At the Forum meeting discussion on AA2 focused on the one action that has yet to get underway - Guidance for planners and developers

There is no doubt that, when the world returns to normal working order, or a new working order even, then growth and development will still be a key issue in the NW. The continued restructuring of the post industrial landscape,the advent of growth points and mechanisms such as Community Infrastructure Levy potentially still/will offer opportunities for Forestry.

We agreed that we had to work within the emerging framework of Green Infrastructure policies, but we know that the most multifunctional habitats are woodlands (don’t we?) so we can be sure that trees and woodlands have a key role to play in delivering Green Infrastructure plans.

So… over the next year we will look to develop this action working with 4NW and other partners  - offers of help gratefully received. We will be calling together a task group to get ideas, good practice etc. so look out on this blog for info on that meeting.

In the next year we also aim to look at developing the action around Forest Parks  - can we identify more areas that can be “improved” to offer venues for tourism, leisure activities etc. We have identified 5 in the Mersey Forest area so far.

The criteria for the Forest Parks so far have been

• More that 300 ha of interconnected woodland
• Good accessibility
• Relatively (?) close to people - I know that is not very precise!
• Opportunities for development of recreation infrastructure
• Willing landowners !

We can probably do a GIS hunt for areas that satisfy the first 3 criteria, or maybe we need to get some agreement on what a forest park is and what it’s purpose is? 

In terms of Actions that have been delivered

Previous blogs have mentioned Capital of Culture and the land Regen network - they are done and dusted now!

Newlands 1 and 2 are underway  (http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newlands)

Green Infrastructure planning is now well established - it does seem like we have come along way from the initial GI conference in Jan 2005 when there was no mention of GI in the region to now when it is becoming a well known concept that is finding its way into regional, sub regional and local policies. (www.greeninfrastructurenw.co.uk)

Update from Regional Forestry Framework Forum

 Feedback from the Forum was generally very positive with 88% responding that the event was good or excellent

There were also positive responses about people wanting to be involved in the future refresh of the Framework and hearing more about it. There was a large response of “don’t know” to the question about whether the Framework has made a difference - something that has to be addressed in the refresh.

The Land Remediation Network is an important success for the Regional Forestry Framework. The group is coordinated by Envirolinknw (Mark Whitworth and Pia Wagner)

The group now has over 80 members.

The next group meeting is on 10th September focussing on new technologies for land reclamation.

For more info about the network visit

http://www.envirolinknorthwest.co.uk/Envirolink/LandRemediation-sig.nsf?OpenDatabase

Information on how to contact Mark Whitworth is also available on that site

 ”Take a Bough” has been organised to demonstrate how locally sourced wood can transformed into works of art. The exhibition forms part of the Regional Forestry Framework contribution to the Capital of Culture celebrations, through The Mersey Forest partnership. 

The Mersey Forest timber network has developed the project, assisted by Garry Olsen ( of “One Tree” project  fame).

The exhibition has been at Croxteth Hal and  is currently at Liverpool John Lennon Airport before going on a month long exhibtion at Castle Park gallery in Frodsham.

The attached link provides more information on the pieces in the exhibition, the artists and makers  and the exhibition itself.

 The project links well with the Regional Forestry Framework under both Action Area 1 and 2.

 Link to more information

 www.merseyforest.org.uk/takeabough.asp

When the land remediation network was launched one of the issues raised by members was that they felt more could be done to provide information about tenders and how procurement works for some of the major woodland creation and land remediation programmes such as Newlands.

This was a particular concern of “traditional” forestry busiensses, who perhaps are missing from some tender lists, procurement panels etc. So this a chance to learn all about it and hopefully generate more business for the Forestry sector.

 Envirolink have organsied a seminar to address this issue on 20th Feb 2008

Attached is a flyer for the event

Plans have now been made for a Summer furniture and art exhibition to feature the work of timber network members using timber from the Mersey Forest region as part of the Capital of Culture celebrations.

We have booked the library at Croxteth Hall for the weekend of their Country Fair on the 12th and 13th July. The library is a beautiful room and up to 10,000 visitors are expected at the fair. Our exhibition will then move on for approximately two weeks at Wigg Island nature reserve near Runcorn.

The Mersey Forest will publicise the events and there will be a prize of £500 and two of £250 available for items that promote local woodland industry in the most valuable way. This funding has been made available by Mersey Forest Trust.

The objective is to show the skills of makers and highlight the fact that fantastic products can be made from locally source timber. A number of timber suppliers who have been assiste dthrough the Mersey Forest Objective 1 grants are helping by supplying the timber.

The exhibition is being organised by Garry Olsen, one of the organisers of the One Tree project

http://www.onetree.org.uk/

More info to follow when we have details of some of the exhibitors - and the timber they are using

Two bits of coverage for AA 2 topics

The Land Remediation Network is on the front page of the lastest Envirolink Newsletter  - since the launch in October the network has gained over 70 members  - next event is 20th February mark iy in your diaries  - more info to follow.

An article on green infrastructure appeared in the latest version of Planning highlighting the Liverpool and Manchester City Region Prospectus and the detailed GI work in St Helens. Lee Dudley has just been appointed by FC to look at how forestry can use the emerging GI policies to best effect toom so lots of good stuff on GI   - for more info. try the website

WWW.greeninfrastructurenw.org.uk

We have all been asked for our Action Area Christmas List  so here goes…

• Another £30 odd million investment likeNewlands would be great!
• A few new forest parks developed
• A really effective delivery plan from FC and NE for the ETWF to help the sector
• and a partridge in a pear tree

A peaceful Christmas and a prosperous new year to all

Paul

Action Area 2 focuses on how trees and woodland can improve the image of the Northwest. Much of the activity in AA2 has been trying to get info about key gateways, how the planning system contributes to providing for more trees and woodlands. There have been some real “hard outputs too.

The Green Infrastructure Guide had a great deal of input and support from the forestry sector. Newlands 1 continues to deliver significant land reclamation and Newlands 2 was launched across the NW. Envirolink stepped forward to take up the action about delivering a land remediation network - a great example of how the RFF should work, bringing in new partners and working with them for mutual benefit.

So AA2 is off to a good start - but there is so much to do I wonder if what we have done is noticed?”