individuals. Importantly the consultations took place in locations where people congregate and have the time to contribute and also where they feel comfortable.
There is a relatively low level of usage of the canal towpath at present by cyclists, dog walkers and picnickers and boat movements are also very low. So I have consulted with more non –users than regular users of the canal towpath. The majority of the users were consulted at Canal Head and Melbourne Arm, with others at Hagg Bridge, Coates Lock, Storwood and along the towpath.
Pupils of Woldgate College, Pocklington School, Pocklington Scouts, Melbourne Scouts and The Pocklington Duke of Edinburgh’s Scheme (a focus group of 30) were asked what type of activities they would be interested in participating in.
The most popular activities were in descending order: 1. Canoe Trail 2. Helping with practical Conservation Activities (Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Students) 3. Helping to develop interpretation and engagement for their peer group (apps and blogs, designing posters and marketing materials) 4. Being trained to carry out wildlife monitoring activities 5. Developing a Canal Inspired event at Canal Head
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 47 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 30 Pupils from Pocklington Montessori school also provided feedback on their preferred activities along the canal. They were most keen on a floating classroom and opportunities to see underwater and to learn about wildlife along the canal. They were very excited by the idea of extending navigation up to Canal Head.
4.3 Interactive Display
An ever-expanding (as people added their comments and drawings) interactive display was taken to various local venues and events and to support formal presentations to specific groups:
• Pocklington Market 8.30- 4.30 pm in July and August
• Burnby Hall Gardens 10 am - 5pm (brass band concert, attracts many visitors from Bridlington, Hull, Bradford, Leeds and beyond, including VFR from Essex, Scotland, Kenya)
• Canal Head Information Point, Saturdays in July and August
• Yorkshire Day at Pocklington Arts Centre
• Allerthorpe Summer Fair
• Hog Roast for Melbourne Village Hall
• Presentation, with travelling display panels, to Pocklington and Wolds Gateway Partnership
• PPT Presentation, with travelling display panels, to Pocklington Town Council
On the various occasions more than 100 people left drawings, photos, notes of sightings of particular species, and written comments on ‘post-it’ notes on the interactive display and on the enlarged map of the canal. Some brought along books and reports and Dennis Moor, the diver and local TV repair man, brought along his hand written diary and diver’s log of his dives along the canal and what he saw.
Burnby Hall Gardens Dennis Moor and Stuart Cocker from Vixen Radio
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 48 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
ERYC countryside access officer and PCAS volunteer Local schools and children are a key target audience working party coordinator
Martin and Elinda bringing historic photos and other Mayor of Pocklington at Burnby Hall Gardens sources
Melbourne Methodist Church September Oak House Pocklington
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 49 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
PCAS interview with Tony Barker from Vixen Radio Pocklington Market Place July
Pocklington Market Place Terry Weston
The Canal is especially important for local families Visitors to Burnby Hall Gardens
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 50 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 4.4 Sample Size
More than 300 people completed the questionnaire survey and left comments. The population of Pocklington, Melbourne and the villages along the canal, including Sutton on Derwent, and East Cottingwith, is approximately 13,000 (according to the 2010 Office for National Statistics dataset mid term estimates). This is an excellent response rate, when you compare it to the sample size of 80 questionnaires completed for the ICRT Nature Tourism survey to represent a potential audience of 115,000, Nature Tourism Visitors or 7 million for the total visitors to East Yorkshire. Pocklington councillors and Melbourne church members said that the response compares favourably with other local surveys which have attracted less than 50 responses from local residents. It shows the level of interest in and support for the Canal locally.
The Steering Group considered the option of posting the survey to every household in the area, but with a stamped return envelope, even at 2nd class the costs of copying and postage and time came to around £1900. It was decided that the cost didn’t really justify the potential return rate, which based on previous experience could be quite low. People are more likely to complete a questionnaire if there is someone to talk to and engage with, or to answer specific questions.
4.5 Other consultation methods:
• Short article, with contact details in PCAS newsletter to the 400 members • 4 Live radio interviews with Vixen Radio at various different locations, including one on Heritage Open Day Sept 10-11 • One live radio interview with Radio Humberside • Information pack emailed to local schools, including information on curriculum links; waterways safety booklet designed for children; waterways adoption and volunteering opportunities • 3 articles generated by Press Releases to the Pocklington Post (Nick Frame key contact) • Talked to owners of boats moored at Melbourne • Summer Garden Party/Fundraiser August Bank Holiday Monday, interactive display generated a lot of interest • Surveys were also handed out to people walking along the towpath of an evening at the weekend, these included dog walkers and cyclists and people with push chairs or small children • A batch of surveys were left at the PCAS information point at Canal Head and also at the leaflet dispenser at Melbourne Arm • Batches of surveys were given to interested local residents to pass on via their personal networks: (e.g. Melbourne Methodist Church, Pocklington Art Group, Pocklington Arts Centre Pocklington Library, local county and town councillors etc) • Attended an evening bird walk along the canal with the York Birding Group and talked to them about their concerns and views • Met with Sue Bond and her husband, at Devonshire Mill, on Pocklington Beck, Canal Lane, which is part of the wider story of the canal and its purpose and has all the historic mill fittings inside • Several people rang and provided their comments and discussed issues of concern to them (generally of an evening or at weekends) A selection of detailed comments from different groups and individuals are included in Appendix 4. All the comments have been retained in the project archive, which will be deposited with British Waterways to provide evidence of need for future funding bids.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 51 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 4.6 Results of Survey
300 people have completed a survey and 75% of these have left a comment, many of them quite detailed.
Initial analysis of responses:
• Of those that commented, 7 people expressed concern about the impact of boats or dredging on birds nesting in the reeds. • 70% were from Pocklington (210 respondents) • 10% were from Melbourne (30 respondents) • Others were from East Cottingwith, Bielby, Allerthorpe, Sutton on Derwent, Thornton, Storwood, Barmby Moor, York, Hull, Brough, Bridlington, Driffield, Bradford, Leeds, Essex, Scotland, Holland Kenya and other locations...
Options for consideration
A Do nothing and allow the canal from Top Lock, Canal Head, Pocklington back to Thornton Lock to eventually return to dry ground.
B Actively manage the canal as it is now (2011) to maintain in its current condition and current levels of open water
C Manage it for nature to try and enhance its biodiversity, with current low navigation levels and some spot dredging
D Restoration of navigation to Bielby Arm, with turning point at entrance to the arm (no access to Bielby Arm which will be actively managed for biodiversity)
E Restoration of navigation from Melbourne Arm to Canal Head (there is some evidence that light boat traffic can promote biodiversity)
F Resolve parking issues at Melbourne Arm and enhance interpretation for existing visitors
G Enhanced Interpretation and provision of toilets (reed bed filtration system?) at Canal Head
Overview of survey
120
94 96 100 90 80 80 Options for consideration
60 A Do Nothing 0% B Actively manage Status Quo 4%
40 C Manage for Nature 19%
19 D Restore Navigation to Bielby Arm 94% 20 4 E Restore Navigation to Canal Head 96% 0 0 F Resolve Parking at Melbourne Arm, 80% A B C D E F G enhance interpretation G Enhanced interpretation / 90% Op ons for considera on infrastructure at Canal Head
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 52 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 4.7 Results from existing users
Walkers = 76
3 evenings and two Saturday a ernoons, July and August 100 94 92 90 80 67 70 66 Options for consideration 60 A Do Nothing 0% 46 50 B Actively manage Status Quo 7%
40 C Manage for Nature 46% 30 D Restore Navigation to Bielby Arm 67% 20 7 E Restore Navigation to Canal Head 92% 10 0 0 F Resolve Parking at Melbourne Arm, 66% A B C D E F G enhance interpretation G Enhanced interpretation / 94% Op ons for considera on infrastructure at Canal Head
Dog Walkers = 57
3 evenings and two Saturday a ernoons, July and August
100 93 94 89 90 78 80 Options for consideration 70
60 A Do Nothing 0%
50 B Actively manage Status Quo 4% 40 C Manage for Nature 22% 30 22 D Restore Navigation to Bielby Arm 78% 20 4 E Restore Navigation to Canal Head 93% 10 0 0 F Resolve Parking at Melbourne Arm, 89% A B C D E F G enhance interpretation G Enhanced interpretation / 94% Op ons for considera on infrastructure at Canal Head
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 53 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
Cyclists = 23
3 evenings and two Saturday a ernoons, July and August
90 82 78 79 80
70 60 Options for consideration 50 50 A Do Nothing 0% 40 B Actively manage Status Quo 10% C Manage for Nature 21% 30 21 20 10 D Restore Navigation to Bielby Arm 78% 10 E Restore Navigation to Canal Head 82% 0 0 F Resolve Parking at Melbourne Arm, 50% A B C D E F G enhance interpretation
Op ons for considera on G Enhanced interpretation / 79% infrastructure at Canal Head
Anglers = 15
3 evenings and two Saturday a ernoons, July and August
120
96 100 Options for consideration 79 78 80 70 A Do Nothing 0%
60 B Actively manage Status Quo 0%
C Manage for Nature 28% 40 28 D Restore Navigation to Bielby Arm 79% 20 E Restore Navigation to Canal Head 70% 0 0 0 F Resolve Parking at Melbourne Arm, 96% A B C D E F G enhance interpretation G Enhanced interpretation / 78% Op ons for considera on infrastructure at Canal Head
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 54 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
Boaters = 9
3 evenings and two Saturday a ernoons, July and August 120 99 100 100 100 90 Options for consideration 80 A Do Nothing 0%
60 B Actively manage Status Quo 0%
C Manage for Nature 0% 40 D Restore Navigation to Bielby Arm 99%
20 E Restore Navigation to Canal Head 100% 0 0 0 0 F Resolve Parking at Melbourne Arm, 100% A B C D E F G enhance interpretation G Enhanced interpretation / 90% Op ons for considera on infrastructure at Canal Head
Kayakers / Canoeists = 12
3 evenings and two Saturday a ernoons, July and August
120 99 99 100 95 Options for consideration 80 70 A Do Nothing 0%
60 48 B Actively manage Status Quo 0%
40 C Manage for Nature 48% D Restore Navigation to Bielby Arm 70% 20 E Restore Navigation to Canal Head 99% 0 0 0 F Resolve Parking at Melbourne Arm, 99% A B C D E F G enhance interpretation G Enhanced interpretation / 95% Op ons for considera on infrastructure at Canal Head
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 55 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
Birdwatchers = 43
3 evenings and two Saturday a ernoons, July and August
100 92 89 90 80 Options for consideration 70 A Do Nothing 2% 60 55 46 47 B Actively manage Status Quo 19% 50 40 C Manage for Nature 92% 30 19 D Restore Navigation to Bielby Arm 46% 20 E Restore Navigation to Canal Head 47% 10 2 0 F Resolve Parking at Melbourne Arm, 55% A B C D E F G enhance interpretation G Enhanced interpretation / 89% Op ons for considera on infrastructure at Canal Head
4.8 Profile of Existing Users
Currently the most regular and numerically the greatest number of users are walkers along the towpath, whether with or without a dog. There are very few cyclists and very low numbers of boat movements. In 2009 there were less than 91 boat movements, and in 2010 and 2011 to date (October), less than 150 boat movements (source: British Waterways counter at Gardham Lock)
One of the boaters moored at Melbourne travels along the canal fairly regularly, but the others moored at Melbourne Arm rarely move. I have spoken to owners of three visiting boats during my visits to the canal. One of the key limiting factors is the dangerous tidal stretch of the River Ouse which has to be navigated before access can be gained to the River Derwent on to Pocklington Canal.
There are occasional kayakers who park at Melbourne and launch via the Melbourne Arm.
Local families and groups of young people seem to enjoy picnicking at Canal Head and further down the towpath beside the locks, where benches have been provided by PCAS, or further along the towpath for a more secluded picnic on the grass.
Many of the existing users have multiple interests, on several occasions I have met a dog walker who also has a pair of binoculars to spot birds.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 56 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 4.9 Selection of Detailed Comments
In the section below is a small selection of comments provided through the questionnaires and interactive displays. The original hand written comments have been passed to British Waterways as evidence of need to support any future funding bids
‘super idea, we come for the band ‘it needs a good clean up good and proper concerts, we could make a full day of it, and cleaner for ducks.. and maybe a with a picnic! Something worthwhile for bit safer for kids to play about in too’ lottery money to be spent on. We look Sallie (19) Pocklington forward to our ‘free’ boat trip!’
Easingwold ‘I love the locks and the swans’
Emma (6) Pocklington ‘My grandfather, father and myself were all born and lived in Pocklington. I feel very strongly that we should keep the canal ‘we had a great picnic, I love the ducks and heritage alive’ I saw a big dragonfly’ Luke (7) Barmby Moor
‘The canal is a very important part of the local history and a tremendous ‘I just love the peace of sitting here while amenity for the local community and a I wait for the fish to bite, you’d be means of access to the flora and fauna amazed what I have seen... water voles, and wildlife’ kingfishers, owls’ Terry 56
‘having walked the towpath where possible, and had a trip on the New ‘ I love the freedom from traffic and the Horizon boat, I found the area very chance to see things on the way, it is enjoyable. It is well worth future always different, and to watch the seasons investment to make it navigable, change over the year. I wouldn’t want it to preferably up to Canal Head at be tarmac, that would spoil it for me’ Pocklington. I am not from the area, but, Cyclist, Pocklington as I did, it would be a worth while trip’ Scunthorpe, North Lincs
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 57 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 5 The potential for leisure and recreation
5.1 ‘Slow’, ‘Green’ or ‘Responsible’ Tourism
Natural England and many local residents (Appendix 4) would be horrified if the canal was insensitively promoted or developed for tourism and there is a wealth of best practice guidance on successfully reconciling access and conservation (CRN A question of respect: Conservation and Countryside Recreation 2005; CRN Outdoor Recreation and Nature Conservation 2007; NE The Local Access Forum Handbook March 2008: Section 10 Public Access and Nature Conservation; Section 12 Access to Inland Waters and the Coast).
