Newsletter Winter 2011/12

Local Nature Partnership The Natural Environment White Paper  Supporting the communities engaged (2011) set out the Government’s vision in neighbourhood planning to for Local Nature Partnerships. Once develop environmental visions along established, their overall purpose will be the lines of the parish/community GI to bring a diverse range of individuals, plans businesses and organisations together at  Promoting and identifying the role of a local level to create a vision and plan of the natural environment in action of how the natural environment can be taken into account in decision underpinning the work of SEMLEP. making.  Holding an event that will bring together health and environment partners from the Local Strategic Many in the Consortium will feel that we Partnerships to build awareness of already do some of this and are an the benefits of the environment for effective partnership, but the LNP public health. process offers us the chance to improve on this. It is with this in mind that an  Sharing research to help understand application was submitted to Defra’s the ecosystems approach, capacity building fund for potential LNPs, environmental risks, land which we are pleased to say was management approaches, tourism, successful. This funding will enable the health and landscape scale Consortium to broaden its work, and approaches. engage more effectively with other  Understanding the environmental sectors, including communities, information requirements of businesses, health, economic environment sector partners to development and research, and to work help develop the service and market more effectively with existing structures for environmental information. including the Local Strategic Partnerships for Bedford, Central and , and the South East Midlands Local Overall, the funding will enable us to Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP). The broaden the activities of the GIC, and funding gives us a timely opportunity to extend into key sectors, resulting in a further the partnership and capacity more collaborative, evidence based building work that builds on the approach to improving the green successful conference held in November infrastructure network that people, the 2010, where we explored the economy and ecosystems depend on. opportunities and overlaps with public This could then result in a formal health, ecosystems services, economic application to become a Local Nature development, and working with Partnership, communities. For more information on LNPs please see: http://www.defra.gov.uk/ The funding will enable us to carry out a environment/natural/whitepaper/local- number of activities over the next few nature-partnerships/ months: Page 2 Newsletter Winter 2011/12

Bedford Waterspace study launched A special event was held at Bedford Borough used to benefit the widest range of people; from Hall on 30 September to launch the Bedford anglers to canoeists, rowers to ramblers and Waterspace Study. businesses to community groups. The launch event was attended by about 40 people from organisations including parish councils and local businesses as well as boaters and other river users.

Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said:

“The river is absolutely the jewel in Bedford’s crown, and this study aims to maximise the opportunities to make the river available for everyone. With projects and views collected The Waterspace Study, a partnership between locally this document will help to shape future the Environment Agency and Bedford Borough developments along the route, creating a healthy, Council, outlines how the River Great Ouse and enjoyable and sustainable future for our most its facilities can be improved and developed in important asset.” the Bedford area. The River Great Ouse is often referred to as the ‘Jewel in the Crown of The study was brought together by Richard Glen Bedford’ for the beauty of the river itself and Associates on behalf of Bedford Borough Council surrounding embankments. and Environment Agency. It covers the River Great Ouse from Old Bromham Bridge Erin Witcomb-Vos, Fens Waterways Link downstream, to the junction of the Bedford Partnership Manager at the Environment Agency, Milton Keynes Waterway link in the vicinity of said: “Waterways animate our towns and Kempston Weir, and eastwards through Bedford replenish our countryside, but above all, rivers town centre to Willington Lock. form part of a larger pattern of landscape which connects people, wildlife and ideas. The results have been published in two parts: an economic impact and opportunities study, and “The jointly-funded Bedford Waterspace Study the main waterspace study forming a master plan focuses on all aspects of the river corridor and for the river corridor comprising of detailed presents a vision for the town’s development and maps and schedules of potential projects and regeneration as an important waterways developments such as new moorings, improved destination. “ cycleways and footpaths and other facilities. The event provided a fantastic opportunity for us The documents will be made available on the to share the findings of the study with all those Bedford Borough Council and Environment people who played their part in helping to shape Agency websites. Contact Erin Witcomb-Vos, it.” Fens Waterways Link Partnerships Manager at The study collected views from local people and the Environment Agency, for more information groups who already use the river, to bring ([email protected]). together ideas about how the river should be Newsletter Winter 2011/12 Page 3

The North-East Luton Green Corridors Project: wildlife : people : history

The aim of this project was to create five ‘green corridors’, better for both wildlife and people, Volunteers reaching out from the Galley and Warden Hills planting a Nature Reserve into the residential areas of north hedgerow on -east Luton, using and celebrating the historic Birdsfoot paths and trackways. Lane

There were three main objectives:  to interpret the routes and engage the  nearly 3 km of hedge laying and 800m of local community new hedgerow planting  to make the routes more accessible and  creation of wildflower areas attractive  ecology training workshops for local  to improve the biodiversity value of the volunteers routes

Work included

 signage of the routes through interpretive trails  new kissing gates  additional dog bins  two pieces of commissioned artwork celebrating the history and ecology

Totem pole; part of the commissioned Volunteers installing a new kissing gate artwork

celebrating the history and We also linked the project with the other Chalk ecology of the Arc projects based in Luton by extending two of area our interpretive trails out to Cowslip Meadow.

