News & Events
Issue 18 - August 2007
Step out for the 'South Devon Walking Festival' 13th - 28th October 07
New event for Autumn 2007
A brand new event for 2007 is the ‘South Devon Walking Festival'. Over 20 walks will take place during the two week period catering for all abilities. The trails include walks entitled ‘Secret Slapton’, 'Dartmouth’s Hidden creek’ and the ‘Great Hill Toddle’. Full details will be published in the Coast and Countryside Autumn/Winter events programme and on the AONB website www.southdevonaonb.org.uk.
Further information 01803 861384
Slapton Adaptaion Plan
New project officer appointed
A community conference held in 2006 provided the foundation for an adaptation plan for the Slapton area - a programme of measures to prepare for future coastal change. The AONB office was instrumental in securing funding from government to progress this adaptation plan as a national demonstration project and a new project officer Alan Denbigh has just been recruited by the Slapton Line Partnership to help move things on. The Partnership's priorities for the short term include trialing the emergency response arrangements for readiness for future storm events, completing the diversion signage on inland roads, updating communications media such as the website and information panels, and improving co-ordination of beach level monitoring. A wider range of projects and actions will follow.
Further information: www.slaptonlinepartnership.co.uk or mail Alan.denbigh@southhams.gov.uk
Agricultural Shows
AONB braves the elements at Yealmpton and Totnes
The AONB unit attended both Yealmpton and Totnes Agricultural shows at the end of July. Both days were rather wet and unfortunately Totnes was called off due to weather conditions at 2pm. Nonetheless many visitors braved the rain and participated in our competition to identify old farming artefacts which ranged from a crow scarer to thatching tools- very kindly loaned to us by the Cookworthy Museum. We did have some very interesting and amusing answers! The basket of local food and drink was won by Ann Dodson from Wembury, photographs of the items and answers are on the website at www.southdevonaonb.org.uk.
The caravan will also be at Kingsbridge Show on Saturday 1st September, please come and say hello and have a go at our new competition if you are at the event. PS – we have it on good authority that the sun will shine!
Further information: Diane Lethbridge 01803 861378
Greenway Recycling Ltd - farm tidy up in the AONB
Sustainable Development Fund successAssisted by a grant from the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) a brand new business - ‘Greenaway Recycling Ltd’ the brainchild of three local farmers/businessmen has commenced the recycling of farm waste in South Devon including fertiliser bags, silage wrap, net and string, feed bags and spray containers, assisting farmers and landowners in complying with new legislation introduced in 2006, and in farming in a more environmentally friendly way. All waste is collected from the farm and fees start at £50 + VAT per collection. Further information about Greenaway from 01364 643550.
Further information about SDF from Liz Davey 01803 861183
Partnership committe news
New officers elected at June Meeting
The partnership committee met on 15th June at Stokenham Village Hall. Richard Foss was elected as new Chairman and Cllr Rosemary Rowe was elected as new Vice Chairman. Areas of discussion included:
* Sustainable Development Fund, it was noted that the fund of £70,000 had been completely allocated for the current financial year.
* Progress report on 2004-2007 action programme. The report highlighted that 65 out of 142 projects had been completed and 59 still in progress.
A site visit took place after the meeting to Mike Roger’s farm near Beeson one of the Sustainable Development Fund project sites
The next meeting will take place on Friday September 14th – the agenda and papers will be on the website week commencing 10th September. Members of the public are welcome to attend the main meeting.
Further information: Robin Toogood 01803 861384
Volunteers dig in to National Archaeology Week
Open Day at Mount Folly Bigbury
Two current archaeological digs are providing a window into the AONB's past. A recent open day of excavations at Mount Folly allowed visitors to tour remains of a small Iron Age and Romano-British farmstead of huts set into a hillside terrace overlooking Bigbury Bay, not far from the ancient trading settlement excavated earlier at Bantham. Pottery fragments from both sites provide evidence of trading with France, Italy and the Mediterranean. Another group of local volunteers, also led by professional archaeologists, has been uncovering the substantial wall footings of a Mediaeval manor house beside Stokenham church, dating from the 13th to 16th centuries but long since ruined and buried. Compared to Dartmoor, the AONB has been slow to yield up its past but aerial photography, crop marks, geophysical surveys and careful excavation are building a clearer picture of how the area was settled, farmed and organised.
Further information: Devon Archaeological Society http://www.groups.ex.ac.uk/das/
2007 Annual Forum
Changes in land ownership, the effect on land management - What the experts said!
The forum was held on 20th June at the Flavel Centre in Dartmouth. We were very fortunate to have two very well qualified speakers to give their experiences and views on the pattern of land ownership and effects on land management in the AONB. David Leach project manager from Devon Wildlife Trust described his experiences of the successful ‘Landscape Heritage Scheme’, and Charles Wreford-Brown senior partner with Luscombe Maye presented statistics of land use, prices, and land ownership over the past 20 years. Despite the downturn in traditional farming there has been an upturn in different types of land ownership, diversification and grant aid. Interestingly both speakers had similar views on the prospects for the future.
* New landowners are very enthusiastic about conservation, and income from the land is not always paramount
* They are often keen to let the land to existing neighbouring farmers allowing them to spread their costs
* There are new forms of rural employment
* The ‘Single Farm Payment Scheme’ creates a balance between commercial farming and environmental considerations.
A lively discussion followed the presentations with a panel comprising Richard Foss partnership committee chairman, Trevor Lethbridge Business representative on the partnership committee and the two speakers. Robin Toogood presented the 2006-7 annual report and the evening concluded with local refreshments and networking.
Further information: Robin Toogood 01803 861384
Dart Estuary Environmental Management
Sadly the Dart Estuary Environmental Management office in Dartmouth will close at the end of August after ten years in operation. Growing financial pressures amongst the funding partners over recent years have made the project increasingly hard to sustain. Work is in hand behind the scenes to see how DEEM's valuable legacy of environmental work might be continued in some way and how the estuary forum can maintain its important co-ordination activity. Until this is resolved, any enquiries relating to DEEM's work should be forwarded either to the Dart harbour office or the AONB office, depending on the subject.
Further information: Robin Toogood 01803 861384; Dart Harbour Office 01803 832337
Management Plan Action Programme
Progress report 2004-2007
The Action Plan progress report is now available to view or download in full colour on the AONB website. Follow the link ‘Looking after the AONB’ from the homepage and then click on Management Plan, followed by Action Plan review.
Further information: Roger English 01803 861435