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Background

3.1 The Community Forest covers in total some57,300 ha (221 square miles). Of this, 35% or19,800 ha (76 square miles) is urban or not inagricultural use, for example airfields and docks,leaving 37,500 ha of farm and open land, the targetplanting area.

3.2 Some 864,387 people live in, or within 8 km of theForest area. If this radius is extended to 32 km,easy travelling distance, the catchment populationeasily exceeds 1.2 million.

3.3 The boundary is shown on Figure 3.1. Thisboundary was identified throughout the earlyconsultation stages of the Forest and broadlyfollows the green belt around Clevedon, Nailsea

and Thornbury, whilst meeting the Cotswolds Areaof Outstanding Natural Beauty to the east. TheForest will permeate into the very heart of the cityand towns in the area and therefore has no innerboundary. The urban areas are not significantwithin planting targets but will be the focus forcomplementary urban forestry, greenways andimproved links to the countryside.

3.4 The Forest area as we see it today is the result ofboth geological and human influences. The geology iscomplex and formed primarily of carboniferouslimestone structures, eroded and overlain by morerecent Triassic and Jurassic deposits. Coal measuresare extensive to the north of Bristol, though miningceased over 30 years ago. Quarrying for buildingstone and aggregates continues today. The majorriver of the Forest, the Avon, flows through the

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limestone in spectacular fashion in the Avon Gorge.Alluvial deposits have created low-lying, flat land alongthe coast, punctuated by a predominantly limestoneand sandstone ridge from Clevedon to Portishead.

3.5 Following the last ice age, some 12,000 years ago,most of the area would have been predominantlybroadleaved woodland. Over time, this cover hasbeen gradually removed to meet the needs ofpermanent settlements, woodland remaining mostlyon poor soils or steep slopes. Indeed, the majorityof woodland clearance was probably completed bythe end of the Iron Age. Some areas, e.g. the SevernLevels were open marshland until medieval times.

3.6 From Saxon times the area was dominated by theForest of Kingswood, which was a source ofincome and provided shelter for armies as well asbeing a great hunting forest. Perhaps only a thirdwas covered in woodland. The remainder wasmarsh, scrub, heath or down. The chief tree specieswere oak, ash, and ‘fir’ with immense hollies. Thisforest extended from the Sodbury Hills to theSevern marshes and southward to Bitton,Lansdown and Bristol. In 1228 a Charter ofDisafforestation brought about the conversion oflarge areas to common land and the Forest becamea Chase until 1631. When the Civil War broke outsoon after, the Chase was open to all, who killeddeer, cut timber, opened coal pits and built cottagesand enclosures wherever they liked. Powerful lordsof the manor and owners of Liberties filched thewhole chase from the Crown. In time, mining andcultivation took over with remnants of commonland, for example at Yate, Sodbury and Rodway Hill,providing evidence of the past.

3.7 The forest extended to the south of the Avon, partof which was called Filwood. Even today, evidenceof man’s influence abounds in the Forest area, withprehistoric sites, Roman settlements, mediaeval fieldpatterns, fields and hedges, designed landscapes,settlements, industrial sites, transport corridors andmodern development all showing the dynamicnature of the landscape.

Community

3.8 Many community groups, parish councils, towncouncils and individuals have been doing sterlingwork in the area for many years. Tree planting,hedgelaying, traditional wall building, pathmaintenance, events, interpretative leaflets andhabitat management have all added to the quality of

the local countryside and greenspace, and people’senjoyment of it. Parish and town councils are oftenthe focus for local activity and concern.

3.9 This community level work is supported by a widerange of organisations, each with specific aims andexpertise.These organisations work with localpeople, youth groups, the unemployed andvolunteers in the field of practical conservation.This work is increasingly focused on helping localgroups and communities develop an interest in andchannel energy into specific sites.

3.10 Since the Forest partnership began, a wide range ofevents, training courses, planning for real, practicalwork days and fun days have boosted the level ofcommunity involvement and ownership of the localenvironment.

Between 1994 and 2000 there have been:■ 12500 volunteer days■ 1000 community events■ 230 farmers events

3.11 Forest partners have involved local people in awide range of ways, from ‘Planning for Real’exercises through practical volunteering toestablishing liaison groups to guide strategies andaction locally. Much of this work emerges fromLocal Agenda 21 initiatives and the integration ofthe Forest’s implementation with the social,environmental and economic themes of LA 21 arebecoming increasingly important.The establishmentof Tree Wardens, Parish wardens, Link Groups and‘Friends of’ schemes are all helping people take aleading role in caring for their environment.

