Chilterns Conservation Board Caring for the Chilterns
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CONSERVATION BOARD 2008/2009 A N N U A L R E V I E W O F T H E Chilterns Conservation Board Caring for the Chilterns An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD y privilege as Chairman of the Chilterns People and Places of the Chiltern Hills Project which Conservation Board for the past year has been has recorded profiles of some of the famous people Mto see people working together towards who have lived in the area. The research work for this, common goals. There has been a close relationship together with that for the Special Trees and Woods between Board members and the Board's staff with the Project, has engaged many enthusiastic volunteers. latter operating as a well-honed team. Members visit our office in Chinnor to talk through issues with the The Chilterns AONB, placed as it is on the edge of relevant officer and most do not restrict themselves to major conurbations, is seldom without challenges. our four meetings a year but attend many Board Much work has been done with The Chiltern Society to events. safeguard our chalk streams in the face of increasing demand for water. New threats to the tranquillity of All helped with the big task of the year, the review of the AONB come from plans to re-route the flights of the Management Plan. We now have a Framework for aircraft using Heathrow and Luton airports. The Action which will guide our work until 2013. It preferred line for the future High Speed 2 rail link highlights the strength of the Board's partnerships with from London to the Midlands is likely to pass through other bodies: The Chiltern Society, the National Trust, the Chilterns. the Wildlife Trusts, local authorities, parish councils and many voluntary bodies. Our principal funding source is Natural England which has already been obliged to reduce our annual grant. Many local people and visitors are Undoubtedly, there will be draconian cuts in the interested in the historic environment future. We appreciate the help that they give to the of the Chilterns. To help them we want Board. And we are grateful for the prudent to promote greater awareness of our deployment of our limited resources by the rich heritage. We developed a new Chief Officer and Finance Officer. programme of guided walks which include Berkhamsted Castle and Amersham Old Town. This builds on the success of the Sir John Johnson, Chairman THE CHILTERNS - BARTON-LE-CLAY Hexton AN AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY M1 Lilley HITCHIN DUNSTABLE he Chilterns was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural LUTON Beauty in 1965, in recognition of its beautiful landscape which is amongst the finest in the country. The nade TT Whips Ver Chilterns AONB covers 833 sq kms and stretches from Grand Union Canal Markyate HARPENDEN Aldbury Goring in south Oxfordshire through Buckinghamshire TRING Gade Gaddesden and Bedfordshire to Hitchin in Hertfordshire. AYLESBURY HEMEL HEMPSTEAD It has a population of 80,000. WENDOVER M1 BERKHAMSTED Bulbourne PRINCES M25 RISBOROUGH CHESHAM The primary duties of the Chilterns CHINNOR Gt. Missenden M40 PRESTWOOD Conservation Board are to conserve Hughenden Chess Colne and enhance the natural STOKENCHURCH Stream AMERSHAM WATLINGTON Misbourne River Thames HIGH CHORLEYWOOD beauty of the AONB and, BENSON WYCOMBE BEACONSFIELD in so doing, to increase Hambleden WALLINGFORD Brook Wye the understanding and MARLOW M40 enjoyment by the public River Thames M25 of its special qualities HENLEY-ON-THAMES GORING and to foster the M4 economic and social well- being of local communities. M4 READING 0 5 10 Kilometeres [0 6 Miles 1 ISSUES AND TRENDS he term “natural beauty” has no legal The gradual loss of rural character can also be definition but is interpreted by the Board as caused by poor building design and what might be Tall those elements which make up a described as clutter. This includes everything from landscape so special that it is given legal protection an excess of road side signs and furniture to the as a national asset. One of these elements is conversion of farmland to gardens and pony tranquillity, however, it is apparent that the paddocks. Much of this change is piece meal and tranquillity of the Chilterns is being eroded rapidly. almost impossible to control. Traffic noise is ever present, but with low noise road surfaces and lower speed limits it is possible to The Board has been working to conserve those make improvements. Much more insidious and special qualities under threat. We have lobbied difficult to deal with has been the growth in noise against transport plans which will generate more pollution generated by all types of aircraft. There noise or intrusion in the landscape; we have was a massive and successful campaign to stop plans published technical guidance on design of buildings by the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) to route and management of the highway corridor; we have more