 Bowland Bulletin
Winter 2012 |
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Enjoyment |
Festival Bowland 2012
Why not make 2012 the year you discover more of the beautiful Forest of Bowland? That is the invitation from the Forest of Bowland AONB partnership, which has just launched its Festival Bowland programme for 2012. Festival Bowland is a year round calendar of events that celebrate the birds, wildlife landscape and culture of the Forest of Bowland AONB. AONB partners have worked together with landowners, local experts and businesses to provide a wealth of events and opportunities for people to explore the area's special qualities and to share with others what makes this area such a special place for people and wildlife. Walking, cycling, wildlife watching and photography - not to mention drystone walling, spoon carving and poetry – are all on offer over the coming year, whilst Bowland Arts Festival in June includes open studios, workshops and exhibitions, plus the chance to sing and dance! The 2012 programme also sees the introduction of two new features designed to help residents and visitors explore and enjoy even more. A series of "Discover Bowland" events will take a more in-depth look at a range of subjects – all guided by leaders who are experts in their field, whilst a new heritage weekend, from 7 to 9 September, will offer a fantastic chance to look behind the scenes at some of the AONB's less familar places. To download the programme visit www.forestofbowland.com or for an online version visit www.forestofbowland.com/festivalevents |
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RSPB/AONB Education Project
"Birds of Bowland", the RSPB/AONB education project, is now well underway in its fourth year – and feedback is, once again, very positive thanks to the knowledge and enthusiasm of the RSPB staff delivering the sessions. Having now involved all the primary schools within the AONB, this year we're working with six schools located on the fringes of the protected area: Chatburn, Gisburn, St. Peter's (Leck), St. Wilfrid's (Melling), Longridge CE and another St. Wilfrid's, this time in Longridge. Involving children from Reception age right through to Year 6, the field teachers have to be nothing if not adaptable! but the range of activities in each session help to make sure that the youngest children are able to take part, whilst also keeping the older children keen and interested. Landscape, habitats, adaptation and migration are all on the menu, with lots of projects for the schools to take part in between visits. Felt making, clay models, jigsaws, and even an indoor dawn chorus! are all helping to educate and enthuse children about the wildlife and birds to be found in the Forest of Bowland and we're already looking ahead to the farm visits in the spring! |
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Follow us on Twitter
You can now follow us on Twitter! This is an opportunity for us to engage with visitors and our community to provide Festival and other event updates as well as new project developments. Why not follow us at http://twitter.com/forestofbowland |
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Community |
Sign of the Times
Building on the successes won by Martin Charlesworth, we are once again restoring some of the more noticeable traditional signposts around the AONB. Signs in Grindleton, Holden, Lowgill and Claughton on Brock will soon be restored to their traditional glories. If you know of a prominent sign needing some tender loving care, or if your parish wants to replace modern with traditional signposts, please get in touch with Cathy Hopley on 01200 448000. AONB Boundary signs are also going to be replaced in a rolling programme of renewal starting in 2012. Let us know when you see the new-style signs: there may be prizes awarded! |
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Historic Research
A group of local historians and archaeologists, led by Nigel Neil and Ruth Thurnhill, are carrying out research into the ancient deer parks of Leagram and Radholme, to see how they have influenced later landscapes. A report on their findings will be published in the Spring, and may be followed by further research in other parts of Bowland. If you are interested in helping out with further research, or know about other deer parks in the AONB, please get in touch with Cathy Hopley cathy.hopley@lancashire.gov.uk |
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Sustainable Development Fund
A small amount of funds remain in the SDF pot for 2011/12. If you know of a small scale project which could be completed before the end of March 2012 and which is sustainable in nature, please contact Cathy Hopley
cathy.hopley@lancashire.go.uk For details of past projects visit www.forestofbowland.com/cons_devfund |
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Lancashire Witches 400
2012 is an important date for many, with the Olympics coming to London and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, but did you know it is also 400 years since the infamous Lancashire Witches trial of 1612? To commemorate this tragic history, a series of original not-to-be-missed artistic, dramatic, cultural and ecological events are being created. The Lancashire Witches 400 programme, co-ordinated by Green Close Studios, is a series of magical site specific works that will take place along the route taken by the Lancashire Witches in 1612 as they were taken from Pendle to Lancaster. Together, they form a vivid and engaging starting point for the ‘Witches Way’ in Lancashire - a new long distance walking route through breathtaking countryside in the heart of the county. For more information about this and a wider programme of events look at http://lancashirewitches400.org/ or follow them on Twitter http://twitter.com/witches400 The Lancashire Witches 400 steering group are keen to ensure that the anniversary does not become an opportunity to add to the folklore and legend surrounding the story: rather that the real historic facts are uncovered and these unfortunate and persecuted people are remembered sympathetically. In many cases events will raise funds for, and awareness of, the many modern day 'witches' (often children) who are still persecuted around the world. |
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Business |
The Bowland Symposium