We worked in close partnership with , English Heritage, Council, the Friends of Great  welcome signs for the Nature Reserve Park and other local volunteers, and  path and bridleway surfacing the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. improvements  cycle parking at the Nature reserve

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Rushmere Vision Launched The purchase of ‘Rushmere Park’ by Central And the enhancement of the site to improve Bedfordshire Council and the Greensand Trust facilities for visitors and conserve valuable in the autumn of 2009 was part-funded by the habitats has continued, with the following Growth Area Fund through the Chalk Arc developments over the past year: Initiative. Added to Stockgrove Country Park  Fencing and water supply installed, which and Oak Wood, this created ‘Rushmere Country allowed a herd of Dexter cattle to be Park’, a 170ha (400 acre) site containing wooded brought in last summer to graze Shire valleys, heathland, meadows and lakes, providing Oak Heath, following tree and scrub access opportunities for people on foot, cycle or clearance, with the aim of restoring horse. valuable heathland habitat;  Visitor & Education Facilities created in the old Rushmere bungalow; Those GIC members who attended the AGM at  ‘Pay on exit’ car park system installed, Rushmere last year may also remember being helping the site create revenue streams introduced to the process of creating a for future management and masterplan-type document to set out the vision enhancement; and plans of the Rushmere Partnership (Central  Christmas Fair held in December. Bedfordshire Council and the Greensand Trust) over the next 5 years. This “Framework” Over the coming weeks there are more exciting document has now been completed, including a developments unfolding, including: consultation process with local residents, users  Installation of remote cameras beaming and a wide range of stakeholder organisations. live images of the heronry back to the Visitor Centre;  Creation of Family Trail, using wood The Framework is available at the Rushmere and sculptures to encourage understanding Stockgrove Visitor Centres and can be found and exploration; online at the Greensand Trust’s website:  Creation of an 800m ‘access for all’ www.greensandtrust.org route;  Enhanced on-site information and interpretation;  Further improvements to the Visitor Centre, including improved refreshment facilities. Planning Obligations Fund

As the local planning authority, providing and improving green Central Bedfordshire Council collects open spaces around the east of 'planning obligations' from developers. Biggleswade, to create a strategic One element of what the Council green corridor and green edge to expects from developers is financial Biggleswade, providing an contributions for green infrastructure. important source of informal Bedfordshire and Luton Green Infrastructure Consortium The growth across Central recreation space for new c/o The Greensand Trust Bedfordshire puts pressure on the residents and a link to the wider Rushmere Country Park network of green open spaces, paths, countryside. This project will be Linslade Road landscapes, heritage sites and habitats. led by BRCC. Heath & Reach Planning obligations for green

LU7 0EB infrastructure are invested in making improvements to this green  Campton Enhancement Project - Contact us: infrastructure network that are improving Campton Plantation, an 01525 234260 required as a result of developments area of woodland between [email protected] taking place. Campton and Shefford, improving the area for leisure, recreation

and education, and improving the Central Bedfordshire Council has just important wet woodland habitat. The Bedfordshire and Luton completed the first round of This project will be led by Central Green Infrastructure allocating funding to GI projects in Bedfordshire Council. what is hoped will be an annual Consortium is a partnership of local authorities, process. Project proposals were invited from GIC members and Town  Flitwick Manor Park - improving government agencies and and Parish Councils. Funding has been the historic parkland landscape of voluntary and community allocated to three projects across the Park, and restoring heritage sector organisations. We Central Bedfordshire in areas where features including water aim to promote the concept growth is happening. These projects management structures to of green infrastructure, and are as follows: improve Flit Water and the River Flit. This project will be led by c o - o r d i n a t e g r e e n Flitwick Town Council. infrastructure planning and  Biggleswade Green Wheel - de li ve ry . F o r m o re information, visit our www.bedsandlutongreeninfrastructure.org website.