3.12 The impetus for many projects comes from localpeople and will continue to do so, and, whilst manyof these efforts would carry on regardless of theForest, there is a need for focus, priority settingand a sense of greater context which the Forestwill be able to provide. Even though the currentlevels of community activity are impressive, there isa vast untapped reserve of energy and enthusiasmwhich the Forest can help to release and co-ordinate. Recent shifts in UK and global thinkingplace these types of community-based initiatives ascentral to the theme of primary environmental careand sustainability.

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3.13 Communities include people who work and earntheir living in the rural areas of the Forest.However, the numbers of people employed inagriculture and the countryside have fallenconsistently since the Second World War. Even inthe last 10 years, the total agricultural workforce inthe area decreased by 16.6% to 1,692, the decreasebeing most marked in the full-time workforce.Forestry employs just under 100 people in thewhole of Avon. Many villages have becomecommuter dormitories for Bristol and thesurrounding towns. The Forest offers anopportunity to help to stem the decline of ruralunemployment and to bring activity to villagesthrough more-diverse farm businesses, countrysidetourism and forestry.

3.14 Business and employment around Bristol suffered inrecent recessions but, more importantly, the declinein defence and aerospace industries has created asense of urgency in attracting new investment,industry and jobs to parts of the area. Already, thearea has become host to a number of financial-sector companies, notably the Bristol and West andLloyds-TSB Bank, changing its engineering andtechnological tradition. Import/export and logisticsare becoming more important elements of the localeconomy, based on good road, rail and seaport links.

3.15 The business community has been involved inenvironmental initiatives for many years, and theForest partners, often with the help of the ForestTeam have secured increasingly more resources fromthe private sector through sponsorship, help in kind,activity days and professional advice and assistance.

Between 1994 and 2000■ £1,540,250 has been secured from private

and grant sources

Local landscapes

3.16 The poor quality of some of the landscape wasrecognised in the Avon county structure plan, forwhich the Avon Landscape Strategy (Avon CountyCouncil 1988) provided supplementary planningguidance, designating areas of Priority LandscapeImprovement and Special Tree Planting Areas(largely in response to the loss of hedgerow treesand loss caused by Dutch elm disease). Naturaldisasters, e.g. the storms of 1990, have also had aneffect. Landscape character assessments are beingcarried out by the local authorities and this workwill be reflected in the emerging local plans.

3.17 English Nature, English Heritage and theCountryside Agency produced work on NaturalAreas across the whole of England, integratinghabitat, landscape and historic value.This broadbrush survey, published by the Countryside Agency,and new guidance to accompany it, will inform thework of more detailed countryside characterassessment currently under way with the unitaryauthorities. In turn this will help inform the detailedimplementation of the Forest. It is not envisaged atthis stage that the Forest planting strategy areaswill change.

3.18 Post-war and more recent road and builtdevelopment around Bristol has occurred,unfortunately with little new tree and woodlandplanting to match. Landscape treatment associatedwith development has been limited to itsimmediate environs and in future much larger-scaleplanting is needed to achieve major, strategicbenefits. The notable image of Bristol and its highquality of landscape expressed by the Avon Gorge,Brunel’s Suspension Bridge and the surroundingwoods is not mirrored in the outskirts. The city’senvirons look much the same as most towns in theUK and, indeed, may be visually poorer than thosewhere large-scale planting and screening hascreated an attractive setting for work, living andleisure. New woodlands and tree planting areneeded, both around and within the city to redressthe balance whilst retaining the best openlandscapes and views.

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Planting Event 2001, Manor Road Keynsham (Photo: Mark Simmons)

3.19 Towns such as Yate and Keynsham show similarproblems in regard to their surroundings, oftenwith an unrelieved edge between housing, industryand the surrounding countryside. Small- scale treeplanting may do much to improve the immediateenvironment but large areas of woodland will beneeded to improve the broader setting of townsand some of the larger villages in the landscape.