The ERYC Local Development Framework and Biodiversity Action Plan Strategy specifically argue against the development of caravan sites, construction of new buildings, or any development which might lead to increased traffic and/or which might impact on the Lower Derwent Valley SPA/SAC. In any case, these would be unlikely to pass the rigorous ‘Appropriate Assessment’ required under The Habitat Regulations for plans or projects “likely to have a significant effect “upon SPA/SAC
However it might be more appropriate to adopt a ‘Green’ or ‘Slow’ tourism approach, encouraging people to use green modes of transport and stay longer with existing local B&B accommodation providers, providing a new income to sustain historic buildings and villages. Further if the ‘zone’ approach to planning and developing activities is adopted (section 6.1 below) then it is clear that the canal can absorb some development of interpretation and activities at Canal Head and to a more limited extent at Melbourne.
Many people who live in Pocklington and the adjacent villages have a very strong Green and Low Carbon agenda. Local residents (through the Pocklington and Wolds Gateway Partnership) are looking at car sharing schemes, promoting cycling, and developing public transport and community transport plans. This approach is advocated and promoted by ERYC through its Sustainable Transport Strategy.
The canal and the circuit of footpaths radiating from it are ideally suited to be responsibly promoted as a Green/Slow Tourism product. The Italian Cittaslow movement, epitomises this approach. These are rural market towns where it is good to live, where the quality of the infrastructure and environment help people to enjoy life at a human pace. Ludlow was one of the first Market Towns in the UK to adopt this approach. Canal based activities fit perfectly into this model of Green/Slow Tourism and Pocklington Canal has the potential to be an exemplar for this approach, through its developing partnership.
5.2 The profile of the Slow or Responsible Tourism Audience • Slowing down in everyday life • Reacting against long working hours, busy schedules, multi-tasking, impatience, road rage • Downshifting • Healthy eating • Gardening, organic veg boxes • Wild life watching • Conservation volunteering • Walking, Cycling, Paddling, Boating • Work/Life balance • Avoiding clock watching and perpetual hurry
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 58 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 5.3 Principles of Slow or Responsible Tourism
• Minimise travel distance by car or plane • Maximise the time for the trip • Relax and refresh mind and body • Explore the local area in more depth • Meet with and connect with local people • Quality and authenticity of experience • Good for the environment, smaller carbon footprint • Give something back, spend time constructively and creatively
5.4 The Market for Slow Tourism in East and North Yorkshire
Over the last three years (2008- June 2011) Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, with funding from the LEADER CWWW Local Action Group has commissioned a research report (ICRT 2011), appointed a project manager, and implemented a series of projects to demonstrate and develop the economic benefits of nature based tourism. They have implemented an investment programme in a triangular area bounded by the River Hull valley and the North Sea and Humber coastline including the high profile nature tourism attractions of Flamborough Head, Bempton Cliffs, Spurn Point and The Deep in Hull.
The project has drawn on best practice in France (Parc Natural Regional Des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin), Poland (Slowinski National Park), Scotland and the Broads. The research, analysis and case studies demonstrate how sensitively planned green or nature tourism can contribute to conservation and management of these internationally significant landscapes, without damaging the resource.
The French have a long tradition of Eco Musees, large Open Air Landscape ‘Museums’ in which local people interpret and present local cultural and natural landscapes, in their own locations to visitors, for local economic, social, and educational benefit. They were established in the 1960s as a reaction against the formal, rather stuffy academic style of the ‘establishment’ museum in large cities. Along with the long established Scandinavian Open Air Museums and outdoor education tradition, they helped to inspire the UK Independent Open Air Museum movement which has funded conservation from the proceeds of visitor income since the late 1960s, around the same time as the Canal Restoration movement got under way (Blockley 1999).
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 59 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 5.5 Segmentation of Green/Nature Tourism Market
Researchers have defined this nature tourism market into three main segments:
• Specialists, particularly bird watchers, prepared to travel long distances and to ‘rough it’ to view particular species, particularly rare species • General nature tourists drawn to an area by ‘iconic’ species but also interested in the wider environmental context • People with a casual interest in wildlife, who will be attracted to an area if there is relatively easy access to viewing locations and if there is interpretation to help them get the most out of their visit
I would add to this, those who are interested in Cultural Landscapes like the Pocklington Canal and the historic seasonally flooded water meadows, the Ings through which it flows. Cultural Landscapes combine the unique and special characteristics which combine to create Local Distinctiveness. People are interested in people and the places where they live; the stories and traditional ways of living and working in harmony with a specific landscape over a thousand years, and the challenges and opportunities that it presents.
In reality most people are interested in finding out about and participating in a wide range of things both natural and cultural. They cannot be bracketed as interested only in archaeology, history, birds, fishing, boats, cycling, rambling, plants, dragonflies or dog walking. They delight in all these things and in finding out about the people who lived and worked in these special places, as they can relate to their stories. This is why I prefer the term ‘Slow’, rather than ‘Green’, ‘Nature’, ‘Wildlife’ or ‘Eco-Tourism’ as this implies taking the time to look closely at and enjoy the Cultural Landscape of the Lower Derwent Valley and the good food and hospitality it can offer.
5.6 Capturing the economic benefits of Slow Tourism
It is important to be able to capture the spending associated with slow/green/nature tourism in order to contribute to the considerable costs of conservation, restoration and management of Pocklington Canal in an increasingly challenging economic climate.
British Waterways is facing a massive backlog and deficit in its maintenance budget which has prompted the proposal for a transfer to the third sector in order cut costs and generate new sources of income (A new era for the Waterways Defra 2011, IWAC response to New Era 2011)
The ICRT Research for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust showed that most current tourist spend is away from locations where wildlife is viewed, mainly on fuel, with very little spent within the local economy of East Yorkshire.
Developing new nodes for attracting visitors and stimulating increased spending at existing sites is a primary objective for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and its partners in the Nature Tourism Triangle. They also stated that these nodes need to be developed to appeal to the casual visitor (not just the specialist).
The same model of developing interpretation and activities at nodes or gateways at robust locations away from the sensitive areas of the Lower Derwent Valley and Ings Cultural Landscape would apply to Canal Head.
A key objective of the YWT nature tourism strategy is to increase the length of stay in the area, converting day visits into overnight stays, and one-night trips into short breaks of several days.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 60 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Fishing boat skippers have been offering short bird watching trips from Bridlington, and YWT has developed popular seasonal bird watching boat trips off Flamborough Head, Bempton Cliffs and Spurn Point.
A trip on an electric canal boat from Canal Head, to observe wildlife, might not offer the same drama as a sea going trip, but it would appeal to local residents, visiting friends and relatives, schools and visitors. Clearly the narrow country lanes and small car parks close to Pocklington Canal could not support large numbers of car borne visitors, and any proposals should be linked to promotion of sustainable transport options (cycling, public transport). It would also fit with the strategic objectives of ERYC/YWT/RSPB and other partners in the Nature Tourism Triangle and help to educate, inform and contribute to the costs of conservation.
The PCAS trip boat New Horizons is a good example of a wholly volunteer- led slow tourism enterprise, which engages and educates visitors, and provides an income for conservation projects, also carried out by volunteers. This is precisely the model that BW wishes to promote in its transfer to the charity sector.
To make the enterprise even greener and more engaging, an electric or eco-boat, with specific education resources and a programme of activities (led by trained education volunteers) could be run from Canal Head. Using an underwater webcam this could provide a fascinating view of the underwater habitats photographed by the local scuba diver Dennis Moor, and also provide a way of observing birds and other wildlife on the Ings without disturbing them. With the option of a webcam on board, passengers could also view barn owls, water voles and wading birds in their habitats without disturbing them.
Free Boat Trips Run by PCAS Volunteers (passengers are asked to make a voluntary donation)
Year Trips Total passengers Groups and related local events (includes many private bookings for birthdays etc…) 2009 76 Not recorded, max of 12 per trip, although Bishop Wilton School Sundays and Bank Holidays are recorded as ‘Thursday Club one trip, they include up to 8 short (20min) Friends of Hagg Wood return boat trips from Melbourne Arm. Haltem Price Scouts Selby 41 Club 2010 84 1969 Melbourne Open Gardens and Scarecrow Trail 2011 71 (up to 29 Aug.) 1745 Heritage Open Days British Waterways
Researchers have shown that ‘casual’ wildlife viewers are more receptive to broader environmental messages about the interaction between man and wildlife, whereas the specialists focus more on the particular species and its ecology. This has implications for the design of interpretation and activities offered at Canal Head and along the canal, and reinforces the point about over-segmentation and differentiation. Most of us are generalists with a wide range of potential interests and a concern not to damage the resources that we care about, whether natural or cultural.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 61 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 5.7 The existing visitor market for East Yorkshire
East Yorkshire as a region has a strong and loyal repeat tourism market, with around 75% of visitors saying they have visited previously and nine out of ten likely to visit again in the future.
According to Welcome to Yorkshire (www.welcometoyorkshire.net/research/market-profile/market-fit-(mosaic) The family market can be segmented as:
• Older families with modest incomes (21% of the market) • Young families reliant on manual employment, particularly important in the day trip market ( 16% of the market) • Young families with steady incomes from two parents, interested in active sports, and outdoor pursuits, often holidaying in self-catering units (13% of the market).
‘Empty Nesters’ are a large proportion of the existing market. Just under one third of visitors are aged 55 or over, and staying visitors are more likely to belong to this age group than day visitors. They can be broken down further into three main segments:
• Affluent couples, with grown up children, willing and able to afford luxury and premium products, or own a canal boat! Mainly self catering and independent travel (13 % of the market) • Older, retired couples with traditional views, generally visiting friends and relatives travelling by coach or rail ( 8% of the market) • Couples with grown up children who spend a lot of leisure time outdoors, again using self catering accommodation (6% of the market).
5.8 Seasonality of Nature Tourism across East Yorkshire
Season Key assets Spring Woodland birds at Tophill Low Seabird colonies at Bempton and Flamborough Summer Puffins join colonies at Bempton Seabird colonies at Bempton and Flamborough Autumn Passage waders at Tophill Low and Spurn Point Winter Overwintering wildfowl at Spun Point, Tophill Low Migrating wildfowl at Spurn Point Year round Barn Owls across East Yorkshire and at Melbourne (Source ICRT 2011)
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 62 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 5.9 The Volume of visits to East Yorkshire
The ICRT report goes on to estimate, based on figures supplied by VHEY, that more than 250,000 people visiting Eastern Yorkshire in 2010 took time during their trip to look at wildlife. For more than 45,000 of these (17% of the total) ‘to see the wildlife’ was the primary reason for the visit (ICRT 2011: 28). Obviously some of these trips will be made by people living relatively locally, and for whom there is no point in an overnight stay, they are too close to their own homes. But the area attracts many day trippers from South and West Yorkshire and parts of the Midlands, for whom and overnight stay in the area would be an attractive option. VHEY figures indicate that East Riding receives around 7 million day trips a year. Burnby Hall Gardens in Pocklington receives around 30,000 visitors each year, many of whom have travelled on a day trip from Leeds or Bradford or are visiting friends and relatives.
At sites where data can be gathered through ticket sales or pedestrian/vehicle counters, estimates of annual visitor figures can be made. These figures should be used with caution.
Site Owner/manager/operator Estimated annual visitor figures Bempton Cliffs RSPB 55,000 Bempton/Flamborough Boat Trips YWT 1,700 Spurn Point YWT 48,000 Tophill Low Yorkshire Water 7,000 Total 11,7000 (Source ICRT 2011)
5.10 What does this mean for Pocklington Canal?
Clearly it would be completely inappropriate to actively promote increased access and activity for much of the Canal from Melbourne down to East Cottingwith, as this is an area of considerable sensitivity and subject to requirements of The Habitat Regulations. However it does suggest that there would be demand for a small education/interpretation facility at Canal Head. The Community Consultation carried out for this plan indicated considerable local support for, and interest in, the development of interpretation/education facilities at Canal Head, with the option of an electric/eco trip boat, that could provide trips for schools during the week and visitors over weekends and summer weekdays. This would be sustainable in every sense of the word. It would also contribute to the local economy and support local businesses. It could interpret the natural and cultural history of the canal and provide an introduction to its wider historic Ings landscape setting and its international nature conservation significance.
5.11 How to attract the Slow/Responsible Tourism Audience
With careful planning, and selective waymarking of routes which avoid areas of sensitivity, it should be possible to develop low key ‘slow’ or ‘green’ recreational activities in appropriate zones of activity: e.g. cycling, walking, canoeing, bird watching, photography, painting or other creative arts, such as creating willow dragonflies or willow bull rushes, inspired by the tranquillity of the canal and its wildlife.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 63 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 We can also use well designed amusing interpretation to inform and educate regular local users and visitors about the potential impacts of different recreational activities on birds, and other users, in the hope of changing their behaviour. Often people do not deliberately seek to damage through their actions or activities, they are simply just not aware of the consequences of their activities.
If provided with information in an engaging and informative way rather than the usual officious sign with a long list of prohibitions, they are more likely to act in a responsible manner, protect the vulnerable resources in specific locations and at particular times of the year, and respect the needs of other recreational users who share the canal with them.
This information and interpretation can be provided in a range of different formats to encourage and promote Responsible Tourism and Responsible activities, and especially responsible dog ownership; responsible cycling; boating; fishing and kayaking.
A Canal Partnership could offer conservation activities to local and visiting audiences including: wildlife monitoring; conservation volunteers (like NT working holidays or the Waterways Recovery Group working party camps).
The canal could be promoted via a beautifully illustrated map, and a traditional I-spy booklet to these audiences. The ‘offer’ could include a programme of conservation and local history events and activities; to travel by canal boat for part or all of the journey; to take part in bird watching or bat watching activities with others; to take a family activity back pack out on a family picnic down the towpath and to slow down and enjoy good local food in one of the village pubs. Or a circular walk to Bielby, Allerthorpe , East Cottingwith or Melbourne to visit a local pub or use the local shop (appendices 8 & 9).
5.12 Slow/Green Tourism/Marketing Partners
The initiatives, organisations and opportunities listed below (and no doubt many others) could all be potential joint marketing partners for the development of sustainable tourism activities along Pocklington Canal.
The Canal Head site could be promoted as a Green location to provide a respite for travellers along the busy A1079 from Hull to York, both regular commuters and visitors en route to and from York, the Wolds and Hull.
