Partnerships and projects in the West Midlands

 

The Route to Health Sculpture Trail is a trail of unique art pieces themed around health issues and designed to generate interest in areas such as exercise, relaxation, mental health and a healthy heart.  This award winning partnership project between the Forestry Commission, Cannock Chase District Council and Cannock Chase Primary Care Trust is created by volunteers and visited by thousands of people each season. The Forest of Mercia is one of England's Community Forests, a national partnership that is regenerating and revitalising the greenspace in and around some of our major towns and cities, creating well-wooded environments for work, wildlife, recreation and education.  It is located in the heart of England, covering over 92 square miles (23,800 hectares) of southern Staffordshire and Walsall. The Forest of Mercia is not continuous woodland but rather a patchwork of woodlands, hedgerows, heathlands, farmlands, wetlands, lakes and grassland that join together to form a rich landscape for all to enjoy.  This isn't to say that trees aren't important.  The creation of new woodlands and the effective management of existing, neglected woodland are both intrinsic to the work of the Forest of Mercia.  Equally important is ensuring that local communities are involved and engaged with the work of the team, to encourage an understanding and appreciation for the natural environment.

Grow with Wyre is an exciting Landscape Partnership Scheme, headed up by the Forestry Commission, the lead partner in the West Midlands and centred on the Wyre Forest Landscape, which boasts a designated National Nature Reserve at the centre of this unique landscape.  Currently the scheme is being developed with a Stage I grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and has been earmarked for a further  £2 million to support delivery.

The landscape around the Wyre Forest includes ancient woodland, meadows, orchards, farmland, hedgerows, ancient trees and watercourses all with high biodiversity value.  There are areas of wide panoramic views and more enclosed, intimate landscapes giving a sense of isolation and tranquillity and small settlements with characteristic architecture.  It is a very historic place, which has been continually worked.  All of these assets combine to make the Wyre a special place and a centre for leisure and tourism.  The future of the area is however under pressure from developments and changing land management practises.

The ‘Grow with Wyre’ scheme has 22 elements which collectively aim to conserve, restore and enhance the unique features of the Wyre to ensure the long term social, environmental and economic sustainability of the area.  The projects in the scheme will inform and involve local communities.  It will look to do the following: re-instate sustainable land management manage for the biodiversity of the area develop renewed local and traditional work skills develop markets for products coming out of land management activities establish sustainable wood fuel usage and encourage ‘low carbon’ living provide new visitor, volunteer and education facilities provide sustainable and increased access to the Wyre explore the history of the Wyre using state-of-the art technology

The projects are linked and reliant on each other to deliver the self-sustainability that is the ultimate goal of the ‘Grow with Wyre’ scheme. 

The ‘Grow with Wyre’ scheme is a partnership project involving a range of organisations alongside the Forestry Commission – Natural England,  Worcestershire and Shropshire County Councils, Wyre Forest District Councils, Wyre Forest Study Group, Wyre Community Land Trust, Butterfly Conservation, National Trust and Bewdley Development Trust.  The scheme has started to deliver some elements but the main activity will be starting in the Autumn of 2008.  For further information go to ‘Grow with Wyre’ website.

‘Heartwoods II exists to develop a regional approach to sustainable woodland management, pulling together a wider partnership to deliver across the region.’  The work focuses on 4 main areas:

Addressing the deterioration in the condition of our ancient woodlands, reversing declines in Woodland Biodiversity and utilisation of local timber. Taking the lead in the promotion of woodfuel in the region; addressing the barriers to woodfuel businesses and promote the benefits of woodfuel Providing a networking and information ‘hub’ for the industry through the active management and promotion of the Heartwoods Website. Exploring other opportunities to support the woodlands and wood industries of the West Midlands.

The West Midlands Deer Related SSSI Partnership Project include work in the Wyre Forest, Dinmore, Woolhope and the Lower Wye Valley. The partnerships are varied but in the main involve the Deer Initiative, Natural England and more locally focussed interests such as the Public Forest Estate, the Grow With Wyre Partnership and the Wye Valley AONB.

These projects intend to capitalise on funding committed over the past few years.  We have used additional funds for contracted consultants working in the forest and woodland sector to identify the key landowners in these areas and develop with them applications that capitalise on our WIG SSSI fund to improve the condition of SSSI’s.

Our WIG rules are laid out in the Conservancy 'Deer Management & SSSI Condition' document, but the main thrust of these rules is to improve the capacity within the wider woodland landscape for deer and to improve the infrastructure for the management of those deer.

The total area of unfavourable SSSI Units targeted is just in excess of 950ha.  The reasons for unfavourable condition include overgrazing by deer and lack of structural diversity. 

Unfavourable SSSI condition 2005	More favourable SSSI condition 2007

The Forestry Commission is working with key regional partners such as Natural England to encourage, help and advise stakeholders and partners to adopt the Green Infrastructure planning approach as part of their core activities and influence.