3.20 Analysis of the existing landscape, using theCountryside Commission’s methodology, identifiedeight broad landscape zones (Figure 3.2) on the basisof physical characteristics, current and past land useand management practices. These landscape zonescan be further broken down into subzones definedby local landform, land use and landscape value, andhave been used in formulating forest strategy areas(see Chapter 18). The landscape zones are:

The Levels: a flat, open landscape less than 10 m abovesea level adjacent to the Severn Estuary, with small largelyimproved fields bounded by strong low hedges. Drainageis via a grid of man-made ditches and rhynes. The area hasless than 1% woodland cover and no ancient woodland.There are few villages or roads except where the groundrises at the edge of the zone. It is a pastoral landscapewhich in parts has a timeless quality and detailed interest.Large-scale industrial development along the Severn hashad a brutalising effect and an intrusive visual impact overmuch of the area. More development to the north of theAvon and adjacent to Portishead is planned.

Severn Ridge: a ridge of high ground running next tothe Severn from Portishead to Clevedon, and thendoubling back inland northwards to Thornbury.The riverAvon bisects the ridge, creating the dramatic feature ofthe Avon Gorge.The landform is of steep slopes with aflat plateau top, rising from sea level to 160 m.The zonehas the highest amount of woodland cover, approximately17% of the area, about a third of this being ancientwoodland, found largely on the steeper slopes.This zonealso contains large areas of historic parkland, particularlyto the south-west of the river Avon, and many importantsites for wildlife.

Ashton Vale: the Community Forest contains only asmall part of this zone of low ground between the SevernRidge and the Lulsgate Plateau.The area drains east to theAvon and west to the Land Yeo river. It is an undulatingpastoral landscape of small fields, strong hedges and someditches.Woodland cover is less than 2%. Being the easiestroute between two areas of high ground, the area containsa concentration of settlements and transport routes,which have fragmented it.

Dundry and Plateau: the high ground which forms thesouthern boundary of Bristol, consisting of a plateau areaat the centre of which Dundry Hill rises, with very steepslopes and a narrow ridge top. Dundry Hill is a prominentfeature clearly visible from the centre of Bristol.Woodland cover is strong in the west with two of thelargest woods, each over 250 ha, in the CommunityForest. However, the rest of the area has less than 1%woodland cover. Agriculture tends to be mixed on theplateau areas, with pasture on the steeper ground.Hedgerows are thin and gappy with few trees.

Chew Valley: a small river valley with an undulatinglandform, creating a lively landscape. It is mainly pastoralwith an attractive tapestry of small fields, good hedges,copses and woodland on the steeper slopes. Woodlandcover is about 5%, almost half of which is ancient. Thebottom of the valley contains stone-built villages and themeandering Chew, crossed by small road bridges.This is ahigh quality landscape with good views. This otherwisepeaceful area is active with cars, horse-riders and people.

Avon Valley: this valley has for centuries been a majortransport route, and parts of it are now fragmented bymajor roads and railways on embankments, disrupting thenatural fall of the land to the river, which is not aprominent feature, except where it goes through the AvonGorge. The character of the valley varies considerablywithin the Community Forest, in terms of both landformand land use, from a meandering river in wide arable floodplains, to the dramatic Avon Gorge with the impressiveSuspension Bridge.Woodland cover is 9%.

Pucklechurch Ridges: open rolling countryside, withmedium to large fields of mixed agriculture, variablehedgerows and less than 2% woodland cover.

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19Improving the urban environment, M32 (Photo: Forest of Avon)

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Views to the steep slopes of the Cotswold Edge are aprominent feature. In the south, the rolling landscapebecomes two distinct river valleys. The area containsseveral large settlements including Yate, Chipping Sodbury,Pucklechurch and Wick. Chipping Sodbury, the edge ofKingswood and some of the smaller villages haveassociated commons. Some areas suffer from theirproximity to the urban fringe and the associated pressures.

Northavon Vale: (similar to ‘Northavon Central Plain’ inNorthavon Landscape and Conservation Strategy)(Northavon District Council 1992) gently undulating low-lying ground, with a few small hills and numerous smallstreams and brooks. Woodland cover is low, less than 2%.It has a strong hedgerow pattern, but few hedgerow trees;pylon lines dominate much of the landscape.There areseveral large settlements within the area, but away fromthese and the major roads it has a peaceful, agricultural

character.The small Frome valley remains a valuable fingerof countryside penetrating into the heart of Bristol to thesouth-west and into Yate to the north-east.