• Pocklington Market Town, gateway • Burnby Hall Gardens and the eclectic to the Wolds Stewart Museum! • The Nature Tourism Triangle • Cycle Tourism: Big Skies Bike Rides; The • Wilberforce Way Way of the Roses • Pilgrimage of Grace • Pocklington and Wolds Gateway • VHEY/ERYC/YWT/RSPB Partnership • LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership • Duke of Edinburgh’s Award • Wolds National Trail Scheme/ERYC Youth Service in • BCU Canoe Trails Pocklington • National Collection of Waterlilies • Kilnwick Percy Buddhist Centre (and Giant Koi Carp)
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 64 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 In terms of market positioning, it is important to differentiate the offer for Canal Head from the offer for Bridlington, and in with the Nature Tourism Triangle Green/Wildlife Tourists. It would not be about ice cream and burger vans but the quiet contemplation of the Canal and Nature through the changing seasons.
6 Recommendations on agreed actions
The canal is a typical piece of green infrastructure, in that it is ‘a multi-functional resource capable of delivering a wide range of environmental and quality of life benefits for local communities’ (Natural England Guidance NE 176, 2009).
However the multiple uses can lead to conflict between different user groups. In this section a number of actions to resolve the issues outlined in section 2 are considered.
It is assumed by some of the consultees that dredging for navigation purposes would be detrimental to the biodiversity significance of the SSSI. However, given evidence of wider research, and observation of the current SSSI condition it is now accepted by many including the Inland Waterways Advisory Council, British Waterways and Natural England that dredging is needed to enhance the conservation value along many stretches of the canal:
‘In canals, some physical disturbance is necessary to sustain open water and prevent complete encroachment of marginal plants or dominance by invasive aquatic species. This disturbance can be achieved either by dredging and/or boat movement at an appropriate level’. (IWAC 2008 : 27)
To try and resolve this potential area of conflict the process culminating in this report has involved evaluating the scientific evidence and trying to bring differing parties together to discuss their concerns.
It is clear from the consultations that there has been conflict between anglers and kayakers. Conflict where it arises is often the result of competition for the same stretch of water at the same time. However the secretary of the York Angling Association has expressed the personal view that increased canal boat (not canoe) usage would actually help to maintain a clear channel and depth and enhance the water quality. Again the solution lies in evidence-based decision making and monitoring the impacts of proposals.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 65 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Options for Action:
6.1 Develop a Visitor Management Strategy
A key recommendation is the development of a proactive strategy for the management of all recreational visitors (including regular local visitors) to ensure that they get the most from their visit without damaging the various types of significance of the Canal, or affecting the enjoyment of other users. This strategy would be informed by the policies contained within the Conservation Management Plan described below (section 6.2).
6.1.1 Sensitivity Zoning
One of the commonest ways of avoiding conflict between different users, e.g. birdwatchers and cyclists or dog walkers is Zoning –sharing the canal and its’ towpath in time and space between different types of recreational user or competing interests such as recreation and conservation. Activities and facilities can be planned to be sited in areas which are robust and capable of supporting some small scale infrastructure, interpretation or activity.
Areas which are highly sensitive and vulnerable, can be left undisturbed and interpretation and information can be used to explain to users why they are being asked to avoid certain areas at certain times of the year, and how their actions might cause disturbance. Most people are simply not aware that their chosen recreational activity might be damaging in some way, once this explained they are usually happy to comply. The advantages of this sort of approach are that:
• Sensitive areas can be protected (from Melbourne down to Storwood and East Cotting with) whilst less sensitive areas (e.g. Canal Head) continue to be used
• Recreational use can be reduced at times when wildlife are most sensitive (birds nesting or feeding)
• Competing recreational interests can be kept apart so that cyclist would be welcome to use the bridleway from Canal Head down to Coates Bridge, but beyond that the towpath would continue to be used by pedestrians only.
Taken further this model could be part of a wider visitor management strategy for the Lower Derwent Valley with Canal Head, Bank Island and North Duffield Carrs as locations with linked and coordinated interpretation and education facilities. This could also encompass Skipwith Common as part of a network of sensitive and protected sites which are interpreted from robust gateway locations.
The aim of these locations would be to focus activity on defined places and not to promote or signpost those sensitive areas which should be left undisturbed as places of sanctuary and refuge.
At the ‘honeypot’ sites of Canal Head and Melbourne Arm visitors can be provided with interpretation which reveals the significance of the Canal and its wider Cultural Landscape setting, but also be presented with messages which help to inform and therefore change their behaviour.
As part of a visitor management strategy existing promotion of walking routes (e.g. Pilgrimage of Grace) would be reviewed to take account of sensitive areas and modified and promoted accordingly. With careful explanation of the reasons for these modifications it would be hoped that they would be supported.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 66 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 The Pocklington Canal Potential Activity Zones
CANAL HEAD 1
ALLERTHORPE Lock 1, Top Lock & Basin (Grade II Listed)
Lock 2, Silburn Lock (Grade II Listed)
Lock 3, Giles Lock SUTTON (Grade II Listed) UPON DERWENT
4
Lock 4, Sandhill Lock (Grade II Listed) 5 Swingbridge 3 5 Lock 5, Coates Lock (Grade II Listed)
Lock 8, Gardam Lock THORNTON (Grade II Listed) Coates Swingbridge 4 Bridge Hagg Bridge (Scheduled Ancient (Scheduled Ancient Monument) Monument) 5 (Grade II Listed) Bridge 5 (Grade II Listed) (Accomodation Bridge Now Fixed)
Swingbridge 6 Swingbridge 7 Lock 7, Thornton Lock (Grade II Listed) Swingbridge 2
Church Bridge Lock 6, Walbut Lock 5 2 (Scheduled Ancient (Grade II Listed) 3 Monument) Walbut (Grade II Listed) Bridge Swingbridge 1 (Scheduled Ancient 5 Monument) MELBOURNE (Grade II Listed) Swingbridge No. 8
BIELBY
5
Cottingwith Lock (Grade II Listed)
5
EAST COTTINGWITH
1 Enhanced interpretation and education facilities (including electric trip boat?) and DDA compliant access Swingbridge improvements to towpath down to Silburn Lock.
Road Bridge 2 Low scale enhanced interpretation, picnic and pond dipping area; viewing platform over Ings; nest box cam for barn owls; management of vehicular access and parking; DDA compliant parking spaces Accomodation Bridge 5 Stage 1 Extended navigation to Bielby Arm 3 Lock
SSSI 4 Stage 2 Extended navigation to Canal Head
RAMSAR/SAC/SPA 5 Areas of high risk of seasonal disturbance to birds. Use visitor management, signage and interpretation along Public Rights of Way to alert users to issues and encourage them to modify their behaviour/keep dogs under Boat movements for entire length of control. Any developments adjacent to or likely to impact on these areas subject to the Conservation of Habitat Highlighting The Pocklington Canal canal restricted to under 500 BMY. and Species Regulations 2010 (the Habitat Regulations). 0 250 500 1,000 Metres
Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO. © Crown copyright and database right, 2009. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100019843. Landmark Licence number 100022432. © Next Perspectives, 2009. Produced by: ak, date: 04/09/2009 6.1.2 Convey messages about responsible recreation
Information and interpretation can be used (with good design and humour) to communicate messages about responsible recreation, explain the reasons for restrictions and encourage people to modify their behaviour to help protect biodiversity rather than simply exclude them. This can be used to continue to allow access on PROW across the Ings and along the towpath, but encourage people to recognise the risk to birds.
Paws on the Moors www.pawsonthemoors.org is a cartoon-based website designed to promote responsible dog ownership in the Peak District. It makes effective use of humour and characterisation of the dogs to encourage owners to think about the consequences of their actions and the need for responsible dog ownership. It includes an educational film and teaching resources as well as information on dog friendly places to stay. Rather than being pompous and officious it helps to inform, entertain and explain.
The Cairngorms National Park has an attractive poster campaign and range of media which convey the message that ‘Your Dog Doesn’t Know any Better, Make Sure You Do’. The key message is that ‘this is an important area for nesting birds, your dog is easily attracted to them and could kill, injure or separate a family group during this vulnerable period. It is up to you to keep your dog under proper control, especially during the bird breeding season’.
A code of practice could be developed for responsible outdoor recreation and access along the Canal and its associated Ings setting, or more likely the wider Lower Derwent Valley, as part of a coordinated visitor management strategy.
For example the Trossachs National Park has a Respect the Park Campaign to encourage responsible behaviour in the National Park. This includes simple messages like:
• Care for the environment • Is your tent one too many? – avoid • Take your litter home overcrowding
• Respect the interests of other people • Keep your dog on a short lead or under close control when needed • Dispose of your fishing line responsibly
Many National Parks and AONBs have their own Outdoor Access Code which encourages people to:
• take responsibility for their own actions • respect the interests of other people • care for the environment
It also encourages those who are managing land to:
• respect access rights • respect rights of way and customary access
Scottish Natural Heritage has an access code www.outdooraccess-scotland.com
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 68 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Which provides specific good practice advice about:
• camping • canoeing • dog walking • horse riding • off road cycling
PCAS and individual boat owners can contribute to the protection of the canal environment by adopting good practices which avoid damage to wildlife and minimise water pollution, and by encouraging others to do the same. (PCAS has a code of practice and training programme for volunteer crew)
6.1.3 Visitor Infrastructure
There is very little in the way of visitor infrastructure to support and manage visits to the Canal by schools, volunteers, family groups or special interest groups.
As part of the proposed visitor management strategy, it is recommended that some small scale visitor infrastructure development is proposed for Canal Head. This could perhaps in the long term be linked to a wider Visitor Management Strategy for the Lower Derwent Valley, with key visitor orientation sites at existing NNR car parks/visitor reception points.
This could incorporate an education room in the field owned by BW adjacent to Canal Head. This might be similar to the Natural England Bank Island Building, and should incorporate a re-engineered entrance to ensure highway safety in the turn off from the A1079.
This should be discussed with the Pocklington and Wolds Gateway Partnership who have experience of campaigning for road safety works along the A1079.
The building might also include toilets with a demonstration reed bed filtration system, to make it both useful and educational.
To give an indication of potential cost, a vandal-proof education/community room, with green roof, was built at Weoley Castle (South Birmingham) at a cost of £250,000 a year ago and has proven a great success.
There could also be a floating classroom at Canal Head, with an electric eco- boat, which could also be considered as a green gateway to the canal.
At Melbourne Arm there is scope for smaller scale infrastructure enhancements including: providing access for pond dipping to the pond adjacent to Melbourne Arm; a web cam on the owl nesting box at Melbourne Arm with viewing in the BW building; an elevated viewing platform over the Ings and managed car parking.
The proposals for interpretation have been moved to appendix 9 at the request of the steering group. Interpretation for specific audiences is also included in the Activities Action Plan in appendix 8.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 69 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 6.1.4 Waymarking
As part of a coordinated Visitor Management Strategy, there should be a signage strategy to minimise intrusive signage; to signpost routes away from sensitive areas, and to offer alternatives at more robust locations Like Canal Head.
Most people feel more comfortable being guided along a specific route and will follow clearly marked routes. Good waymarking and signage, clear route alignment and provision of stiles and gates at key locations will reduce straying off route to acceptable proportions.
Information about preferred routes can also be made available in advance on websites with web optimised maps and trail leaflets that are large enough and clear enough to be used when printed out as pdfs (unlike the trail leaflet for Bank Island)
QR codes on waymarkers, will intrigue and interest those with smartphones, and could be linked to messages about not straying onto the Ings. This could be updated seasonally at particularly sensitive times and delivered through GPS triggered location based warnings when people are straying onto sensitive areas. The low tech solution would be a simple laminated sign, well designed and illustrated, humorous rather than officious.
A smartphone app could be designed showing a range of preferred routes with content about responsible behaviour and any seasonal restrictions on access.
6.1.5 Access
BW should commission an Access Audit to advise on detailed plans for access at Canal Head, along the Canal towpath and at Melbourne Arm. This should also consider travel to the Canal; DDA Compliant parking spaces; recommendations on access on the potential new trip boat and inclusive design of interpretive media to provide intellectual access in a range of alternative formats.
Consideration should be given to developing an accessible pond dipping area in the overgrown pond adjacent to Melbourne Arm, with access from the BW car park.
6.1.6 Parking
Consideration should be given to setting up properly marked parking spaces in the BW car park, with designated DDA compliant parking spaces. There needs to be an assessment of whether it is desirable to slightly expand the BW car park. This also needs to take into account discussion on over-flow parking provision and/or parking for boat crew at Melbourne Village Hall car park. Visitors need to be encouraged to park on the main road in the village, use the local shop and pub, and walk down the track to the boat. Lockable bollards should be installed on the track adjacent to Melbourne Arm to control vehicular access to the bridge, and parking alongside Melbourne Arm.
6.2 Prepare a Conservation Management Plan
The process of creating a Conservation Management Plan which draws on all the disparate research studies and summarises the various different types of significance of the Canal (including social, recreational and amenity); identifies the threats to this significance and encourages all partners to agree to and sign up to a set of policies to protect and enhance significance; would have a number of advantages including: the provision for continuity in the event of changes of personnel; creating a level of commitment that might be lacking or
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 70 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 reduce over time and finally it would reduce any scope for misunderstanding. The Heritage Partnership Agreement covers routine works and streamlines the process of obtaining consents for works, but is not comprehensive in its coverage of the whole range of natural and cultural, social and recreational significance of the Canal, this is what the Conservation Management Plan would do. The Montgomery Canal, which is of equivalent ecological status to the Pocklington Canal, with SSSI, SPA, and SAC designations already has a Conservation Management Plan to guide an ambitious programme of restoration and mitigation of ecological impacts .
6.2.1 Biodiversity Action Plan
This plan should be developed as a key component of the comprehensive Conservation Management Plan.
6.2.2 Dredging Plan
Action should be taken to develop a comprehensive Dredging Plan (including environmental impact assessment) to inform the financial planning and future funding bids, as well as being a key component of the Canal Conservation Management Plan. This should be a priority action, given the likely scale of cost.
6.2.3 Consider the creation of a header lake/reservoir adjacent to Canal Head
BW and the Canal Liaison group should carry out a Feasibility Study into the need for, and the hydrological, engineering , environmental and cost implications of constructing a header reservoir in the field adjacent to feed the restored canal, limited space in the field could unfortunately result in a trade-off between a reservoir, an education room and a car park.
6.2.4 Heritage Partnership Agreement
The built heritage of the canal is protected through a ‘Heritage Partnership Agreement’ (HPA) entered into by British Waterways, English Heritage and East Riding of Yorkshire Council in 2009. The HPA exists to create better and more streamlined management of the historic assets of the canal.
