Dear Subscriber

A visit to the Clun Peatlands by the Clun Catchment Partnership

After a bit of a hiatus due to Covid, we decided to make the Clun Catchment Partnership a special meeting with a field trip and workshop to focus on the Clun Peatlands and Headwaters. Gathering at Newcastle, about 30 of us piled on to a coach to take the narrow and winding lanes to the top of the Clun Catchment.

So why were we gathered here? It’s because our peatlands are special, they are our largest natural terrestrial carbon store, and so critical for preventing and mitigating the effects of climate change, for the unique wildlife they support, and for the flood risk they help minimise. They are fragile and easily degraded and whilst small in area our peatlands are significant carbon emitters and their restoration should be a priority.                                 

Our first stop was Mason’s Bank (Shropshire Wildlife Trust Reserve). Standing at the top of the Folly Brook and River Unk watershed we were able to survey the main peatland areas in the catchment; looking westward to Shadwell Hill and Riddings, and southwest to Rhos Fiddle and beyond to Black Mountain. Mason’s Bank was until the 1990’s covered in conifers, trees have since been felled and it is now in transition to heathland. This is a good example of how in a relatively short time, habitat restoration is possible. 

Our next stop was Lower Short Ditch Turbary another Shropshire Wildlife Trust Reserve. Here we explored aspects of peatland management and how the site currently links with the wider landscape and how such links may be improved to aid nature recovery.

Following lunch at Newcastle Community Centre, presentations were given by Severn Rivers Trust and the Shropshire Hills AONB Team, and a workshop explored options for restoration, funding and landowner engagement.

So where do we go from here? Peatland restoration is a priority as set out the England Peat Action plan. So perhaps in the Shropshire Hills one of the greatest contributions that can be made to addressing the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency is to restore our peatlands. Of course, this can only be achieved when the true value of our peatlands is recognised for the benefits they deliver to society. This does not necessarily mean that our uplands are any less productive, as they will still be part of the farming landscape and hopefully will become financially more viable if new agri-environment schemes deliver appropriate levels of incentives and perhaps through the realisation of private sector carbon investment schemes.

We hope these exploratory discussions have given food for thought and help in a small way to set us on the pathway to peatland restoration and nature recovery in the catchment.

Connecting children with nature 

Through the summer term we have been helping children and teachers from 4 local primary schools complete a series of outdoor challenges as part of their John Muir Award.  Children from Farlow Primary School went on a discovery walk in the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve and found out more about the conservation work to save local curlews.  The children were able to see curlew chicks that are being reared, and will soon be released by the Curlew Country Project into the Stiperstones area.   

Other school sessions have included farm visits, river and meadow surveys, and practical woodland management work at Clunton Coppice.  Here's what the children had to say about their experiences..

“It’s fascinating how caddisfly makes homes that can be made into jewellery which is very cool”

“My faveret day was at the farm and connecting with natcher.  We found yellow rattle, germander speedwell, knapweed, red clover, birds foot (trefoil), and red campion and I got to hold a Clun lamb and bottle fed it.”

“I liked going to the Clun river and looking under rocks.”

The John Muir Award is a great way for us to engage with school children and teachers.  We set challenges in their local landscape to discover and explore a wild place, to do something to conserve it, and to share the experience.  Over the years we have helped 100s of school children and teachers to gain their Award and had lots of fun along the way.  

Young Ranger holiday activities

Our Young Rangers are putting their indoor climbing-wall skills to the test this summer as they take part in a number of outdoor climbing sessions on real rock.  They will also be testing their navigation, orienteering, decision-making and problem solving skills with a search and rescue challenge on Corndon hill and have the opportunity to join our summer residential camp, which will bring together our 4 Young Ranger groups for the first time.

The Shropshire Hills Young Ranger Programme is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and has delivered over 400 activity hours in just over a year. 120 young people are involved and 18 have gained AQA qualifications in hedge-laying, grassland management, surveying and green woodworking.  The project has introduced and inspired some of the young people to think about careers in the countryside that they might not have thought about before.  Further information is one our webpage The Shropshire Hills are an excellent place for learning for all ages. (shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk)

Restoring habitat, heritage & soil health in the Shropshire Hills

Our Farming in Protected Landscapes Local Assessment Panel met earlier this month and has awarded grants, totalling over £180,000, to six further projects in the Shropshire Hills.  The projects include grassland habitat restoration and planting a new orchard, supporting a demonstration of silvopasture agroforestry – the intentional integration of trees, foraged plants and livestock, protecting a section of Offa’s Dyke by careful removal of trees, constructing animal housing with access for those with special educational needs and disabilities, developing a farm-wide compost operation to enrich the farm soils, and coppicing trees in a difficult to access corner of an ancient woodland close to the Wrekin. 

