Exmoor National Park Our 2014/2015 priorities: 1. Engage with National Park communities and support partners to further National Park Authority purposes and foster social and economic wellbeing Achievements 2. Influence national and regional policy and secure more resources for Exmoor 3. Achieve by providing core services; getting 2014-15 2014 15 best value from our resources, and improving our performance
Priority 1: Engage Prio riorit ity 1: : We will Engage with National Park communities and Engage with national park communities and support support partners to further National Park purposes and help partners to further national park purposes foster social and economic wellbeing. and foster social and economic wellbeing Engaging with land managers – • Swaling on ENPA land, help on Molland and loan of bowsing equipment to 2 landowners • Maintained close liaison with Exmoor Hill Farm Network; Greater Exmoor Shoots Association, and Exmoor Rivers and Streams Group • Set up new Steering Group of woodland and forestry owners/managers • Supported a review of the management of free living Exmoor ponies • Exmoor Mires project discussions on payments for “ecosystem services” • Provided £49,679 through 34 Landscape Conservation Grants enabling 5km of hedge bank creation and management as well as meadow conservation and dry stone walling
Swaling on ENPA Land • Weather was patchy again this year. A couple of decent days in Feb and March but no extended dry spell • 18.2ha were burnt over 2 days on ENPA land. • No burning was done on Haddon Hill due to weather/time restrictions • Happy that we are burning enough as can be seen from the average rotation figures • Mill Hill will be the priority next season
Dunster Show 2014
Priority 1: Engage Prio riorit ity 1: : We will Engage with National Park communities and Engage with national park communities and support support partners to further National Park purposes and help partners to further national park purposes foster social and economic wellbeing. and foster social and economic wellbeing Engaging with the local community and business – • Supported meetings of Exmoor Consultative & Parish Forum and ‘Young People’s Forum’, and published two editions of Park Life • Provided 100 free planning surgeries in Porlock and Lynton enabling 391 free planning advice sessions • Continued to play a key role in Exmoor Tourism including promotion of Exmoor as a brand and destination – 98% visitors rate Exmoor Holiday as good or very good • Provided 5 young people aged 16-25 with opportunities to improve their employment prospects through 3 paid internships and an apprenticeship placement – one intern has secured a core post with the Authority’s Field Services Team • Supported the West Somerset Flood Action Group and District Flood Board to encourage land management practices that help mitigate flooding • Convened new Rural Housing Network to help find local solutions to meeting the need for rural affordable housing
Priority 1: Engage Prio riorit ity 1: : We will Engage with National Park communities and Engage with national park communities and support support partners to further National Park purposes and help partners to further national park purposes foster social and economic wellbeing. and foster social and economic wellbeing Engaging with the local community and business – • Undertook community Archaeology Projects in Porlock, Parracombe and Challacombe • Established a local group to lead in the development of a programme of enhancement projects in Simonsbath • Worked with the Parish Council, landowners and the local community to develop a set of proposals for the future management of Porlock Marsh and completed work on the new boardwalk • Completed landscape enhancements at Valley of Rocks and consolidated the Hoaroak Cottage heritage site
• Undertook community Archaeology Projects in Porlock, Parracombe and Challacombe Community archaeology - Hawkcombe
Simonsbath
Porlock Marsh Public consultation on the vision for Porlock marsh New boardwalk - improving access from the village to the shingle ridge
Valley of Rocks
Hoaroak cottage
Priority 1: Engage Prio riorit ity 1: : We will Engage with National Park communities and Engage with national park communities and support support partners to further National Park purposes and help partners to further national park purposes foster social and economic wellbeing. and foster social and economic wellbeing Working with and for users of the National Park – • Launched the ‘ Get Involved ’ programme to provide a range of opportunities for participation and engagement including a pilot Green Guides scheme – since its launch 51 new opportunities to Get Involved have been created and 2 new partnerships formed • Continued Heritage Lottery Funded project at Lynmouth Pavilion involving more than 10,000 people in activities, events and volunteering • Renewed Exmoor National Park website and increased presence on social media • Reviewed the CareMoor scheme and prepared for its re-launch in 2015/16 to encourage more donations for landscape conservation and access improvements • Exmoor Moorland Landscape Partnership Scheme continued and achievements included providing 450 people with opportunities to receive training to enable support for surveys of Exmoor’s wildlife through the New Ecologists Project (totalling 2000 people for the project)
Refreshed website due to launch soon
Moorland Landscape Exmoor Crayfish Project Partnership New Ecologist: • Exmoor Wild Watch launched – with over 500 new species records from the public • 40 Identification and survey training workshops with over 600 participants • 33 Wildlife events with over 2000 participants, including Bogtastic which additionally raised over £1000 for local could causes • 30 plus wildlife and ecology groups actively engaged with the project • 6 Bioblitz held – over 600 species records collected with the Exmoor Natural History Society 53 volunteers, working with the • 38 wildlife education sessions engaging with over 1000 pupils Environment Agency, Natural England, • 14 wildlife surveys initiated and/or supported, for CEFAS, as well as Nicky Green (Phd example major crayfish, moorland birds and river fly surveys student) to map the presence of signal • New education resources being developed for the crayfish in the River Barle SSSI, and to River Lyn catchment undertake a UK first to test a control Moorland Classroom: method for this damaging invasive • A conservative 7000 + pupils have now been species. engaged through this project
Priority 1: Engage Prio riorit ity 1: : We will Engage with National Park communities and Engage with national park communities and support support partners to further National Park purposes and help partners to further national park purposes foster social and economic wellbeing. and foster social and economic wellbeing Supporting partners in taking forward the Exmoor National Park Partnership Plan • Strategic overview Groups continue to be supported and key overview reports have been provided on: • performance of the Groups and • achievements in taking forward the objectives in the Partnership Plan
Priority 2: Influence national and regional policy and secure more resources for Exmoor • Set up ‘National Parks Partnership Ltd’ with all 15 UK National Parks to secure sponsorships • Received £6,000 from a national sponsorship deal with AirWick – the campaign reached 60 million unique contacts through TV advertising and events • Secured, with Dartmoor National Park Authority, £700k in Rural Community Broadband Funding to provide broadband to an additional 482 Exmoor premises • Worked with Devon and Somerset county councils to take forward the Superfast Extension Programme which it is hoped will reach at least an additional 1256 Exmoor premises meaning overall 88% of premises will be covered • Engaged with the Government Mobile Infrastructure Project – granting planning permission for a mast at Roadwater, the first in a National Park and only the fourth in the country through this project • Secured £472,000 from South West Water towards the 5 year Headwaters of the Exe catchment management programme • Lobbied on planned changes to Section 106 agreements; influenced changes to permitted development rights for barns; supported the NFU Uplands Group to achieve more equitable funding for upland farmers from Defra
New Mobile Infrastructure Project mast at Roadwater Haddon Hill mast mock-up
Priority 2: Influence Influence Influence national and regional policy and secure more resources for Exmoor • Began development of an Economy Prospectus with Dartmoor National Park Authority to submit to the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership • Allocated £103,871 through the Partnership Fund , supporting a total project value of £490,757 for communities and projects on Exmoor including the Porlock Shellfish feasibility project • Achieved DCLG approval to proceed as a Right to Build Vanguard to support local people who wish to self-build • Received funding from the Devon and Somerset Health and Wellbeing boards to deliver the Moor to Enjoy project – initiatives to improve health and wellbeing. First project event has connected 33 older people with Nettlecombe court and activities have continued independently of the project
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