6.2.5 Environmental Impact Assessments
Consistent and appropriate procedures should be carried to assess ecological impact in advance of all works that may affect aquatic wildlife, commensurate with the risks to or benefits for wildlife. For works requiring formal consent (e.g. planning permission, Listing building and SSSI consents this should be consistent with existing procedures and guidance of the relevant consenting authorities. This should include full consideration of The Habitat Reguations including Appropriate Assessment for proposals “likely to have a significant effect” as defined by the Regulation.
An appropriate assessment would also be undertaken when considering the installation of any new boat moorings.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 71 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 6.2.6 Monitoring
Effective monitoring is a key element for building successful consensus, as it provides feedback and tangible evidence for the impact of management proposals. For example the impact of introducing different recreation zones can be measured e.g. areas for fishing or areas for kayaking at different times of the year. e.g. the impact of restrictions on dog walking near sensitive bird nesting sites at particular time of the year.
The Best of Both Worlds website www.bobw.co.uk cites the key issues to be agreed in advance:
• What is to be monitored, and over what period of time (and procedures for the monitoring data to be reviewed). In the context of the canal the most critical and interesting figures would be the number of boat movements and deciding on a mutually acceptable threshold for this.
• The other issue would be to monitor the impact of the dredging and the pace of regeneration of the habitat.
• BW needs to assess the level of pollution in the silt to be removed from the canal, in order to budget for the cost of disposal.
• Who does the monitoring and using what methods?
• What are the critical thresholds? (this goes back to the old limits of acceptable change methodology of Roger Sidaway at the Countryside Commission)
• Possible implications if critical thresholds are crossed?
Monitoring should include ecological indicators such as the extent of native water lilies and other aquatic plant or the numbers of dragon flies and damselflies and other sensitive indicator species These together with physical and water quality attributes inform SSSI condition assessments and can provide an early warning of water quality and other habitat concerns.
It can also be used to monitor visitor behaviour, for example: less disturbance by dog owners of birds on the Ings; or improved relations between kayakers and fishermen; or a reduction in dog mess and litter along the towpath.
The Natural England report on Access to the Countryside and Bird Conservation: priorities for research NECR003 April 2009 Natural England Guidance identifies priorities for future research on bird conservation and access to the countryside in England. It states that nationally there is a lack of accurate data to monitor the impacts of dogs on bird conservation. It would be a useful exercise to seek funding to commission such research to inform and monitor the visitor management proposals at Pocklington Canal and the Ings. At the same time research could be commissioned to monitor the impacts of different user on the aquatic habitats of the Canal.
‘There has been a shift in how access is perceived. Access and nature conservation are no longer perceived to be in irreconcilable conflict, and the days of excluding people as a knee-jerk mechanism to protect important bird populations are past. In contrast, excluding people is considered as a last resort to be used when there are no other options. Enjoyment of open spaces is now recognised as crucial to people’s well being, health and understanding of the natural environment and birds have a key role in attracting people to the countryside. There is of course, still a need to ensure the protection of the very things that people have some to see. Consequently access management has become targeted at asset management...’
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 72 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 6.3 Create opportunities for volunteering and community engagement
A national priority for British Waterways is to increase directly recruited (as opposed to delivered by other organisations) volunteering involvement with waterways, especially as it moves to become a charity in April 2012. For more than 40 years, PCAS have delivered a huge amount of volunteer effort from fundraising, campaigning and lobbying to physical restoration works and the operation of the trip boat. They are keen to recruit more, younger volunteers and to deliver restoration works through the Waterways Recovery Group of the Inland Waterways Association. However they would require help with the recruitment, management and training of these volunteers
BW has a network of local volunteer coordinators and ambitious targets to increase direct volunteering though Waterways Adoption to grow the volunteer capacity of its’ new Charity. However this would require a project funded post and additional resources from external funders so it may be that a volunteer partnership with ERYC Youth Team based at Pocklington, YWT or NE might be appropriate. This is for the Canal Liaison group to discuss and decide.
6.3.1 Volunteer - led site management programme
A detailed programme of potential activities linked to specific audiences is described in the Activity Plan Table in appendix 8.
6.3.2 Volunteer rangers and local waterways adoption scheme
Research shows that having someone on the ground can encourage people to stick to codes of good practice, especially in relation to control of dogs (Taylor 2005). This could be part of the role for the proposed towpath volunteer rangers. The ERYC youth workers in charge of the Local Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme in Pocklington are keen on becoming involved with the canal and would recruit a new intake of D of E candidates specifically to work along the canal. Although they would welcome younger local volunteers, PCAS have indicated that they would find it too onerous to take on sole responsibility for the supervision and training of a group of young volunteers.
6.3.3 Education Volunteers
Another potential volunteering activity for Pocklington Canal is the education volunteer. British Waterways has a national initiative to recruit and train education volunteers to:
• Take part in or lead school visits • Help Cub Scouts, Brownies or Beavers with their badges • Research local waterway history and habitats • Create new resources for children and teachers • Lead or assist with family activities at events • Run water safety activities • Help with administration, such as taking bookings, sending out materials or updating the education website • Help with marketing and PR • Website design and management
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 73 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 6.4 Provide formal learning opportunities
Local schools make use of the Canal to a limited degree, and during the consultation they expressed the wish to have resources and activities to enable them to make better use of the Canal across a wide range of curriculum areas. Several local schools already make use of environmental education programmes and activities provided by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England, and it may be that the educational aspects of the Canal are delivered in partnership with these organisations.
The full range of potential curriculum areas for Key Stage 2 (the target schools audience for British Waterways) are listed in appendix 7.
Pocklington School and Woldgate College both expressed an interest in volunteering programmes for pupils and the coordinator of the Local Duke of Edinburgh’s Scheme programme run by the Pocklington Youth Centre, has also expressed a keen interest in developing volunteering/learning programmes.
6.4.1 Learning programme
It is essential that learning opportunities are provided which meet the needs, interests and backgrounds of those taking part so that they have a positive learning experience. Creative approaches to exploring the Pocklington Canal should be used to ensure a range of learning styles are catered for
A hands-on approach to exploring the stories of the Pocklington Canal is essential to inspire long term appreciation of their significance. The learning programme should promote sustainable development through community consultation, partnership working and collaboration.
All elements of the learning programme should widen virtual access for people of all ages and abilities. The learning programme should promote capacity building and skills training for local communities, teachers and young people.
The learning programme should be planned and delivered through a collaboration of heritage professionals, heritage education/interpretation facilitator, new media specialists, teachers and young people. Remember to bring joy to the people who see it, use it and do it!
6.4.2 Electric trip/education boat
PCAS have been discussing the merits of replacing their trip boat with an eco trip boat to include toilet facilities and disabled access. Rochdale Canal Trust has an electric trip boat which cost around £60,000. BW have used electric vessels for maintenance and they have been used very effectively on the Norfolk Broads. The costs of installing an electric motor are quite modest and could easily be accommodated in a wider HLF bid for the Canal.
There would be challenges in that the vessel would probably also have to have a back-up conventional diesel motor to enable it to travel the return journey down the treacherous tidal Ouse to Goole Boatyard for routine winter maintenance, but this can be accommodated in the design. A working party from PCAS and the Waterways Partnership could look into the range of options, including other modes of propulsion and hull design as a demonstration project. The trip boat should also be fully accessible, and would make a suitable candidate for an HLF/Big Lottery/Wren Bid if linked to a comprehensive programme of access, education and volunteering.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 74 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 6.5 Rationalise future partnership management
The key element for the successful delivery of plans for the Pocklington Canal is to strengthen the existing local partnership for delivery, the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group. This has to be fully integrated into the two wider Waterways Partnerships: The British Waterways North East Waterways Partnership and the LEADER CWWW Waterways Partnership. In this way it should be able to take advantage of strategic funding bids and specialist technical advice.
6.5.1 Expansion of the Pocklington Canal liaison group
It is recommended that, subject to resource constraints, membership of the existing Canal Liaison group is widened to include countryside access and conservation professionals from ERYC and YWT (if they choose to become partners in delivery of education programmes) and a representative of the access and community involvement team of NE. In this way concerns over appropriate assessment and correct procedures can be aired and resolved at an early stage when new countryside access schemes are being planned and any potential areas of concern can be designed out or mitigated.
6.5.2 Vision Statement
The Vision Statement for the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group (appendix 11) does not currently include any reference to education. It is recommended that the vision be revisited, to cover both formal and informal education, and lifelong learning to engage new audiences and education to inform and influence visitor behaviour.
6.5.3 Project Champions
To capitalise on this grass roots support, British Waterways and the Canal Liaison Group need to identify some Project Champions from the local community.
Many of the individuals who expressed a passionate interest in the Canal have widespread networks of local contacts and it is through them that the Project will be taken forward, supported and ultimately adopted by the Local Community. These individuals are highlighted but not named, in appendix 4. Their contact details are held in the project archive.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 75 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 7 Conclusions and Next Steps
The consultations over the summer of 2011 have raised a number of issues, provided some potential answers, but mainly proposed a range of actions for consideration.
The issues and actions discussed in this report have been summarised in a series of tables in appendix 10.
The next stage is for British Waterways and the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group to choose their priorities for action and funding.
Following on from this, when they have decided their priorities for a funding bid, they needs to harness the considerable interest raised in the Pocklington Canal by the community consultations. It is clear that there is a deep rooted affection for Pocklington Canal locally, and local residents would support plans to bring it back into a healthy condition, with the opportunity for enhanced access and educational opportunities at Canal Head and Melbourne and an extension of the existing navigation.
The Pocklington Canal is much loved locally and local people wish to see it given the care it so richly deserves and would relish the opportunity to become actively involved.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 76 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendices
1 Sources
There is an extensive body of reports and research on the issue of Conservation and Access going back to the work of Roger Sidaway at the Countyside Commission on ‘the Limits of Acceptable Change’ (1994) which took a fresh look at Carrying Capacity theory and acknowledged that change happens and it needs to be monitored in order to be managed effectively.
A selection of the key documents used to inform the recommendations in this report are listed below. The Natural England report on priorities for research on access and bird conservation April 2009 shows how attitudes to conservation and access have changed over the last 10 years, informed by more robust methodologies rather than entrenched views. Similarly the 2008 IWAC report which attempts to reconcile the interests of navigation and wildlife is an important document.
Natural England
Commissioned Report NECR003 Access to the Craig Ralston 2005 Birds of the Lower Derwent Countryside and bird conservation: priorities for Valley, a historical review 1850-2002, English research April 2009 Nature
Lower Derwent Valley NNR Management Plan Terry Weston 2004 Pocklington Canal Dragonfly 2011 Survey 2003-4
Monitoring Report/Condition Survey Pocklington Robert Van de Noort and Stephen Ellis eds Canal (add date and correct title) Wetland Heritage of the Vale of York, Centre for Wetland Archaeology, University of Hull 1999 The Local Access Forum Handbook March 2008 Inland Waterways Advisory Council (IWAC) Section 10 Public Access and Nature Conservation; (Disbanded 2011) Section 12 Access to Inland Waters and the Coast Britain’s Inland Waterways: Balancing the needs of Green Infrastructure Guidance (NE176) 2009 navigation and wildlife 2008
Our Natural Health Service (NE179) 2009 ‘A New era for Waterways’, response by IWAC 2011 Natural Environment White Paper, user friendly introduction thinkBIG 2011 Working together, effective waterway partnerships 2010 Yorkshire and Humber Green Infrastructure Conference March 2010, short report on Volunteering and Inland Waterways, how to presentations and discussion attract, integrate and retain volunteers 2010
Using Inland Waterways to combat the effects of Social Exclusion 2009
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 77 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 British Waterways
Yorkshire Heritage Directory, Pocklington Canal Scott Wilson 2008 A botanical survey of the 2008 Pocklington Canal 2007
Pocklington Canal Heritage Partnership Brickland and Silver 2004 Ecological Desk Top Agreement, prepared by Judy Jones, Heritage Survey, Pocklington Canal Advisor 2009 Head and Tandy 1991 A survey of the aquatic flora Pocklington Canal SSSI, condition assessment of of the Pocklington Canal 1990, a comparison with aquatic features September 2010 the NCC survey of 1986
Scott Wilson Resource Consultants 1997 Scott Wilson 1997 Pocklington Canal Macrophyte Pocklington Canal Management Plan, consultation Survey draft 1997, prepared for British Waterways and English Nature Waterway Adoption Handbook 2008
Pocklington Canal SSSI Condition Assessment 2011
East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC)
East Riding Local Development Framework (LDF) ICRT, Leeds 2011 Economic Potential of Nature The Preferred Approach, Core Strategy 2010 Tourism in Eastern Yorkshire, report commissioned by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust East Riding Biodiversity Action Plan Strategy 2010
Scott Wilson 2009 East Riding Tourism Study, Summary Report Monograph
Pocklington Canal Amenity Society
Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (2008) The Minutes of Pocklington Canal Liaison Group Pocklington Canal, a guide to the canal 1999-2011
The Pocklington Canal, a brief introduction from Historical Photos from the Sheila Nix Collection the Pocklington Canal Society (revised May 2011) Records on trip boat usage Crew Booklet, guidance on boat handling, PCAS
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 78 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Environmental Conservation Research on Waterways
Eaton J, O’Hara k, Pygott J and Staples J 1989 The Hodgson B and Eaton J 2000 Provision for the effects of Boat Traffic on the Ecology and Fisheries juvenile stages of coarse fish in river rehabilitation of Canals. Progress report on research for the projects. In Cowx (ed) Management and Ecology of British Waterways Board, Liverpool. River Fisheries, Blackwell, Oxford : 318-328
Eaton J and Hatcher D 2003 Impact of Navigation Murphy K and Eaton J 1983 Effect of pleasure-boat on Wildlife: A Feasibility Study on Creating a traffic on macrophyte growth in canals. Journal of Methodology for the Impact Assessment of River Applied Ecology 20 : 713-729 Navigations. Environment Agency R & D Technical Report W3-001/TR1 Pygott J, O’Hara K and Eaton J 1990 Fish community structure and management in Garrad P, and Hey R 1987 Boat traffic, sediment navigated British Canals. In Van Densen et al (eds) re-suspension and turbidity in a Broadland river. Management of Freshwater Fisheries. European Journal of Hydrology 95: 289-29 Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission: 547-557
Hendry K, and Tree A ND. Effects of Canoeing on Willby N and Eaton J 2002 Sustainable Canal Fish Stocks. Environment Agency R & D Technical Restoration: Plant Conservation in the Restoration Report W266 Research Contractor: APEM Ltd. of the Montgomery Canal to Navigation. Report for British Waterways March 2002.