3.21 The landscape of the Forest is one of immensevariety and the assessment has enabled it to bebroken down into three broad categories based onquality (Figure 3.3). The categories are:

■ High quality landscapes are those with strongphysical characteristics, a lack of visually intrusiveelements, and a strong sense of local identity,usually reflecting historic land use, buildings, fieldpatterns and tree cover.

■ Medium quality landscapes are those which have lostmuch of their form and structure through agriculturalchanges, have lost trees and woods, include intrusive

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elements such as roads and pylon lines, and haveviews to or are influenced by built development.

■ Poor quality landscapes have been transformed bychanges in land use and development, breakingdown the original structure. They are oftendominated by built development, roads and pylonsand have few trees, hedges or woods to act asscreens or to soften harsh edges. Farmland may befragmented, poorly managed and have buildings,gates and fences constructed of waste materials.

3.22 Forest strategies are proposed in the Plan (seeChapter 18) which aim to conserve and enhance thebest landscapes and to improve significantly those oflower quality through tree and woodland planting.

3.23 Up to 2000 woodland planting in the Forest

amounts to 303 ha.This is not yet of sufficientcritical mass, or age to impact on the widerlandscape but will do so in some areas in thecoming years.

Woodlands and forestry

3.24 Woodland currently accounts for 5.9% of the totalForest area (the average for England is 7.5%) coveringnearly 3400 ha of land. Most is in private ownershipbut significant areas, amounting to some 530 ha, arein public ownership or have free access on foot(Figure 3.5). Blaise Castle and Ashton Court estates(Bristol City Council), Stoke Leigh Woods and AshtonHill plantation (Forest Enterprise), Leigh Woods(National Trust),Abbots Pool (North SomersetCouncil), Haw Wood (British Aerospace) and Bickley

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and Hencliffe Woods (South GloucestershireCouncil) are the most notable whilst the paths andbridleways of the large complex at Brockley are wellused. These are practically all to the south-west ofBristol, contrasting the poor woodland cover in therest of the area. The Woodland Trust is currentlyacquiring some farmland close to urban areas, withthe aim of creating new community woodlands inaddition to its existing woods with public access.

3.25 Most woods are small, under 10 ha, and only 25 areover 25 ha (Figure 3.4). The small woods are often‘neglected’ i.e. not managed, due to the economiesof scale needed to realise timber value, lack ofknowledge by the owner or poor access, resultingin net expenditure. A small woodland trainingfacility exists at The Rocks, to the east of theForest, in Wiltshire. The timber value of manywoods is low, firewood or pulp being the only

markets of significance. However, skilledmanagement, especially in marketing, may helpowners maximise their woodland assets and wherepossible achieve a net financial return. Substantialmanagement input is required, which furtherresearch would quantify. Commercial forestry isalmost exclusively concentrated on the Brockleycomplex and the Forest Enterprise woods andestates to the south-west of the city.

3.26 There are only two major sawmills in or close tothe Forest (Fountain Timber Products, at Brockley,and Bendry Brothers, at Warmley). These mainlyproduce planked timber, fencing materials, gates,garden products and pallets from saw logs. Most ofthe timber used by these mills is not grown locally,but is trucked in.

3.27 There is a small but significant craft industryinvolved in specialist timber use most of whom areaffiliated to the Forest of Avon Wood Products Co-operative. These include wood turners, timberframers, charcoal makers, rustic furniture makersand firewood producers (contact the Forest Teamfor details). A local farmer is host to a Departmentof Energy trial plot for energy coppice on farmland.

3.28 Some 1173 ha (30%) of the existing woodland isancient, i.e. in existence before 1600 but possiblyincluding ‘exotic’ species or conifers. Ancient semi-natural woodland fulfils the same date criterion butcomprises only native species and is Britain’sequivalent of first-growth forest. It is of greatnature conservation and historical value, formingpart of our natural heritage and is irreplaceable.The most frequent species in semi-naturalwoodland in the Forest are ash, oak, hazel, fieldmaple, lime and willow.

3.29 Significant areas of woodland already exist withintown and city boundaries and, together withindividual trees and copses, make an importantcontribution to the environment.