planes at lower elevations over the Chilterns. undertaken a survey of how land use changes from Over 6,000 individual letters of objection were sent year to year; we are also preparing a State of the and NATS withdrew their plans, promising to consult Environment report which we will publish annually again in summer 2009. from 2009 onwards which will provide evidence of how the landscape of the Chilterns is changing. The Government announced that it would give its approval to the construction of a third runway at Any landscape will and must evolve. Some of those Heathrow. This will result in over 200,000 more changes are due to natural forces and, for the most flights over the Chilterns. There has already been a part, should be accepted, but many others are short considerable increase in overflying by Heathrow term and driven by changes in economics, aircraft in recent years to compound the increase in regulation, fashion and social trends. Where they air traffic using Luton Airport. Working with the are undesirable the Board will work with its aviation industry has been frustrating. Trying to get partners to bring about improvements. Despite the them to be clear about how they will conserve the problems there is a great deal of positive work tranquillity of an AONB is difficult. going on from management of woodlands and commons to enhancement of Sites of Special In early 2009 the government announced that it Scientific Interest and improved flows in the chalk intends to develop a high speed rail link between streams. The Chilterns is a complex landscape and London and Birmingham, which will present a the Board's role is to make sure it remains special further challenge as it will almost certainly slice for future generations to enjoy. through the Chilterns. Steve Rodrick, Chief Officer View of Ivinghoe Beacon 2 Conservation s the most visited AONB in the country it is hardly surprising that visitor pressure continued to be an issue for managers of sensitive sites and habitats across the Chilterns. Uncontrolled dogs and path erosion were Aamongst the concerns, with, for example, 12 sheep killed on Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs over a six month period. Sustaining grazing on conservation sites remained a priority, and while there was some welcome news for livestock farmers in the form of rising meat prices, the sector remained under pressure. The need to restore, link and extend fragmented habitats continued as a high priority for all those concerned with nature conservation, particularly in the face of climate change. This year's Chalk Grassland Day on the theme of The Board supported projects to restore, link and 'People, dogs and grazing – managing access on extend fragmented habitats, including: sensitive sites' brought together over 55 site managers Chalk grassland restoration from conifer and others to consider the latest thinking on access plantation at Bradenham. management on these sites, including positive approaches to working with dog owners. Heathland and acid grassland restoration at Hawridge and Cholesbury Commons. The Board also contributed to a number of projects aimed at sustaining grazing on sites with high visitor Acid grassland restoration at Moorend Common. numbers, for example, by funding the purchase of Exmoor ponies to graze the National Trust's Coombe The Chilterns Commons Network continued Hill. to thrive with over 60% of the commons (by area) represented on the Commons forum. Network The Board supported various grazing initiatives activities this year included: including: Commons Day 2008: 'Local Involvement, Local SheepKeep - a free web-based scheme matching Heritage' was held at Highmoor, near Nettlebed, livestock to grazing (www.sheepkeep.co.uk) Henley and had over 40 participants. Nude Ewe – a local grazing wool project led by There were Network visits to six commons Bedfordshire County Council. attended by 88 people. Practical works to support and enhance grazing Over 400 copies of the Commons Network on a number of sites including Seer Wood, the newsletter were distributed. Ivinghoe Hills and Chorleywood Common. Development of initial proposals for a Chilterns Commons Project bid with community engagement and involvement at its core. The Board published the Chilterns AONB Management Plan 2008-2013 which highlighted the importance of monitoring the trends in condition of the AONB, including the condition of characteristic species and habitats. The Plan commits the Board to publishing a State of the Environment Report in 2009, and a new group – the Chilterns Environment Forum – was successfully established to develop this area of work. The Chilterns Conservation Award went to David Passmore of Mays Farm at Nuffield, south Oxfordshire, for his measures to conserve arable flora and farmland birds on this mixed commercial farm. Mays Farm near Nuffield, winning entry in the 2008 Conservation Award 3 Farming and Land Use ollowing the record high world cereal and oilseed prices in 2007, prices dropped sharply in 2008.