The varied nature of these projects highlights the opportunities for farmers to enhance their farm and provide public benefits through nature recovery, tackling climate change, protecting landscape features, and enabling greater access. 

The funding programme was launched by Defra a year ago and is aimed at farmers and land managers in Protected Landscapes (AONBs and National Parks).  Here in the Shropshire Hills, grants totalling almost £419,000 have been awarded to 24 projects, with total project costs of almost £632,500.  The grants range from £2,500 to £70,000.  The Local Assessment Panel meet regularly to consider projects, and the next deadline for applications is 1^st August 2022. 

Click on the link below to read summaries of the projects happening in the Shropshire Hills (summaries of the 6 projects mentioned in this article will be added shortly, once their agreements are in place).  Projects that have received a grant from the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme (shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk)

Shropshire Hills Summer Forum & Tour, 26th July

On 26th July, we are hosting our annual summer tour and invite you to join us for discussion and field visits to find out more about the work we and others do to conserve and enhance the Shropshire Hills landscape. 

BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL – please follow this link to the full programme and links to book via Eventbrite: https://www.shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk/aonb-events/shropshire-hills-aonb-summer-forum-and-tour

Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Summer Forum & Tour

National Landscapes – building on success

Tuesday 26^th July

Speakers, informal networking, optional field visits

Opportunity to talk with people supporting the Shropshire Hills

Find out what others are doing to look after the AONB

Working together on the challenges facing us – climate change, nature recovery, farming transition, people’s enjoyment and wellbeing, sustainable economies

9.30 – 11.45am Intro talks and ‘market place’ networking Craven Arms Community Centre

12.00 – 2.30pm choice of field visits (optional) or a indoor discussion on sustainable tourism

Field visits:

• Westhope Estate where a project has been improving existing woodlands and creating new woodland. This work is being funded through Defra's Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.
• On Whinberry Hill, an area of remnant heathland where the community are exploring options for its future management.
• Hopton Castle and Bushmoor to take a look at two community projects which have received support from the Shropshire Hills AONB Trust through the AONB Conservation Fund.

The national network of designated landscapes

The government recently completed its consultation on implementation of the Glover Review of designated landscapes.  The National Association for AONBs (NAAONB) continues to work with Defra to take this forward, seeking to ensure that the key Glover Review proposal that ‘AONBs be strengthened with new purposes, powers and resources, renamed as National Landscapes’ is effectively implemented.  It will become clearer soon what mechanism and timescale is likely for the statutory changes which are necessary.  Defra is making modest amounts of additional funding available to AONB teams, but resourcing remains a critical issue for raising the capacity of AONB organisations to fulfil their potential.  There is a strong national knowledge exchange among AONB and National Park organisations over the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.  Members of our team recently visited farms in the Cotswolds who have had grants for projects, as part of a regional meeting with Defra staff and other protected landscape teams.

The NAAONB continues to lead collaborative work among AONB organisations on climate change, including a toolkit for staff teams prepared though work by topic groups on Agriculture, Nature-Based Solutions, Building Design and Planning, Sustainable Tourism and Transport, and Renewable Energy.  Cranfield University are just completing a carbon audit of soils and vegetation in all English AONBs which will give us much better understanding of the important carbon stores in our habitats and how this can be improved.  The Shropshire Hills AONB team has provided strong input to a number of aspects of this collaborative work, and we continue to work locally on climate change with Shropshire Council, South Shropshire Climate Action, Zero Carbon Shropshire and others.

“The service was wonderful and enabled us to have a beautiful walk back to Church Stretton via Darnford and the Longmynd.”

We welcomed passengers back on board the Shuttle Buses over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend and as the summer holidays approach we’re encouraging visitors once again to hang up their car keys and travel by bus to explore the hills. Our weekend Shuttle Buses link with a network of public footpaths and waymarked walks – passengers can stride out across the Long Mynd, explore the Golden Valley, hike along the Stiperstones ridge, or stroll along the easy access trail at the Bog.     

Shuttle stops include Carding Mill Valley and Church Stretton, the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve (NNR), the Bog Mine and Visitor Centre, the Stiperstones Inn and Bridges Country pub.  Like most other rural bus services, the service need financial support to keep it going. Our Shuttle Supporters' Scheme is one way that people can donate, but the simplest way to support the service is to use it, share your experiences and encourage your friends and family on board too.  The buses are running every weekend and Bank Holiday Monday until the end of September.

Funding for the service comes from Shropshire Council, Church Stretton Town Council and National Trust, along with income from the car parks at Carding Mill Valley and Stiperstones NNR, and donations from Shuttle Supporters. For more information about walks, the Shuttle route, timetable, ticket prices, see www.shropshirehillsshuttles.co.uk. 

