News, comment and gossip for Horsington, the Cheritons and surrounding villages in Somerset
Tiptoe softly through the trees – conservationists at work
Danger, conservationists at work
Richard Gaunt writes: The half dozen regular users of the footpath between Batchpool Lane and Marsh Lane, dog walkers all, have been intrigued by the “County Wildlife Site” notices, adorned with the South Somerset District Council badge, which have suddenly appeared around the perimeter of the fields between the footpath and the old railway line.
“Please assist ongoing conservation work”, begs the notice.
Underneath there are sterner warnings.
“Use only the designated footpath”.
“All dogs to be kept under close control”.
Heavy stuff, as on the face of it this is arable land which is regularly ploughed, harrowed, seeded, sprayed and harvested using heavy tractors and equipment, and it is difficult to see what adverse effect a few sedate dog walkers can have on this environment, or how they could upset any conservation work. In the season, there is regular shooting.
I asked Mr Rhys, the agent for the land, owned by Horsington Manor, about the conservation work, but have not had a response.
So I asked the Somerset County Council, who were most helpful.
The Somerset Environmental Records Centre has confirmed that the area is the “Horsington North Park Local Wildlife Site (LWS)”. (Not “County”).
The site was assessed back in 2002/3 when it was given Local Wildlife status because of the important veteran trees, but it appears the site has not been re-visited or assessed since that time. Veteran trees are conserved because they are particularly valuable for wildlife and in Somerset there is a Somerset Wood Pasture, Parkland & Veteran Trees HAP ( Biodiversity Action Plan for Veteran Trees).
These sites have no statutory status and confer no additional rights or obligations on anyone. There are no additional restrictions over agricultural operations, and no new rights of access are created.
No public money has been spent on this site, but ownership of one puts you well up the queue for other grant support, if available.
It all seems a bit of much ado about nothing, and I can’t help thinking the notices are a lot of huff and puff about “Get off my Land”.
Why they have suddenly put up official looking notices with no statutory backing (and promoted the site from a “local” site to a “County” one) after nearly a decade is a mystery.
But if you go near a veteran tree, tiptoe carefully!
2 thoughts on “Tiptoe softly through the trees – conservationists at work”
Mr Robert Rhys, Chartered surveyor and Land agent, has responded to Richard Gaunt’s enquiry, suggesting that his cynicism might be misplaced. He writes:
Dear Mr Gaunt
Thank you for your e-mail of 28th April 2011 and your interest in the conservation work at Horsington Manor which property was designated a County Wildlife Site in 2002. I expect you will have noticed the material changes in farming practice which have been taking place over the last 10 years, with grass margins being introduced around the arable fields, and a change to shallow ploughing.
You may have observed the considerable lengths of hedgerows which have been restored and the change to a three year cycle of hedge cutting, which management practice is important to provide winter feed and nesting habitat to farmland birds; together with orchard restoration. In the remaining pasture fields a change to minimal inputs except for weed control has been implemented with a reported increase in species rich pasture, some of which you may have seen adjacent to the footpaths.
Management of the land for game bird habitat allied to associated predator and vermin control and the provision of winter feed has been taking place which is an important factor in reversing the decline of some farmland bird species. The farm is part of a project run by Reading University to monitor the recovery of bird, butterfly and bee numbers as a result of some of these efforts.
Unfortunately I am aware that some people have been hindering these conservation objectives by deviating from the public footpaths and walking on and letting their dogs run out of control on these conservation margins and winter feed crops, nearly all of which plots are located a considerable distance from the public footpaths. It seemed necessary to remind members of the public of the location of the footpaths and where they are entitled to walk. This type of restoration is a long term effort and it is very much appreciated that people understand what is being done and, as the signage indicates, help the conservation efforts by staying on the public rights of way and keeping their dogs under control.
I thank you again for your interest and I hope that the foregoing will give you a better understanding of these efforts and the role they are having in promoting conservation.
See also the “Planning application” story. I smell hypocrisy. On the one hand he pastes bogus notices all over the place claiming “County Wildlife Site” status, which I still suspect is to deter walkers on the public footpath.
Now he wants to remove an entire hedge from a much more attractive part of the estate.
Mr Robert Rhys’ comment on my post now rings a little hollow. Maybe, as agent for the estate, he will explain how he can simultaneously support conservation work and hedge removal.
Mr Robert Rhys, Chartered surveyor and Land agent, has responded to Richard Gaunt’s enquiry, suggesting that his cynicism might be misplaced. He writes:
Dear Mr Gaunt
Thank you for your e-mail of 28th April 2011 and your interest in the conservation work at Horsington Manor which property was designated a County Wildlife Site in 2002. I expect you will have noticed the material changes in farming practice which have been taking place over the last 10 years, with grass margins being introduced around the arable fields, and a change to shallow ploughing.
You may have observed the considerable lengths of hedgerows which have been restored and the change to a three year cycle of hedge cutting, which management practice is important to provide winter feed and nesting habitat to farmland birds; together with orchard restoration. In the remaining pasture fields a change to minimal inputs except for weed control has been implemented with a reported increase in species rich pasture, some of which you may have seen adjacent to the footpaths.
Management of the land for game bird habitat allied to associated predator and vermin control and the provision of winter feed has been taking place which is an important factor in reversing the decline of some farmland bird species. The farm is part of a project run by Reading University to monitor the recovery of bird, butterfly and bee numbers as a result of some of these efforts.
Unfortunately I am aware that some people have been hindering these conservation objectives by deviating from the public footpaths and walking on and letting their dogs run out of control on these conservation margins and winter feed crops, nearly all of which plots are located a considerable distance from the public footpaths. It seemed necessary to remind members of the public of the location of the footpaths and where they are entitled to walk. This type of restoration is a long term effort and it is very much appreciated that people understand what is being done and, as the signage indicates, help the conservation efforts by staying on the public rights of way and keeping their dogs under control.
I thank you again for your interest and I hope that the foregoing will give you a better understanding of these efforts and the role they are having in promoting conservation.
See also the “Planning application” story. I smell hypocrisy. On the one hand he pastes bogus notices all over the place claiming “County Wildlife Site” status, which I still suspect is to deter walkers on the public footpath.
Now he wants to remove an entire hedge from a much more attractive part of the estate.
Mr Robert Rhys’ comment on my post now rings a little hollow. Maybe, as agent for the estate, he will explain how he can simultaneously support conservation work and hedge removal.