Pocklington and District Local History Society
Roger and Barbara Bellingham 1969 , East Riding Pocklington Canal, a Survey by Roger and Barbara Archaeological Society Industrial Archaeology Bellingham Group
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 79 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Original Historical/Archival Sources
From British Waterways Registry Fearns Wharf Tonnage Rates for Pocklington Canal, Joseph Leeds: Plan and Section of the line of the intended Priestley 1967 canal from the River Derwent at East Cottingwith to Pocklington 1814 The Pocklington Canal Amenity Society has a fine collection of photos of the canal from the late 19th Pocklington Canal, map of Becks and Springs 1908, century through to the restoration works of the re water supply, Pocklington Beck, Millington Beck, 1970s and 1980s, these are from the Sheila Nix Ridings Beck, for North East Railway Company Collection.
Pocklington Canal Longitudinal and Transverse Elinda and Martin Ratcliffe residents of Ings House, sections from Cottingwith Lock to Pocklington Canal Head provided: Canal Head 1859, for North East Railway Company Report by RAF into plane which crashed into Ings Pocklington Canal, map showing drainage and House, Canal Head 1940 feeders etc 1903, for North East Railway Company Pocklington resident and diver Dennis Moor has a Pocklington Canal, Wilberfoss and Thornton Level collection of 35mm transparencies showing the Drainage 1926, for North East Railway Company underwater habitat of the canal at all seasons, taken during his scuba diving trips along the canal Map of buildings at Canal Head 1909, for North during the 1970s and 1980s, these are a East Railway Company remarkable and unique record of the habitat and visibility at that time. He also has a detailed hand List of Enabling Acts for River Ouse, Derwent, written diving log of each dive along the canal. Pocklington 1767-1900
Other reports and publications
Ian Carstairs 2007 The Yorkshire River Derwent, Blockley M 1996 ( ed.) Interpretation, a Journal of Moments in Time Heritage and Environmental Interpretation Vol. 2 (2) Carrying Capacity, Association for Heritage Joint Nature Conservation Committee 2005 Interpretation Common Standards Monitoring Guidance for Canals Blockley M 1999 ‘Preservation, Restoration and Presentation of the Industrial Heritage, a case Ryder S 2010 Making best use of the waterways, study of the Ironbridge Gorge’ in Chitty and Baker final research report for the LEADER local Action (eds) Managing Historic Sites and Buildings, Group and the CWWW Waterways Partnership Reconciling Presentation and Preservation English Heritage/Routledge
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 80 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 DEFRA
DEFRA May 2011 A new era for the Waterways, a consultation on the government’s proposals for moving inland waterways into a new charity in England and Wales
Countryside Recreation Network
Countryside Recreation Vol 18, no. 2 Accessible Outdoors: Outdoor Access for Disabled Autumn/Winter 2010 ‘Green Infrastructure’ People 2010
Making a splash: providing opportunities for water Accessible Outdoor Environments for All: Shared based recreation on inland waters 2009 Understanding 2007
Dogs in parks and the countryside 2009 The impact of Outdoor Recreation on Changing Social Behaviours 2007 A question of respect: Conservation and Countryside Recreation 2005 Education in the Outdoors 2010
Consensus in the Countryside 1- reaching shared Growing up Outdoors the next steps: children’s agreement in policy, planning and management health and the outdoors 2009 1996 Demonstrating the Economic Benefits of Preparing for Climate Change in the Outdoor Countryside Recreation II 2006 Recreation Sector 2008 Defra 2008 Outdoors for All? An action plan to Outdoor Recreation and Nature Conservation 2007 increase the number of people from under- represented groups who access the natural A Countryside for well being: the physical and environment mental health benefits of Green Exercise 2005 Simon Papprill 2011 The Rochdale Canal and Children in the Outdoors 2009 Huddersfield Narrow Canal Restoration, a local authority perspective Oldham Borough Council Social Exclusion in Countryside Leisure in the United presentation to Montgomery Canal Forum 2011 Kingdom- the role of the countryside in addressing social exclusion 2001
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 81 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 2
Building Consensus
The principles below summarise key principles of conflict resolution and trying to introduce culture change in long established community and voluntary groups. They draw on the writings of the marketing guru Philip Kotler, and were adapted by Roger Sidaway for countryside recreation and more recently by the Best of Both Worlds www.bobw.co.uk which aims to reconcile conservation and recreation.
Step 1 Assessing the situation
• Analyse the current situation (including land ownership, which is an issue for BW as it does not own all of the towpath)
• Land/water management
• Nature conservation/landscape interest
• Existing recreational use
• Know where each party stands legally (Remainder Waterway, SSSI, SAM, Listed Buildings Regs, SAC, SPA, NNR etc.)
Step 2 Preparation
• Establish objectives which include the most and least favourable likely outcomes
• Find out about who to deal with
• Do your research:
Establish the facts of the history
Understand the findings of relevant scientific research on impacts of an activity
Collect objective data on usage of the canal
• Think about sharing resources not competing for them (sound advice!)
Step 3 Meeting and opening communications
• Talk to all interested parties
• Make sure dealings are with the right people and deal with them courteously
• Be open and honest in all dealings
• Hold some meetings on site
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 82 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Step 4 Getting Down to business
• Explore each other’s objectives
• List all the subjects/issues to be discussed
• Don’t be put off by ‘shows of strength’
• Distinguish between conflicts of belief and conflicts of interest
Step 5 Confronting Conflict
• Conflict sometimes cannot be avoided in achieving a long lasting solution, so don’t shy away from it ( sound advice!)
• Look for areas of agreement as well as disagreement
• Look for ways in which all can gain (and help people to not lose face)
• Keep debates constructive and adjourn if they become destructive
Step 6 Reaching Consensus
• Adopt a ‘Can Do’ philosophy- be positive and flexible
• Only promise what you can deliver
• Ask for more time if needed
• Watch out for signs of agreement and build on them
• When agreement is in sight, don’t let it get away
• Allow for others to be consulted if necessary
• Be clear who is to do what, and when to put the agreement into place
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Extract from Pocklington Canal SSSI Condition Assessment 2010
A SSSI Condition Assessment was carried out for the canal in 2010. The assessment looked at a number of attributes of the canal and common standard monitoring was carried out. Out of eleven attributes looked at, only four passed and therefore the canal was determined to be in an unfavourable condition. The eleven attributes and their status are:
• Vegetation extent: there was no significant loss of vegetation extent. Pass
• Water availability: there was no loss in water availability. Pass
• Water transparency: the canal bed should be visible in areas 1 metre in depth in 90% of the surveyed area. This was not the case at Pocklington as there are areas of high turbidity, especially in section 1 Fail
• Biological quality and water chemistry: the levels of Phosphorous in the canal should not be more than is normal for the canal. (what is ‘normal’?) Phosphorous levels were normal. Pass
• Cover of algae: there should be less than 10% cover of filamentous algae and Azolla and Lemna spp. on average. No Azolla was found on the canal, but in places there were excessive amounts of filamentous algae. Fail
• Sediment depth and texture: more fine sediment available for disturbance and re-suspension may result in higher levels of turbidity. This attribute failed as there were high levels of sediment in more than 10% of samples. Fail.
• Channel shading: there should be no more than an average of 5% shading along the canal, however large areas of the canal were found to be shaded, with some sections exceeding 30% shading. Fail.
• Quantity of vegetation: there should be a reasonable amount of vegetation in order to maintain stable populations (Submerged or emergent?) There was found to be around 20% less vegetation than required to pass. Fail
• Species richness: there should be on average at least 7 different species in a 150 metre sample. On average there were only 4 different aquatic species per sample found and 6 emergent species per sample. Fail
• Introduced plant species: No alien plant species were present in the canal. Pass
• Rare species: any rare species previously found on the canal should be present. Three species, Baldellia ranunculoides, Ceratophyllum submersum and Lemna gibba were not present in 2007. Fail.
The main factors affecting the abundance and diversity of plants growing close to or in water (macrophytes) are water quality and tree shading. There are high levels of turbidity in section 1, so the species numbers are particularly low there. There has been a significant increase in the number of emergent species (plants growing out of the water, like Sweet Reed Grass) which have quickly become dominant. Section 1 between Canal Head and Coates Bridge is the most severely affected by turbidity, however there appears to be higher than acceptable levels of filamentous algae in many sections of canal down towards Church Bridge.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 84 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Overhanging trees are a problem in several sections of the canal between Canal Head and Church Bridge, and between Storwood and East Cottingwith. They shade the water, reducing the amount of light available for vegetation and generate leaf litter falling into the canal.
The 2007 survey showed that despite the loss of 10 macrophyte species since 1986, the declining trend has reversed, although the exact species composition has changed over time. Another key finding from the 2007 survey is the changes in vegetation in the sections of the canal that have undergone restoration, which appear to be rising. Of the 8 scarce species that were listed in the SSSI designation, only three were re-recorded in 2007. There have been four new scarce species found, which means the canal has gained more rare species than it has lost.
These recent surveys have only monitored botanical species, there are records for birds, fish, butterflies, dragonflies and damsleflies. Sixteen species of birds have been observed that are currently listed on the RSPB Red List, including skylarks and red partridge. Other protected species of note (when, where and how many noted?) are otters (Lutra lutra), water vole (Arvicola terrestris) and white clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes).
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Comments from specific consultees and user groups
Allerthorpe Parish Council No Parish Plan or Parish Footpaths initiative, but interested in access to the canal via footpath from Allerthorpe. Support the idea of canal restoration project. Bielby Parish Council No Parish Plan or Parish Footpaths initiative. Have facsimile of the 17c. Plan of landholdings from Merton College in the church, keen to attract walkers from the canal, into the attractive medieval church which has recently undergone a conservation programme. British Canoe Union and Canoe England Chris Hawkesworth development officer, locally based. Very keen on developing a canoe trail along the canal and for quiet observation of wildlife of SSSI. Concern about relationship with YDAA, expressed concern about parking at Melbourne in BW car park; many people using the canal are not BCU members, although they should be under BW access regulations. British Waterways Jonny Hart-Wood (Ecologist) Pete Wade (Visitor Safety Manager), Martin Walton (Waterways Supervisor) Jon Horsfall (Waterways Manager), Judy Jones (Heritage Advisor) Graham Ramsden (Regeneration Manager) Cassie Weaver (Volunteer Coordinator) Claire McDonald Volunteer Leader (NE), Tom Rayward (Archivist/Records Manager Leeds) Jane Thomson (Enterprise Manager) Carstairs Countryside Trust CCT owns various plots of land adjacent to the canal, including at Melbourne Arm. Ian Carstairs has offered access to his land at Melbourne Arm for a picnic area/with interpretation. Concerned about management of vehicular access at Melbourne Arm and the effective implementation of Local Plan policies to protect biodiversity. Very positive and helpful, provided lots of useful information and images. Keen to see development of interpretation and education facilities at Canal Head/Adjacent BW field, as part of a strategy of low key gateway interpretation centres for the Ings and LDV. He is mainly concerned about disturbance of birds in Melbourne and Thornton Ings from dog walkers along the footpaths which cross them and the towpath from Melbourne to Storwood. He is in favour of birdwatching from boats and the idea of a glass bottomed education boat from Canal Head. East Riding of Yorkshire Council Claire Green, Sustainable Transport Policy. Promotes cycle routes, www.walkingtheriding.co.uk including National Route 66 and the Big Skies Bike Rides around the Wolds, local public transport networks, car sharing etc… and would be keen to attend Canal Liaison Group to discuss issues over conservation and access. Patrick Wareham, Countryside Access, should be invited to Canal Liaison Group to discuss issues over rights of way access and conservation and promotion of footpaths like the Wilberforce Way and Pilgrimage of Grace. Has free tracker packs for schools and for Yorkshire Wolds, he believes they are not well used because they have not been actively promoted by ERYC. Available from TICs Malte Klockner, Conservation Officer, member of canal liaison group. David Farnsworth, Rural Partnership Manager, runs the joint local access forum David Renwick, Principal Sustainable Communities and Coast Officer
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 86 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 English Heritage Diane Green, keen to advocate the Heritage Partnership Agreement approach Environment Agency Jason Gardner comments. Potential concern would be if there was any requirement to top up the canal using separate adjacent watercourses, if and when the locks become operational. This would require an abstraction licence and the effect on the supplying watercourse would have to be assessed before any licence would be granted.... the solution may be to construct a lagoon/reservoir on adjacent BW land to store waters. For dredging the normal best method is deposit on land directly adjacent to the watercourse. For this to be undertaken a D1 exemption would need to be registered as long as the material was uncontaminated. Richard Greenley was also contacted.
