Bowland Award Nominee: Chiltern Commons
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Bowland Award NomineeChilterns Commons Project
Chilterns Commons Project
2011-2015
Castle Hill, Totternhoe
Working at a landscape scale but with fragmented, scattered sites Over 200 commons
2,100 ha of common land or 2.5% of the AONB
75% of commons are less than 5 ha
Smallest common is 8.7 square metres and the largest common is 440 ha
Why are commons special?
Over half of the common land in the Chilterns is designated for its wildlife habitats – SAC, SSSI, LWS
Rich Historic Environment
Centuries of cultural and social history
No agricultural improvement
Support locally and nationally rare species
Highly valued by local communities
Legislation protects commons and regulates management
Studham Common
Dunstable Downs
Animal Pound
Kite Festival at Dunstable Downs
Horse riders on Chorleywood Common
Golf at Ley Hill Common
Winter fun, Downley Common
Greys Green
Nettlebed Common 100 years ago
Bottle kiln, Nettlebed Common
Ancient beech coppice, Nettlebed Common
Brick kilns, Cadmore End Common
Naphill Common
Ponds in former clay workings, Nettlebed Common
Hawridge Common
Pubic Awareness- Almost Nil
Common Rights - Not Exercised
Management- Little
Supported by
£500,000 project with £400,000 from HLF
Chilterns Conservation Board
Chiltern Society
17 other project partners
Volunteer time
This is what we’re aiming for
Chicken of the Woods
Pholiota squarrosa Shaggy scalycap
Bisporella pallescens(<50 British records, new county species)
Crepidotus sp.Oysterling
Octospora humosa (<1cm across)(new county species)
Cordiceps ophioglossoidesSnaketongue Truffleclub
(new county species)
DOING STUFF
Getting Local People Involved
Volunteer work party on Hawridge & Cholesbury Commons
Site Management – 13 major sitesPlans, Training, Equipment, Contractors
Volunteer work party on Hawridge & Cholesbury Commons
Site Management Plans, Training, Equipment, Contractors
Scrub Clearance
Pond Management
Conserving a Scheduled Monument – Neolithic barrows
Surveys
Mobile Sawmilling
HOLMER GREEN
C of E
BAPTISTPRIMITIVE
METHODIST
WESLEYAN OTHER
Churches and chapels built between 1800 and 1900
Historical ResearchCommons and Non Conformists
Chapels and Commons
First World War Trenches
RAF trainees cleared scrub
Volunteers mapping location and orientation of WWI trenches
Setting up and Supporting Friends Groups
Training – 600 participants24 Training Courses so far
Demonstrating types of brush cutter – have since funded 4 for Friends Groups
Training – 600 participants
Teaching how to identify hazardous trees
Training – 600 participants
Teaching how to undertake species surveys
Training – 600 participants
Teaching Friends Groups how to run family fun days
Education Projects
West Wycombe Combined School making a film about their local common
The Chilterns Commons Festival1400 visitors
Brick making by hand
Affordable Housing in the Chilterns
Selling off the Staff
Taking one for the cause
Going the Extra MileXxxx the Bailiff
Volunteer with his own balls
Make History
Vote for the Chilterns
- the first back to back Winner of
The Bowland Award
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