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Figure 3.4 Woodland size distribution

Artwork at the Woodland Trust’s Abbots Wood, Keynsham (Photo: Forest of Avon)

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Between 1994 and 2000:■ The Woodland Trust has acquired 36.5 ha

of land for new community woodlands

■ Forest Enterprise has acquired 70 ha of land at Siston for new woodland

■ In all, 303 ha of new woodland have beenplanted

■ 1442 Ha of existing woodland has beenbrought into management, over half thetarget.

■ 453 Ha of existing woodland has beenopened or improved for public access,over three times the target figure.

■ The Forest of Avon Wood Products timber marketing co-operative has been established.

Agriculture

3.30 Agricultural land dominates the Forest area outsidethe towns and cities. The current agriculturallandscape reflects millennia of changes due todifferent agricultural practices, ranging from thefields of Roman origin remaining in some parts ofthe Cotswold Edge, through the early mediaevalenclosures of the Levels and later parks andplanned Enclosures to the modern landscapesresulting from the changing fortunes of agriculturein the twentieth century.

3.31 Agricultural land is classified into five main grades:Grade 1 (the best, most versatile land) to Grade 5(the poorest, least versatile). Figure 3.6 shows thebreakdown of land by grade in the Forest areataken from published provisional maps.

These give a broad indication of the likely gradesbut do not show the sub-grades of Grade 3 whichaccounts for 85% of agricultural land in the Forestarea. Accurate grading can only be ascertained byfield work.

3.32 The best and most versatile agricultural land shouldbe protected from irreversible development, asindicated in PPG 1:The Countryside and the RuralEconomy (Department of the Environment 1992).This comprises Grades 1 and Grade 2 land (8% ofthe Forest area) as well as subgrade 3a. Grade 1land occurs on ground sloping down to flat valleybottoms, particularly the Gordano and Yeo valleynear Nailsea. Grade 2 land is found in associationwith Grade 1 and is also scattered through theAvon valley, alongside the M32 and the Ladden andBradley Brooks.

3.33 There are now 694 registered agricultural holdingson 25,500 ha. in the Forest area. This represents areduction of 11% on the area of land in agriculturaluse since 1988. Some 75% of the agricultural areais owned and 25% rented. The number of whollyrented farms is small, though the ownership figuresmask a complexity of part tenancy and ownership,family ownership and so on, which is constantlychanging.

3.34 The size of holdings is shown in Figure 3.7. Thetrend over recent years has been for large farms toget larger and for the number of holdings todecrease. Also, the total agricultural workforce hasdeclined by over 19% since 1998 mainly due toreduction of the full time workforce. In 1999, only8% of holdings were over 100 ha within the Forestarea compared with 17% for England as a whole.Smaller farms may have less scope for substantialwoodland planting.

3.35 Dairying and stock farming are the dominantenterprises in the Forest with 65% of the areaunder grass and 25% arable. However the dairyherd has been reduced by 24% over the last 10

Figure 3.7 Size of agricultural holdings

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Figure 3.6 Agricultural land classification

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years and the area under grass has declined by 19%over the same period.The area of arable landfluctuates but has shown only slight net declinesince 1988.Arable farming tends to be concentratedinto the south east of the Forest area.

3.36 Farm incomes across the country have fallensubstantially in recent years, due in large measureto the strength of the pound. For the first timesince the Depression of the 1930’s this has appliedto all agricultural sectors so it has not beenpossible to maintain income by switching to moreprofitable enterprises. For 1997-98 average netfarm incomes in the South-West were assessed as -£713 for lowland livestock farms and +£439 formainly cropping farms. However land capital valueshave been supported at high levels by sales fundedfrom outside farming.

3.37 Woodland establishment has nevertheless beenoccurring in the Forest, but on a limited scale.DEFRA census statistics show that the area of farmwoodland has increased from 673 ha in 1988 to986 ha in 1998. It is not possible to identifywhether this can be accounted for by the FarmWoodland Premium Scheme.

3.38 Around 63% of holdings in the Forest are classed aspart time, i.e. theoretically incapable of supportingone full time worker.Additional sources of incomeinclude accommodation and leisure provision,agricultural contracting, on-farm processing andspeciality products. Other farm-based businessesinclude the provision of workshop facilities,warehousing, kennels and livery.These often makethe easiest conversion of farm resources, thoughlocation and planning permission are critical.