Inland Waterways Association Alistair Anderson from PCAS and on the ACIP steering group is the Local Representative Natural England Simon Christian Lead Conservation and Land Management Advisor (key contact for Pocklington Canal and chair of Canal Liaison Group), Craig Ralston reserves manager, Lower Derwent Valley NNR; Kerry Netherway Education and Outreach Officer East Cottingwith Parish Council No Parish Plan. Has an interesting Parish History produced by the Local History and Environment Group in 2002. With detailed information on Snowdon Sleights and the canal. Melbourne Parish Council No Parish Plan or Parish Footpaths initiative. No response when I asked about potential parking problems at Melbourne. Thornton Parish Council No Parish Plan or Parish Footpaths initiative Pocklington Canal Society Paul Waddington (chair), Alistair Anderson (vice chair), Howard Anguish (vice chair), Hilary Anguish (secretary), Dick Watson (volunteer working party) Roger Bromley (newsletter editor) Greg Dixon (membership) Have restored 50 % of the canal over the last 40 years through voluntary effort, and extensive fundraising for restoration works. Run a free trip boat from Melbourne arm, hoping to extend this to entrance to Bielby Arm asap. Run a small information point at Canal Head every Sunday. Pocklington and Wolds Gateway Influential and active group of local people including local councillors, Partnership members of the History Society Jo Green, Kay West, Chair of ERYC, and John Brown from LEADER CWWW. Have developed a cycle routes initiative, produced the Green Cycle Routes from Pocklington leaflet with ERYC. They also campaign for road safety improvements on the A 1079. They lobbied for the new roundabout and would probably lobby for a pedestrian refuge in the centre of the road opposite the entrance to Canal Head to improve pedestrian safety crossing the road from Canal Lane. Pocklington and District Local History Jo Green and Phil Gilbank. Very helpful, provided album of photos Society produced before restoration of locks and bridges. Keen to share resources, historic photos and plans and to develop interpretation and trails linking the town and canal. Asked for speaker from PCAS to come and talk to the society, keen to establish links between the two groups on areas of mutual interest. Pocklington Civic Society Keen on anything that promotes the town of Pocklington, very keen to see Locks restored and enhancements at Canal Head.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 87 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Pocklington Town Council Very supportive of the Project. They are very keen to see the canal with open water again up to Canal Head and keen to see facilities at Canal Head for education and families. Would like a trail from town centre down to Canal Head. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Provided detailed written comments on the survey. They are supportive Sara Roberts, Planning Officer of the idea of education facilities at Canal Head and the toilet with a Jon Traill Conservation Projects Manager demonstration Reed Bed Filtration System. They have concerns about Caroline Comins, Reserves Manager cyclists along the towpath and disturbance of birds at Melbourne and Martin Batt, Nature Tourism Manager Thornton Ings. Potential partners for conservation volunteering activities and wildlife education/engagement activities. They have good track record in this area, of wildlife tourism and education and run boat trips at Flamborough Head. Recently developed the Nature Tourism Triangle project, with tourism manager and commissioned research on economic benefits of nature tourism. Professor Sir John Lawton (York Authority on wildlife conservation, wrote influential report on space for University and YWT) wildlife recently. Carried out research on invertebrates at Bielby Arm. Acknowledges that there needs to be more monitoring and data gathering on the condition of the canal and potential impacts of walkers on the birds of the Ings. York and District Amalgamation of Pocklington Resident, former teacher, Committee Member, and Hon. Anglers Secretary of York Angling Association expressed concern about a group of 56 canoeists from Hull disturbing one of their competitions. He said there are 1000 members of YDAA and that they were the only users to pay a fee for usage of the canal, although he didn’t know how much it was. They were very concerned that the correct procedures be followed during dredging and de-silting to rescue fish. They reported concerns about not being notified in advance about previous work done at Canal Head where fish stocks died, despite their best efforts to retrieve them. He, as an individual is in favour of regular, slow boat movements to keep the water clear and the channel depth. Also many concerns expressed by YDAA members on their online forum and to me directly at consultation events in Pocklington Market about declining quality of fish stocks, following the major pollution incident a few years ago, general clogging with weed and silt and lack of water in Pocklington Beck. York Consortium of Drainage Boards Expressed concerns about overgrown nature of hedges on BW land adjacent to Melbourne Arm, access for maintenance of the drains is difficult. Also commented about BW pipe which blocks at entrance to car park Melbourne. Discussed low level of water in Pocklington Beck and Bielby Beck and the gravel that blocks the Beck on the culvert feeder into the canal at Canal Head. Former Head of Woldgate College, Adult Very supportive, has come to all community consultation events. Very education College and geographer, on good links with local schools. ERYC Leader Group and County Requested that I attend Heritage Open Day weekend event at Councillor Melbourne 10-11 Sept to promote Pilgrimage of Grace and the Canal. Current Chair, East Riding of Yorkshire Council. Very supportive of the canal restoration and member of PCAS. With her husband and son, she runs a B&B business at the bottom of Canal Lane, facing Canal Head. Former mayor of Pocklington, Local Magistrate and former county commissioner of Scouts. Understands the potential of the social inclusion and health benefits of the canal. Very supportive of local cycle tourism initiatives. Extremely well connected. Her brother has recently produced a film show of photos of the canal.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 88 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Town Councillor, Pocklington, son of current chair of ERYC, in his 30s. Former scout, active cyclist, trustee of Burnby Hall Gardens. Keen to see more active volunteering opportunities for local scouts and local youth generally. East Cottingwith resident, PCAS member, former member of Pocklington Canal Liaison group, and active environmental lobbyist. She is very concerned about the effective application of local plan policies by the local planning authority, and of EU Habitat Directives. She is supportive of inclusive access provided by fishing as an activity and spoke of meeting two ‘asian lads from Bradford’ fishing on the canal near Storwood. Terry Weston Local Dragonfly and Damselfly expert, and skilled wildlife photographer, who carried out the most recent survey of Pocklington Canal 2003/4 His son works for the Drainage Board and Terry is volunteer manager of a local wildlife reserve. He has provided me with a copy of his survey and digital copies of his exquisite photos of dragonflies, damselflies and birds to use in the final report. He agreed that the upper reaches of the canal needed to be dredged to provide suitable habitat for dragonflies and damselflies, clear open water with a 1m wide fringe of plants as there is between Hagg Bridge and Storwood. Potential Project Champion Dennis Moor Sub Aqua Diver and underwater photographer, swam the length of the canal regularly in the 1980s and 1990s and took underwater photos at all times of the year. Commented on deterioration in visibility in recent years. Has produced a hand written diary and diver’s log of his dives along the canal and what he saw. Rather like an Edwardian Lady’s Country Diary, only underwater. Stunning! Would make a wonderful resource for the interpretation phase of the project. Could be published as an educational resource. He also has a slide show of images of the canal which he gives as an illustrated talk, I am hoping to get permission to digitise these for educational use . Residents of Ings House, Canal Head. Commented on the need for a bus stop at Canal Head. Showed evidence of plane that crashed into their house, partially demolishing it and killing the crew. On way back to Pocklington airfield in WW2. It also happened to Red House Farm on a separate occasion. Mentioned that they would be keen on a Canal Head Open Gardens Scheme again, in support of the canal. One is a town councillor and both are former teachers and keen members of the local history group. Owners of Devonshire Mill, on Pocklington Beck, Canal Lane. The mill is part of the wider story of the canal, and includes all the historic mill fittings inside. They run the outbuildings as self -catering accommodation units with an attractive and extensive organic garden occupying much of the former mill pond. They would like to try and find a way to open the mill for school visits, and have expressed an interest in becoming involved with the canal as potential volunteers, and have many useful skills (e.g. ran the MBA at Hull)
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 89 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 5 National and International Nature Conservation Designations and Regulations
International Nature Conservation Designations and Regulations affecting Pocklington Canal
Ramsar Site The convention on Wetlands of international importance, especially as waterfowl habitat. Special Area for SAC Conservation Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are strictly protected sites designated under the EC Habitats Directive Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (which came into force in 1992). Article 3 of the Habitats Directive requires the establishment of a European network of important high-quality conservation sites that will make a significant contribution to conserving the 189 habitat types and 788 species identified in Annexes I and II of the Directive (as amended). The listed habitat types and species are those considered to be most in need of conservation at a European level (excluding birds). Of the Annex I habitat types, 78 are believed to occur in the UK. Of the Annex II species, 43 are native to, and normally resident in, the UK. The Conservation of Habitat and Species Regulations 2010 (“The Habitat Regulations”) transpose this Directive into national law Special SPA Protection Area Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are strictly protected sites classified in accordance with Article 4 of the EC Birds Directive EU habitats directive 79/409/EEC, which came into force in April 1979. They are classified for rare and vulnerable birds (as listed on Annex I of the Directive), and for regularly occurring migratory species. The Conservation of Habitat and Species Regulations 2010 (“The Habitat Regulations”) transpose this Directive into national law
These designations mean that before permitting any plan or project which is likely to have a significant effect on the site and is not directly connected with or necessary for the management of the site, the competent authority must carry out an ‘Appropriate Assessment’ of the implications for the site. Plans or projects which will have an adverse effect on the conservation objectives may only be allowed where there is no alternative, and there are ‘imperative reasons’ of overriding public interest (IROPI).
National Nature Conservation Designations
Site of Special Scientific SSSI SSSIs are the country's very best wildlife and geological sites. Interest They are notified under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as amended by Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000
Protection is mainly through a requirement to obtain permission (for any of the operations likely to damage (OLD) listed in the citation. Other statutory boides are required to seek advice prior to undertakeing works likely to impact upon SSSI. Government policy is to maintain, or where necessary, restore SSSI’s to favourable conservation status for all their cited features.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 90 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 6 Abbreviations
ADBA Archaeological Desk Based Assessment; BMY Boat Movements per Year; BW British Waterways; CCT Carstairs Countryside Trust; CWWW Waterways Partnership Coast, Wolds and Wetlands Waterways Partnership; CROW Countryside and Rights of Way Act; DDA Disability Discrimination Act; Defra Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs; EA Environment Agency; EIA Environmental Impact Assessment; ERYC East Riding of Yorkshire Council; IWAC Inland Waterways Advisory Council; IWA Inland Waterways Association; JNCC Joint Nature Conservation Committee; KS2 Key Stage 2; NE Natural England; RAMSAR site- site listed under the RAMSAR convention on Wetland of International Importance, Ramsar, Iran 1971; RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; SAC Special Area of Conservation designated under the EU Habitats Directive; SPA Special Protection Area classified under the EU Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds; SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest; YWT Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 91 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 7 Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Links Pocklington Canal
Art Sketching/first hand observation 1a, 1b, 1c, 4c, 5a, 5d Sculpture/3D Structures 1a,2a,2c,4b,5b Water, Animals, Mother Nature designer, Roses and Castle, Brightwork Industry 5a, 5b
Science Plants and animals Sc2: 1a, 1b, 2e, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e Habitats and ecosystems Sc2: 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f Local environments, inventions 1a, 1b, 1d, 2a Forces Sc2: 2c, 2d, 2e
History Then and Now 1a, 1b, 2a, 2d, 4a, 4b,5a, 5b Victorian Boaters 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b,5a, 5c, 8a, 11a Famous figures 4a, 4b, 5a, 5c Transport 8b, 7a, 1a, 1b Local History 2b,3, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5c, 7 Changes through time 1a, 1b, 4b, 5c Archive Material 3, 4a, 5a WWII 2a,4a,4b,5a,5c,11b
Geography Shaping the landscape 1a,1b, 1c, 2a,2c, 2d, 2e, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 4a, 4b,6a, 6d, 7 Pollution 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 2f, 3d, 5a, 6e Water (rivers/erosion) 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 3a, 3b, 3d, 3e, 3g, 4b, 6c, 7a, 7c Water cycle 4a
Citizenship Taking care of the world, reduce, reuse, recycle 2a, 3e, 5a Other people 1e,4a,4b,5e Healthy Living 3a, 3e Debate 1a, 2a, 2f, 4a, 4g Local Community 2a, 2c, 2h, 2j, 5e
PE Canoeing 11a, 5d, 5f Swimming/ Water Safety 5d,9a, 9d Cycling 5f Walking/Running 10a
For ICT there is also the use of search engines and websites in order to carry out research into the canal and its habitats.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 92 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 8 Activities Action Plan
The Audience, Conservation and Interpretation Plan Action Plan
This section provides the information required by the HLF for the activities to be undertaken during and after a project. The aim is that this part of the Audience, Conservation and Interpretation Plan should be a “living” document and should not therefore be too prescriptive. Our intention is that this should not be a top down list of priorities and actions imposed on local communities, but rather a shopping list of potential projects that communities will choose. It should be refined and developed, and the activities offered may well be changed in the light of experience, people’s responses to Pocklington Canal more generally. It is therefore as detailed as it can be made at this stage of the project, but further changes to this Action Plan are likely, and this is in fact good practice to be responsive to the needs of the various target audiences, as the project develops. A first priority is to consult in more detail with the various communities of interest and communities of place to plan activities in more detail and choose those which are most popular.
The table relates to the themes that the HLF have established for activities: learning; interpretation; community participation; volunteering and training. However the boundaries of many of the activities are blurred. Most activities will involve volunteering, participation and an element of learning.