AONB Partnership member activities

Free Community events at Norbury and Clungunford churchyards Please come along to two FREE events to celebrate the biodiversity of our local churchyards at Norbury (16th July) and Clungunford (30th July). These family-friendly drop-in events, organised by Caring for God’s Acre as part of their Opening  the Ark project will encourage you to explore the breadth of wildlife on your doorstep. Events run from 2-5pm. Our churchyards are home to ancient species-rich wildflower meadows. Do you know your betony from your yellow rattle, and do you know which plants can protect against lightening? Join our informal wildflower folklore walks and find out. If you fancy having a go with a sweep net and discovering more about our invertebrate species, then come along to our bug hunt or watch our moth release. Or if mammals are more your thing  meet our expert who will tell you how to recognise nuts nibbled by different rodent species, including the elusive dormouse. At Norbury we will have a special focus on the swift population that animates the skies above the village throughout the summer months. We are lucky enough to have swift expert Sarah Gibson coming along to talk about these most aerial of birds and what makes them so special. Check out her new book ‘Swifts and Us’. At Clungunford there will be a mystery performance about bird song. I can’t reveal much more, but I can say that you’ll never have seen anything like it before!  Details of both events are on Facebook or email kirsty@cfga.org.uk for more information.

Long Mynd Adventure Camp is welcoming young visitors again. Over 60 years ago, policeman Bill Williams and his wife offered summer holidays to boys from Wolverhampton, which grew into a successful series of Camps.  In 1978, the Camp found a permanent woodland site. With a large hall and 7 bunkhouses sleeping 36, plus space for 60 campers in tents, we offer a traditional, all-weather camping experience, which visitors love.  We let the Camp to supervised school groups, Duke of Edinburgh, Scouts and other youth organisations.  That income helps us - a registered charity - to support visits from deserving groups who otherwise could not come.  The Camp offers a vital connection with nature. One group leader recently wrote: "I really can't thank you enough for... providing our Year 6 children with some normality in these difficult times.  The Camp was perfect.  It gave the children a taste of adventure and had everything we needed.".   New volunteers are always needed to give their time and expertise: ideally, enthusiasts with a range of business, social media, IT or DIY skills.  To find out more, book the Camp, volunteer or donate, go to: www.longmyndadventurecamp.org.uk

Pole Cottage Community Excavation & Open Days  Pole Cottage, a small enclosure in the middle of the common, on the top of the Longmynd near the highest point, is named after the Ordinance Survey pole that once stood near there. It has been home to shepherds, game keepers and eccentric bird of pray enthusiasts. The cottage itself has long vanished but volunteers and archaeologists through the Our Upland Commons project have been finding out about this interesting place including a site survey, archival research and are recording a timeline for it. Excavations have been taking place as part of the national Festival of Archaeology.  To volunteer please email renee@foundationforcommonland.org.uk or phone 07929 726337. This weekend (16 & 17 July) you're welcome to visit the site during the family friendly public open days between 11am and 3pm with talks and children’s activities. Come and share your memories!

Butterfly & Moth Festival; workshops, walks & surveys The Festival which is running throughout the summer is part of the Shropshire Uplands Commons project co-ordinated by the Foundation for Common Land.  The Festival highlights the importance of upland commons for butterflies and moths and aims to encourage better recording.  The events include moth mornings, survey days and butterfly walks on Clee Liberty, Long Mynd and Stiperstones, all areas of common land. Past survey work has shown that these commons are important for a number of species of Lepidoptera now increasingly rare in the UK including Grayling, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Green Hairstreak and Forester Moth but they are equally important for more common species like Small Heath and Emperor Moth, some of which are declining elsewhere.  By assessing their current status and identifying key areas it is hoped to work with commoners and landowners to undertake management changes that could maintain and enhance populations. The full programme of events can be found here Shropshire Hills Butterfly and Moth Festival — Foundation for Common Land and to book your place on any of the events email mike2dewberry@hotmail.com. Photographic Competition - as part of the Festival a photographic competition is being held.  Up to six landscape format photographs (minimum 1MB in size), taken in 2022 can be entered accompanied by a 6-figure grid reference of where the photo was taken and the date.  Photos have to be taken on the three participating commons and be submitted singly by email to nigelaball@gmail.com by the closing date of 30th September, 2022.

We work to help conserve and enhance the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, If you’re a business who interested in working more sustainably, find out about our business network.

Shropshire Hills AONB is one of 46 AONBs in the UK. The AONB Partnership is hosted by Shropshire Council and funded also by Defra, Telford & Wrekin Council and project funders.

Why not join Friends of the Shropshire Hills to get involved.

 Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership, Unit 9 Drovers House, 
The Auction Yard, CRAVEN ARMS, SY7 9BZ
01743 254740
www.shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk
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