The AONB are organising a two day event showcasing sustainable tourism in the Forest of Bowland, 1 and 2 May at Mytton Fold Hotel, Langho. Come and join us to learn more about the many successful sustainable tourism initiatives that have been taking place in Bowland over the last six years: · Learn first-hand from the tourism businesses themselves through business-led workshops · Have a 'Bowland Experience' and partake in a field trip exploring some of the AONB's best initiatives · Find out about current and future trends in sustainable tourism from inspiring keynote speakers including Professor Harold Goodwin, International Centre for Responsible Tourism; Howard Davies, CEO of the National Association for AONB's and Manda Brookman, Director CoaST project. · Share ideas, explore 'raising the bar' and come away re-inspired having established new contacts and opportunities Follow this link for full details and registration www.forestofbowland.com/bowlandsymposium |
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The Bowland Tourism Environment Fund
The Bowland Tourism Environment Fund Trustees were thrilled to receive £8,000 collected by The Three Fishes (Ribble Valley Inns) to support the Tramper project. This money was raised for the project by inviting diners to make a donation of 20p on top of their meal. Some of the money has already been used to fund a detailed ground survey of 7 new trails on existing public rights of way around the AONB. This included mapping and GPS location data which will be used to produce downloadable web routes, featuring a map and route description. In some cases, work has been carried out to improve surfaces and gateways to make them more Tramper friendly. BTEF is open to applications from community groups for grants to help with small scale projects to improve their local environment. Visit www.bowlandtefund.org for details, examples of past projects and an application form. |
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Bowland Experience
The Bowland Experience Limited social enterprise company continues to grow and now has 87 member businesses and organisations providing services to visitors to the AONB. The 'Tramper for Hire' scheme is up and running and looks forward to using all the new trails currently being developed. Visitors to these member businesses can now use the all-terrain Tramper vehicle on a total of over 50 miles of open country trails, covering most areas of the AONB. For further information visit www.bowlandexperience.com/tramper-project Training courses– such as Customer Care and First Aid at Work – are being repeated every few months; they are particularly designed for the needs of small businesses which often employ part-time and/or seasonal staff. These are helping to keep up the quality of service provided to tourists in the Forest of Bowland. For further information about training courses please contact mike.pugh@lancashire.gov.uk The popular Sense of Place training courses continues to be run twice a year. There are only a few places left for one being held on February 16 in Wray. To book a place please contact hetty.byrne@lancashire.gov.uk |
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Landscape & Wildlife |
Hay Time for Bowland
Despite the disappointing news that our bid to develop a large scale Nature Improvement Area (NIA) did not get awarded funds, we have recently submitted a new bid for funding to set up the Bowland Hay Time project. As identified in the NIA bid, the Forest of Bowland has some important hay meadow sites, where both upland and lowland hay meadow habitats can be experienced. These fields are remnants of a once much larger resource, which has been lost due to pressures to intensify agricultural production. The resultant loss of wildflowers has also affected populations of insects and birds. Over in the Yorkshire Dales a long running project has been restoring and enhancing hay meadows through spreading 'green hay' from wildflower-rich fields to those in need of improvement. Together with changing the input levels of farm yard manure, and cutting the sward at appropriate times, this method has enhanced many hectares of meadow. The organisation behind this project, the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, has now agreed to join forces and work with the AONB Unit to deliver a similar scheme in the Forest of Bowland. If our funding bid is successful work will begin this summer and continue over the next 18 months, tackling some 20 sites and over 40 hectares of hay meadow: so watch out for the wildflowers! |
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Hedgelaying Training Well Supported
Over five days in November at Knotts Farm, Quernmore 11 members of the local community and local contractors gathered to learn and develop the traditional skill of hedgelaying using the Lancashire & Westmorland style, with expert tuition provided by Joe Craig and Geoff Whitley. Skills in hedgelaying started to get lost after WW2 and by the 1970's the loss in hedgerows was happening at an alarming rate. Skills in hedgelaying and hedgerow maintenance were in danger of been lost forever. Out of these concerns was born the National Hedgelaying Society, plus the development of grant schemes to encourage the restoration and positive management of hedgerows. Maintenance of hedgerows is now part of good farming practice and the skills of the hedge layer are in great demand. How about dropping in to one of the remaining hedge laying competitions been run as part of the Lancashire & Westmorland Grand Prix? - Friends of the Lake District, 4 February
- Hi-Fly Pressall, 18 February
- Forest of Bowland AONB, 3 March For more information contact David Whitaker on 01524 751276 or visit the National Hedgelaying Society website at www.hedgelaying.org.uk |
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The Forest of Bowland AONB - a place to enjoy and keep special!
The Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a nationally protected landscape and is international important
for its heather moorland, blanket bog and rare birds. The AONB is managed by a partnership of landowners, farmers, voluntary
organisations, wildlife groups, recreation groups, local councils and government agencies, who work to protect, conserve and enhance the
natural and cultural heritage of this special area. For more information visit www.forestofbowland.com |
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