Abbreviations: PCAS Pocklington Canal Amenity Society; CMP Conservation Management Plan; PPE Personal Protective Equipment; HLF Heritage Lottery Fund; PCT Primary Care Trust; ERYC East Riding of Yorkshire Council; U3A University of the Third Age; KS2 Key Stage 2.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 93 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 8 Activities Action Plan HLF Aims L = Learning, P = Participation
activity audience benefits resources timetable targets and evaluation HLF measures Aim
Conservation Volunteering
Litter picking Unskilled: residents and Community cohesion, volunteer officer Timing to coincide Setting of locks, Participant P schools; corporate sense of ownership time to plan with availability of bridges and canal are feedback, volunteers, Scouts and Social contact coordinate and specific groups: enhanced, Guides, Boys Brigade, Source of friendship, manage. w/ends, weekday, complaints from costs of Local cadet groups Cross generational PPE, incl gloves and eves, 9-3pm, 9-5pm; users are reduced volunteering contact, and healthy litter pick sticks, avoiding exams, term /value of lifestyles, enhanced Travel time and summer work setting of canal, locks Expenses holidays/half term achieved and bridges. Refreshments
Tools, transport
Clearing leaf litter As above As above, plus Improved As above As above As litter picking As above P from Paths and accessibility and safety above steps
Graffiti removal More skilled: residents As litter picking above As above As above As above As above P from signs and groups; corporate walls/bridges volunteers; Community Payback
Painting railings, As above As above As above As above As above As above p towpath and steps
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 94 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 8 Activities Action Plan HLF Aims L = Learning, P = Participation
activity audience benefits resources timetable targets and measures evaluation HLF Aim
Conservation Enhanced setting Project officer After 6 months, and Compare and contrast Volunteer Volunteering for Canal time to plan for duration of before and after feedback coordinate and project and beyond photographic record , manage. and targets in Conservation Management Plan
Habitat More skilled: residents groups Community Project officer Timing to coincide Compare and contrast Volunteer P&L Maintenance with relevant experience; student cohesion, sense of time to plan with availability of before and after feedback along canal volunteers; community service; ownership coordinate and specific groups: photographic record towpath Scouts, Guides and Cadets; Social contact manage. w/ends, weekday, Corporate Volunteers; Source of friendship, PPE, incl gloves , eves, 9-3pm, 9-5pm; costs of Pocklington School Volunteers; Cross generational visors, avoiding exams, volunteering Woldgate College Volunteers contact, and healthy Tools, including term time and /value of lifestyles, enhanced power tools, summer work setting for and canal, transport, holidays/half term achieved locks and bridges Travel Expenses Refreshments
Bramble/Scrub As above As above As above As above As above As above P clearance on canal bank
Species and Unskilled: residents and school As above, plus As above As above Establish database and As above P&L habitat groups under supervision learning about recording method, monitoring (especially Pocklington school ecology and compare over time and Woldgate College recording methods
Making bird and As above As above, plus As above, plus As above Boxes well located, and As above P&L bat boxes training materials occupied
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activity audience benefits resources timetable targets and measures evaluation HLF Aim
Conservation Volunteering
Hedge Laying Skilled Community Project officer time Timing to coincide with Detailed targets to be Participant P&L volunteers with cohesion, sense of to plan coordinate availability of specific agreed with volunteer feedback prior experience ownership and manage. groups: officer and volunteer could mentor Social contact PPE, incl gloves, w/ends, weekday, groups, following survey of less experienced Source of visors, eves, 9-3pm, 9-5pm; towpath costs of friendship, Tools, transport, avoiding exams, term volunteering Cross Equip. time and summer /value of work generational Travel holidays/half term achieved contact and Expenses healthy lifestyles Refreshments
Regular pruning/and or Skilled As above, plus As above As above See detailed proposals in As above P&L removal of young trees volunteers with training in species Conservation Management with hand saws prior experience recognition Plan (where shading out canal or causing damage to bank)
Pruning trees to let light As above As above As above As above See LMP As above P&L onto the canal and improve habitat for butterflies and dragonflies
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Conservation Volunteering
Lime mortar works, repairs to Skilled Sense of ownership Project officer Timing to coincide To be agreed with Participant P&L historic walls of Locks and bridges volunteers Social contact time to plan with availability of BW heritage feedback under supervision of a with prior Source of friendship, coordinate and specific groups: advisor and conservation contractor or in experience Cross generational manage. w/ends, weekday, contractor, when house BW conservation contact, healthy PPE, incl gloves , eves, 9-3pm, 9-5pm; appointed costs of technician. Waterways lifestyles; plus training visors, avoiding exams, term volunteering Recovery in historic building Tools, transport time and summer /value of Group? conservation holidays/half term. work achieved
Creation and maintenance of Skilled As above, plus training As above As above See proposals in As above P&L wooden rails and steps on Public volunteers in basic woodwork skills LMP. Rights of Way; and simple with prior benches at viewpoints using local experience Additional works to felled timber be agreed between (ideally from the site) Volunteer Officer and volunteer groups
Pruning trees to open up views As above As above, plus training As above As above See CMP As above P&L in pruning
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activity audience benefits resources targets and measures evaluation HLF Aim
Community engagement
Event planning Students; Community cohesion, sense Volunteer coordinator time 20 local people trained Participant L &P For celebratory canal event community groups of ownership; Training and in event planning feedback; at Canal Head to reward Skills Development; budget for brought in local volunteer effort Cross generational contact; training community capacity development; for younger volunteers it will help with their CV and job search skills
Event management Students; As above; Training and skills Budget for volunteer 20 local people trained As above L &P community development for a wide training in event management groups; range of events, both small and large scale.
Performances Students; Raising the aspirations of Local Schools 100 local residents As above L&P inspired by, and delivered at community children and families from Volunteer Officer engaged as participants; Canal Head and towards groups; deprived backgrounds by 750 as audience Coates Bridge along towpath exposing them to experiences beyond their usual environments
Making willow dragonflies Schools; Cross generational activity Local Schools 50 local people to As above L&P and willow bulrushes for community groups Volunteer Officer participate community event at Canal Head
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Community engagement
Create and install Community groups; local Community cohesion, Project coordinator Participants from local Participant L &P 40 aluminium roundel schools; scouts, guides sense of ownership Community artist community 150; feedback; waymarker and brownies Social contact Plaques designed by local Source of friendship, Volunteers to help support 10 creative workshops comments from children and community Cross generational the delivery of this users along groups.Trail from Town contact; community programme, budget for Held in community towpath Centre, down canal lane to capacity development; training volunteers venues and schools the canal and at key entry for younger volunteers it points Melbourne, East will help with their CV Cottingwith, Hagg Bridge and job search skills etc
Community Canal Students; As above Volunteer officer, Participants: Feedback from L &P Festival at Canal Head community groups; 200 from local participants and people living alongside community attendees the canal ; local schools;PCAS local audience attracted: boaters; Pocklington and 1000 + Wolds Gateway Partnership; Pock Town Council
Creative writing and Community groups; Raising the aspirations Local theatre company, 10 creative writing Feedback from L&P storytelling project people living alongside of children and families interpretive planner, project sessions; 5 weekly participants and the canal; 16-25 yrs; from deprived officer creative development attendees local schools; backgrounds by sessions; 150 community exposing them to members involved, 5-8 experiences beyond performances; 500 their usual audience members environments
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Community engagement
Digital Memories Students;community Community cohesion; sense of Volunteers to help support the 20 reminiscence Participant L &P Oral History groups; people living ownership; delivery of this programme, budget workshops; one feedback; Project alongside the canal; Social contact for training volunteers DVD; digital Event 16-25 yrs; local schools; Source of friendship; archive housed in evaluation U3A; Pocklington Local Cross generational contact; Education Room forms History Society; PCAS; community capacity at Canal Head Pocklington school; development; for younger Pock Town Council volunteers it will help with their content feeds CV and job search skills into interpretation, creative arts, MP3/4, and performance aspects of the project
Murals with Students; local primary As above Community Artist, and interpretive 15 workshops: 30 Participant L &P Community Artist schools; community planner participants feedback; at Canal Head groups; people living @each. Two along fence facing alongside the canal murals produced the A1079 ;Pocklington School; for fence facing Woldgate College the A1079
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activity audience benefits resources targets and evaluation HLF measures Aim
Community Engagement
‘Hard Hat’ Open Day All target Learning, engagement; increased Staff from conservation 2 Open Days; Participant L &P when work commences audiences, but awareness; sense of contractors; BW in-house heritage total 100 feedback; on restoration of Locks especially local ownership/pride; changed staff and others; Waterways attendees, max Event and possibly also when residents, Local behaviour recovery Group Volunteers 25 per session evaluation dredging takes place Schools. forms (subject to H&S risk assessment)
Kayaking Taster session Mainly younger Community cohesion; Develop in partnership with Local 30 sessions in As above L &P and development of local residents, health and well being; crime Canoe Club and Police Community total over 3 years; Canoe trail, wildlife but available to reduction in anti-social behaviour Support Officers 10 per session spotting all
Angling Intro sessions Mainly younger Community cohesion; Develop in partnership with youth 30 sessions in As above L &P local residents health and well being; crime angling project; Police Community total over 3 years; reduction in anti-social Support 10 per session behaviour; cross –generational Officers boundaries
Bird watching Intro All target Learning, engagement; increased Develop in partnership with RSPB/ 30 sessions in As above L &P session audiences awareness; sense of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust total over 3 years; ownership/pride; changed 10 per session behaviour; health and well being; cross generational boundaries
Bat watching Intro session All target As above Develop in partnership with BW 30 sessions in As above L&P audiences ecologist, consultant bat total over 3 years; specialist/Wildlife Trust 10 per session
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Community Engagement
Healthy Walking Activities Over 55s; those Heath and wellbeing; flat route Develop in partnership with Set up a Participant P recommended accessible from Canal Head and Healthy Walks Coordinator and programme of feedback; by GP Melbourne; meets GI objectives. PCT towpath Healthy Could be an activity for Urban Walks dwellers in poor health. Not a demanding route, relatively flat.
Green Gym GP referral Community cohesion; Develop in partnership with Set up a As above L &P health and well being; meets GI Primary Care Trust and seek sustainable Green objectives. additional funding from other Gym project sources during life of project to set up a Green Gym
Guided Walk/Cycle Ride to All target Opportunity to spread the Develop in partnership with ERYC Explore demand, As above L &P look at wildlife and plants audiences conservation message and Natural England research route at particular times of the and produce trail year leaflet
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Interpretation
Interpretive Develop with Learning, engagement; increased Project Officer time; Set up a trail User feedback L &P Geocaching trail from students, and awareness; health and well being; social develop in partnership with around Canal Head Pocklington Town centre provide for contact/friendship. Fun way to discover Local students; and along canal and short trail around students, hidden features of the landscape needs two days of interpretive towpath Canal Head. family groups, planner school pupils
Family Activity Research and As above Project Officer time; Develop three User feedback L &P Packs develop with Distribute via PCAS information family backpacks student point develop with local for use by families volunteers, students working to brief from along the towpath, for families interpretive planner with picnic blanket.
Interpretive maps/self All target As above; plus sense of Community stories derived Develop illustrated Take up of L &P guided trail audiences pride/community ownership from community consultations map trail, A2, along trail, and user and oral history project; £2000 towpath feedback for artist/illustrator; £1000 for copywriting, design, research themes etc
Smartphone Trail, Students and Multi-sensory experience; see pictures draw on resources from oral Develop Take up of L &P with QR codes on school pupils; and sounds, including oral histories of history workshop smartphone trail, trail, and user waymarkers and plaques the missing buildings at Canal Head and with taster QR feedback from town centre down historic photos of the canal. Include codes along route to Canal Head, around interpretive content and behavioural from Town Centre Canal Head and along the messages about not disturbing the birds in Pocklington. towpath. at specific places and times
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Interpretation
Interpretive waymarker Local Features of interest along the route are Community Artist/Interpretive 15 creative Workshop L &P plaques, linked to self- residents; local highlighted and visitors are encouraged planner workshops; 20 participant guided trail, with QR schools; to walk or cycle along towpath to the community feedback: codes locks; local community has ‘ownership’ members @each User feedback of interpretation . Local materials: workshop; limestone; etc…
Traditional 1950s design Families; Features of interest along the route are £300 for illustrator; £1500, One I spy quiz book User feedback L &P I-spy canal quiz booklet schools; highlighted; engaging and fun activity copywriting, design and layout trail developed boaters for groups of users; can also be delivered via a smart phone as an interactive Ispy trail
Interpretive Orientation School groups; Explain how and why the canal was user feedback, L &P Panels visitors built and how the locks work; levels of At Canal Head, and in distinctive character and features of graffiti town centre car park canal; stories of workforce
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Interpretation
Contour plan model Local residents; Existing buildings and structures, and Research, brief, specialist L &P of the landscape local schools; missing buildings and the original line of foundry. User feedback; (aluminium alloy) visitors; the canal are labelled and shown in relation observation of to the modern landscape. The aerial users, measure At viewpoint, top end topographical view enables people to holding power of of locks Canal Head understand the impact and significance of model Locks the canal in its landscape setting. Vandal proof
Mobile ‘cabinet of Families; schools; Can be moved around and used with £6000 for basic cabinet of User feedback; L &P curiosities’ boaters; visitors volunteers: portable DVD for film and curiosities observation of moving stills; audio for oral history and Plus cost of interactive model users, measure scripted sound;re-chargeable battery of locks, to be provided holding power of audio; graphic displays; drawers for model; feedback documents and handling objects; from teachers, interactive model of a lock; robust and develop content in secure; can be loaned to schools and used consultation with on site at Canal Head, with geo-caching them (formative trail and MP3 trail. evaluation)
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Education Resources
Glass Bottomed electric Canal Boat based Local schools Significantly enhanced access to £60,000- Total of ? canal Feedback from L &P at Canal Head to provide education trips especially the canal and its habitats. £65,000? boat trips teachers; local schools. With DDA compliant access. at KS2 (7-11), relaxing and stimulating at the provided to local feedback from but also local same time schools over 3 pupils; secondary years quality of work schools generated by trip
Free Accessible canal boat trips students and Significantly enhanced access to 15 accessible Feedback from L&P other the canal; canal boat trips teachers; wheelchair relaxing and stimulating at the run each year feedback from users same time; multi-sensory over 3 years pupils; experience quality of work generated by trip
Education Resources to Local schools Enable teachers to use canal as a research, Schools resource Feedback from L&P Download from WOW website or new BW especially teaching resource across the design, pack; CD rom; teachers; website, also available as hard copy on at KS2 curriculum at KS 2. artwork & resources to feedback from New Horizons Boat, along with other (7-11) Develop and evaluate with local production. download from pupils; interpretive media for general interest schools WOW website quality of work visitors. generated
Small scale education room on BW field Local schools KS 2 Base for school visits and £250,000 adjacent to Canal Head, with toilets with especially fieldwork activities. Estimate. reed bed filtration system and room at KS2 Requires a decorated as underwater habitat (7-11) feasibility With web cam showing voles, owls and study and waders at different times of the year. General visitors, assessment volunteers and of planning workshops implications
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There is not space to include a comprehensive interpretation plan in this document, but these initial themes, storylines and proposals can inform a brief to create a fully costed interpretation plan.
Potential Interpretive Themes/Storylines
• The History and Significance of Pocklington Canal - Who built it, When and Why? • The Canal in Decline and the heroic programme of Rescue by PCAS • The Canal as a Wildlife Haven- life beneath the water and lurking in the margins • The Ings as a thousand year old Cultural Landscape • Amazing Bird Migration Stories • How you can help to care for this amazing place
Pocklington Canal Proposed Hierarchy of Interpretive Media
Element Proposed Media
Pre visit awareness raising Pocklington Canal content and blog about the restoration project and about access routes, zones of wildlife monitoring on: new BW waterways charity website; ERYC Walking activity, conservation issues and the Ridings website; Pocklington Canal amenity Society website and wildlife significance, and historic Pocklington Town Council website significance of the canal. New education and family activity resources for Include specific information for Pocklington Canal available to download from new BW Waterways dog walkers about seasonal Charity website and Pocklington Town Council Website sensitivities for bird disturbance. Attractive illustrated Interpretive map of Pocklington Canal available to To include information about download as pdf from the websites listed above cycle and bus routes to minimise traffic and parking impacts at Include information on Pocklington Canal and Interpretive maps in small Melbourne, Walbut and Hagg display at Burnby Hall Gardens. Bridge. Engaging and entertaining animation/cartoon characters to explain the issues behind responsible dog ownership. e.g. Paws on the Moors website www.pawsonthemoors.org a partnership between the Kennel Club and Natural England to encourage responsible dog ownership and avoid disturbance of birds in the Peak District.
With downloadable resources for pupils to discuss.
General visitors need help with species identification, as this can be a barrier to an enjoyable or informative experience by many casual visitors.
