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Countryside Management Partnerships
Summary
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Countryside Management Partnerships including: Dedham Vale and Stour Valley, Suffolk Coast and Heaths, Greenways, Tree Warden Scheme.
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Countryside Management Projects There are three countryside management projects financially supported by the Council, together with officer and Member involvement to help ensure the successful running of their operations, and to represent the Council`s interests. These are the Dedham Vale and Stour Valley, the Suffolk Coast and Heaths and the Greenways Countryside Projects. Such projects involve a number of local authorities and other key partners in their work.
Within the Babergh District this project extends from Glemsford in the west to Brantham in the east, following the course of the River Stour. It includes much of the Stour Valley Special Landscape Area and the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A Management Strategy and Action Plan has been prepared as required by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and provides the framework for the partners to champion the environmental and cultural quality of the Stour Valley.
The Shotley Peninsula is part of a much larger area covered by the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Project, which runs from Kessingland in the north down to the south side of the Stour estuary in Tendring District. Within the Babergh District, the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty occurs on the north side of the Stour estuary and the south side of the Orwell estuary. A Management Strategy (2002) has been in operation and the Council has signed up to it, together with its other partners in the Project.
Greenways Countryside Project
The project encompasses the urban fringe around Ipswich, and in the Babergh District is confined to Pinewood parish. This locality includes Belstead Brook Park, an area of high public access pressure. Due to its location close to a large urban area, there is more volunteer involvement in conservation tasks.
Other partnershipsA number of initiatives have evolved that are partnerships with other organisations in the protection and enhancement of the Babergh countryside.
Babergh Parish Tree Warden SchemeBabergh Parish Tree Warden Scheme is locally sponsored by the Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society Ltd.
The Babergh Parish Tree Warden Scheme has been in operation since 1993, and currently 55 of the District`s 76 parishes have a nominated Parish Tree Warden. Tree Warden Schemes are run on a national level by the National Tree Warden Scheme, and administered by the Tree Council. Local sponsorship is provided by the Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society Ltd for the Babergh Parish Tree Warden Scheme. There are three main features of the Scheme, as follows:
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Town/Parish Councils/Meetings appoint Parish Tree Wardens, and receive regular reports from them.
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Babergh District Council provides training and information for Parish Tree Wardens.
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Parish Tree Wardens can have several tasks, depending on local circumstances, which can include carrying out tree surveys of the locality, encouraging local volunteers to plant or look after trees, or advising the District Council of problems with trees in the parish.
Suffolk Biodiversity PartnershipThe Council is part of the county-wide initiative that promotes biodiversity, based on the targets in the Suffolk Biodiversity Action Plan. Financial support is given to the Suffolk Biological Records Centre that provides a database of biodiversity information across the whole county. As part of its involvement the Council has seen the development of the Centre from its inception and continues to be part of its management structure.
Financial assistance is also given to the Suffolk Wildlife Trust for its work on biodiversity in the District. This includes administering the County Wildlife Sites Register together with providing advice to site owners, and running the Community Projects Unit that organises volunteer work parties.
There are a number of different groups working under the umbrella of the Partnership, including the Veteran Tree Survey, the Suffolk Native Black Poplar Working Group, and the Suffolk Hedgerow Survey.
In addition to their importance as a Ramsar international wetland site, the estuaries are designated as a Special Protection Area and European Marine Site under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives (2). A Scheme of Management has been prepared as required under the UK Habitats Regulations 1994. The Council is identified as a Relevant Authority for the purpose of the Scheme of Management, which has been drawn up to help meet the obligations of the Habitat Regulations.
Financial assistance is given to Suffolk FWAG for its work in providing conservation advice to farmers and landowners. This has been a successful partnership for many years and has seen a considerable improvement in landscape and biodiversity on farms in the Babergh District.
A recent development has seen the launch of the Horsewise Project within the District, in conjunction with Suffolk FWAG. The project aims to give advice on equestrian-related issues to landowners, on a range of topics such as sustainable grazing management, siting of structures, tree and hedgerow planting etc. As the project is at an early stage, it will be monitored with a view to assessing the need for a more permanent scheme. |
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External links ...
Suffolk Wildlife Trust
One of 47 local Wildlife Trusts across the whole of the UK, the Isle of Man and Alderney, working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Tree Council
The lead tree campaigning charity, an umbrella body for over 180 UK organisations working to promote the importance of trees within the changing environment. Tree Council. National Tree Warden Scheme.
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Last updated on: 12 August 2011 | Date of next review: 12 August 2012
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