Information on Public Transport options for reaching the canal or cycling to it. Provide lockable cycle racks at Melbourne and Canal Head?
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 107 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Gateway Interpretation and Include information about Pocklington Canal on proposed touch screen Orientation kiosk tourist information point at Pocklington Arts Centre (Pocklington Gateway to the Wolds Group Initiative)
Also include link to responsible dog ownership animation/cartoon character website.
Clearly marked zones of sensitivity, explaining why they are off bounds at certain time of the year (again use cartoons/animation to engage visitors rather than offend them).
Install waymarker signage at preferred access points to the canal towpath and at car parks (no signage at those point which should not be promoted)
Develop zones of activity which are actively promoted from gateways at Canal Head and Melbourne (2ndary gateway if parking issue can be resolved)
Introductory interpretive At present there are limited interpretive displays as there are no exhibitions community buildings along the canal or free buildings.
Small building at Canal Head or in field owned by BW adjacent to Canal Head, with toilet with reed bed filtration system and header reservoir for the canal. Could incorporate artificial sand martins hide and observation area.
The PCAS pigsty is very small and has little space inside for interpretive displays as it is used as a shop and to house stock. There is space for interpretive panels on the exterior of the building facing the canal. Could also include QR codes for scanning with links to additional content.
A floating Classroom at Canal Head, with an electric eco- boat, could also be considered a green gateway to the canal.
Web cam to owl nesting box at Melbourne Arm with viewing in BW building and at Canal Head.
Features of interest, circular Rebrand and redesign existing walks from the canal and provide within a walks and e-trails plastic waterproof wallet and as pdfs to download from the website.
With waymarkers designed with local schools (could involve dragonflies or birds or canal lock features?)
Install new welcome and orientation panel at Canal Head and at Melbourne (with instructions on where to park).
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 108 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Supporting interpretive • Guided walks, talks and activities programme provision • On site storytelling • Outdoor theatre and drama performances at Canal Head, leading to a community canal festival to celebrate the re-opening of the canal to Canal Head • printed literature and audio guides, geocaching trails (crosswords and simple Pocklington canal jigsaw puzzle for young users and families) • traditional Ispy guide to the canal and its history and wildlife (for boaters and towpath users , especially family groups) • Geocaching trail highlighting points of interest and conservation message (for families {including grandparents and grandchildren} and for school groups) • More interpretive content on PCAS boat trips • Family activity/discovery pack (with picnic blanket) • Oral history project and digital archive of communities along canal Education resources • Floating Classroom/Community Boat, electric powered and fully accessible • Pocklington Canal education resource pack to download from new BW, Pocklington Town Council and PCAS websites • Responsible dog ownership website (as described above) with downloadable resources • Could also be a responsible cycling website too, ‘paws, pedals and paths...’ • Make a facsimile of Dennis Moor’s diary of diving along the Pocklington Canal and an animation from his slides. Available to access from a website and as hard copy of his dairy. • Online links to other schools who live near canals in UK and internationally (could be linked to places where birds on the Ings fly to!) • Imagine life beneath the water (human sized water creatures peering down from the ceiling in the small education room. Community engagement and • Training to steer canal boat for local young people Volunteering Activities • Passes for Kayaks for Local Community Centres • Environmental conservation activities • Habitat auditing • Litter picks • Guided walk training • Training for development of Local Interpretation Access for all • Education Boat at Canal Head to be designed to be accessible by wheelchair users, with accessible toilet • Develop trail guide from Canal Head for people with learning difficulties • BSL version of trails • Interpretation provided in a range of accessible formats • Tactile models and opportunities to handle canal-related objects at Canal Head • Audio tours/smartphone trail with bird song recognition and plant identification keys • Sensory trail at Canal Head
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Underwater photos of Pocklingotn Canal by Dennis Moor
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Page from Dennis Moor’s underwater diary
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Giant – sized underwater world interior decoration at Wood Lane Hide, Ellesmere, Shropshire
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Bulletin Board showing daily sightings from Wood Lane
Activity Room adjacent to pond dipping area at Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Centre, Slimbridge, with interior decorated as at Wood Lane
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Vandal Proof Education Room/Community Centre at Weoley Castle, Birmingham
Natural England Offices and Visitor Facility at Bank Island
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 114 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 10 Issues and Actions Tables Issues Actions Potential Priority Potential Partnership Funder? (lead partner(s) in bold) Maintaining Nature Create and implement a British 1 Environment Conservation and Habitat biodiversity action plan as part of a Waterways Agency, Value of Canal comprehensive Conservation Natural HLF, Natural Management Plan England England, ERYC, Canal Liaison Big Lottery Group Preventing the Prepare and implement a Canal British 1 Environment colonisation of the Canal Management Plan as part of a Waterways Agency, by vegetation through comprehensive Conservation Natural HLF, Natural ecological succession. Management Plan. To include England England, Big Dredging Management Plan and Lottery, Wren programme of regular weed cutting. There are gaps in data Collect baseline data on critical British 2 ? Natural needed to inform indicator species, in addition to Waterways England management those monitored for SSSI condition Natural Environment survey, to inform management. England Agency
The importance of the Follow the habitat regulations and Natural 1 Natural England Canal Corridor as part of local plan policies as part of the England ERYC the Buffer Zone for Ings development control process ERYC and lower Derwent Valley Canal Liaison SPA , SAC and RAMSAR Group site Complying with and The Canal needs to be actively British 1 Environment respecting the National managed (including dredging Waterways Agency Biodiversity Designations management and maintenance Canal Liaison Natural England that affect the Canal and plan) to maintain its SSSI status. Group ERYC arresting the declining Drainage status of SSSI. As part of Comprehensive Board Conservation Management Plan YDAA Complying with and Water Frameworks Directive, SPA, Natural 1 Environment respecting the SAC, RAMSAR England Agency Natural International Follow Habitats Regulations, British England, Wren Designations that affect Guidance and Policies Waterways the Canal Canal Liaison Group Hydrology, flooding and Address as part of Conservation British 1 Environment wider catchment Management Plan and under Water Waterways Agency Frameworks Directive. Needs to be Natural actively managed (including England dredging management and York Drainage maintenance plan) and regular Board programme of weed cutting
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Issues Action Potential Priority Potential Partners Funder? (lead partner in bold) Water quality/Nutrient Maintain data collection on British 1 Environment Pollution/Eutrophication. water quality and measures to Waterways Agency, improve this, in partnership Environment Natural Water Quality is a major factor with Environment Agency Agency England, influencing the wildlife value of Natural Local the Pocklington Canal Assessment of the levels of England Universities Potential for pollutants to have contamination in the sediment built up in the sediment on the is a pre-requisite for bottom of the canal developing the dredging management plan, including the potential costs for disposal Unmanaged growth of trees is Address as part of a British 1 Environment shading out the canal and having comprehensive Conservation Waterways Agency, a detrimental effect on its Management Plan and Natural HLF, Big ecology. Biodiversity Action Plan for the England Lottery, Canal Canal Liaison Natural Group England, Wren Impact of Navigation on aquatic 1.Set a limit of 500 Boat British 2 Natural wildlife. Movements per year (BMY) to Waterways England protect biodiversity (current PCAS Environment Research suggests that low levels are very low at less than Natural Agency levels of boat movement (less 150 BMY). Can be monitored England than 500 BMY) are beneficial to at Gardham Lock.2. Carry out Universities maintain open water. research on the Pocklington River and Canal to establish evidence Canal Trust base from which to monitor Waterways the impacts of navigation on: Partnership invertebrates; fish; birds and mammals (currently there is no reliable evidence). The banks of the Canal are The provision of mooring British 1 or 2? LEADER reasonably natural and soft and pontoons will help to prevent Waterways Natural provide good habitat for voles damage to the natural banks. PCAS England and otters and other aquatic All works and siting will be Natural wildlife. There is however a need subject to Appropriate England for canal infrastructure including Assessment under the EU mooring pontoons. Habitats Directive
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Issues Action Potential Priority Potential Partners Funder? (lead partner in bold) Dredging is needed to A dredging management plan British 1 HLF help maintain the wildlife (subject to Appropriate Assessment Waterways Wren value of the SSSI and to under Habitats Regulations) needs Natural Environment enable navigation to be implemented as part of a England Agency comprehensive Conservation Canal Liaison Management Plan Group
While dredging is always disruptive in the short term, it can have positive impacts on the wildlife value and the condition of the SSSI in the medium to long term.
Perception by some that Assessment of environmental and British 1 HLF, extension of navigation biodiversity issues should be the Waterways Big Lottery from Melbourne up to first phase of project planning Natural Wren Canal Head could harm England Environment the biodiversity of the Consultation with statutory and Canal Liaison Agency SSSI. non-statutory nature conservation Group organisations and stakeholders ‘Doing nothing’ has led to should take place at an early stage the decline of the SSSI, it in the development of detailed needs active plans. management including dredging to maintain its status.
The effectiveness of Carried out indiscriminately plant British 1 HLF, weed cutting as a cutting can reduce biodiversity and Waterways Big Lottery management technique encourage unwanted plant species. Natural Wren has been questioned For invertebrates there is rapid England Environment recovery after cutting. It needs to Canal Liaison Agency be used as part of a range of Group management techniques in the Conservation Management Plan. Disturbance of birds at Introduce Code of Practice for British 1 or 2? HLF, Melbourne Ings, Access and Conservation and Waterways Natural Storwood and Wheldrake publicise through interpretive Natural England, ERYC Ings by uncontrolled dogs media and carefully designed England off the lead. messages at gateway locations; on ERYC waymarking signage; on the web, Canal Liaison and in promotional print. Group Carstairs Trust Develop areas of sensitivity zoning YWT and Visitor Management Strategy
Convey messages about responsible recreation by raising awareness
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Issues Action Potential Priority Potential Partners Funder? (lead partner in bold) Protection of the Historic Follow and implement the British 1 or 2? HLF Fabric of the Canal procedures and recommendations in Waterways the Heritage Partnership Agreement ERYC for the Canal English Heritage Canal Liaison Group Parking at Melbourne Arm Mark the spaces at BW car park at British 1 or 2? and besides road on Melbourne Arm to make more Waterways approaches to Coates efficient use of space. Provide DDA Canal Liaison Bridge, Walbut Bridge and compliant parking spaces. Install Group Hagg Bridge. removable bollards on track beside Carstairs Melbourne Arm to prevent parking Countryside down towards bridge and canal. Trust
Towpath condition and Review surface of towpath between British 2 HLF access for pedestrians and Canal Head and Giles Lock as part of Waterways Big Lottery cyclists Access Audit. ERYC Wren Canal Liaison Consider options for appropriate Group (non-urban) surface based on new BW best practice guidance.
Consider installing bike racks at Canal Head and Melbourne Arm as part of Sustainable Transport Scheme. Disability Discrimination Commission an Access Audit for the British 1 or 2? Act Compliance. Several Canal, to include public transport Waterways people commented on travel arrangements to the site, the difficulty in accessing parking provision and boat trips. the Canal beyond Top Lock and at Melbourne Arm. Many who would like to take a boat trip are unable to do so because of access problems.
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Issues Action Potential Priority Potential Partners Funder? (lead partner in bold) Lack of awareness of the Develop and implement an British 2 HLF Canal. Interpretation and Visitor Waterways Big Lottery Management Plan for the Canal ERYC Wren Many local residents and English local schools were Develop and implement a Learning Heritage unaware of the Canal and Plan for the Canal Canal Liaison what it has to offer. Group
The Canal is not included Review this significant oversight Natural 2 Natural England in the Local Green and ensure that the Canal is England ERYC Infrastructure Network included in the Local Green ERYC Infrastructure network. British Waterways
Lack of Resources for the Put together a selection of funding British 1 HLF Remainder Waterway bids to a range of different funders. Waterways Big Lottery The current cap for a regional HLF Canal Liaison Wren bid is £2m, and a bid combining, Group Environment dredging for conservation and Waterways Agency access, alongside opportunities for Partnership learning, and participation, including training, volunteering and interpretation; for a nationally important and vulnerable site, is likely to succeed. Especially with the significant evidence of need and local support produced during the preparation of this report. The original comments can be supplied as supporting evidence of need.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 119 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561 Appendix 11 Pocklington Canal - Vision Statement
Introduction
Pocklington Canal is a very special place with a wealth of heritage and wildlife interest. It is highly valued by the public both for this intrinsic interest and as a place for quiet recreation including walking, boating, bird watching and photography. It is recognised that the canal should be managed in a way that protects the canals unique historical and wildlife interest whilst allowing the public to continue to enjoy the canal.
To this end members of the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group have agreed this shared vision for the future of the Canal The Historic Environment The historic importance of the Canal should be maintained with all designated structures (Scheduled Ancient Monuments and Listed Buildings) repaired or conserved in a structurally stable state so that their significance is protected. All historically important non designated structures associated with the canal, should be maintained so that they are structurally sound and their character conserved.
The Natural Environment All parts of the canal notified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest should be in favourable condition, as should the adjacent Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation. Those sections of the canal not within SSSIs should be maintained in an equivalent favourable condition. The canal and surrounding areas should retain their rural, tranquil and relatively undeveloped character.
The Public Enjoyment of The Canal The public should continue to enjoy and appreciate the wildlife, historic interest and rural tranquil, undeveloped character of the Canal through activities such as boating walking, bird watching and fishing. The nature of the canal as a navigable waterway should be preserved.
Future Management of The Canal and Surrounding Environment. The canal and surrounding environment will be managed sustainable so that conditions required to fulfil this visions objectives will be maintained. To this end • Access to the towpath for walkers should be maintained, and the navigable section of the Canal, below Thornton Lock managed in order to maintain is status as a navigable waterway. • Water supply (quality and quantity) should be maintained for the benefit of navigation and nature conservation • Canal structures will be maintained in good working order (and restored where necessary). • A dredging management plan will be prepared and implemented. • Opportunities for future restoration of non navigable sections will be pursued where they do not adversely impact upon the historic and nature conservation interest or character of the Canal and its surroundings.
Pocklington Canal Audience, Conservation 120 | 121 www.marionblockley.co.uk and Interpretation Plan 01952 432561
Prepared by Marion Blockley - Heritage Management
Marion Blockley Heritage Management
6 Cherry Tree Hill, Coalbrookdale, Ironbridge TF8 7EQ t: 01952 432561 • e: [email protected] www.marionblockley.co.uk