3.39 In addition to the more traditional diversificationopportunities there are future prospects forgrowth in organic food production, non-food crops,the development of renewable energy, on-farmfood processing and collaborative marketing. It isexpected that these activities will be supported byEU funding, paid through DEFRA.

Table 3.1 Types of Farm in the Forest

NUMBER OF HOLDINGS % CHANGE 1982-92Dairy 140 -24.7Cattle and sheep 60 +20Pigs and poultry 10 -52.4Cropping 15 0Horticulture 45 -2.2Mixed 10 0Part time 485 -0.6

3.40 Much of the farmland on the urban fringe is subjectto trespass, fly tipping and vandalism. This results inthe worrying of livestock, damage to expensivemachinery and theft. As a result, many farmers arelimited to non-breeding livestock or crops.However, the financial returns of such enterprisesare low. Urban-fringe holdings also tend to besmaller. Small parcels of land in multiple ownershipalso present a considerable challenge in terms ofwoodland establishment, access agreements andjoint management.

3.41 Farmland which is close to towns and, in particular,growing cities is often sold off or let in smallpaddocks at prices well above agricultural values.This is only one of the possible forms of farmdiversification which can utilise the benefits of thelocation of such land. However, the use of land forequestrian activities can lead to problems boththrough the visual degradation of the landscape ifpoor quality fencing and buildings are erected and ifincreased numbers of horses use roads wherebridleways are inadequate. South GloucestershireCouncil produces guidance for people wishing tocreate pony paddocks.

3.42 The main support for environmental protectionand improvement on farmland is provided throughthe Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS), nowrun by DEFRA. and providing the following benefits:

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Farmer’s Event, Siston (Photo: Forest of Avon)

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Between 1992 and 1999■ Habitat management Total 700 ha

Waterside grassland 71 haCalcareous grassland 75 haLowland pasture 457 haLowland hay meadow 67 haOrchard restoration 28 haVarious margins 2 ha

■ Planting and restoration of hedges and walls Total 32660 m

■ Access: open 101 hafootpaths 3450 meducational access schemes 2 no

This represents 53 agreements made within the Forest area, receiving around £545750 ofgrant.

Biodiversity(Wildlife and nature conservation)

3.43 Agriculture and development have over the yearsreduced much of the diversity of species andhabitats in Great Britain. The Forest area is noexception to this trend.

3.44 The best sites of national importance are protectedby National Nature Reserve (NNR) and Site ofSpecial Scientific Interest (SSSI) status whilst thoseof local importance are recognised and protectedin the structure plan and local plans underconservation policies as sites of local natureconservation importance (SNCIs). The SevernEstuary is of international importance. Other sitesare established as Local Nature Reserves (LNR).Ancient semi-natural woodland is widely recognisedas being of particular importance, supporting verydiverse species of plants and animals and deservingof protection and appropriate management,primarily for nature conservation. Acid, limestone,neutral and marshy grassland and wetland habitatsare particularly rare and sensitive within the Forest.

3.45 The Forest includes 2 NNRs, 27 SSSIs , 6 LNRsand 1173 ha of ancient woodland (see Figure 3.8).Whilst these designations recognise the ‘best’ sites,a significant amount of wildlife exists in ‘ordinary’hedgerows, woodlands, commons, rivers and

wetlands. These form wildlife refuges and corridorsthrough which wildlife can move and colonise newareas, even into the city. The Greater BristolNature Conservation Strategy identifies sites andwildlife corridors within and close to Bristol. TheNorthavon Landscape and Conservation Strategy(Northavon District Council 1992), NorthSomerset Countryside Strategy (1995) andWandsyke Nature Conservation and LandscapeStrategy (1995) identify wildlife corridors and linearhabitats which provide connecting links.

3.46 Most sites are recorded by the Bristol and AvonRegional Environmental Records Centre (BRERC),though the species coverage is by no meanscomprehensive. The Phase One habitat surveyrecords are kept there and the Avon Flora Project,a voluntary initiative supported by BRERC and thecouncils, is seeking to extend and updateknowledge of sites. New and accurate informationis constantly being sought, changing the perceptionof the importance of some sites as it comes in.

3.47 Several nature reserves and sites of wildlifeimportance are also used for informal recreation.There is rarely a conflict that cannot be resolved bythoughtful management. Sites also provide a keyeducational resource, for example the WildlifeTrust’s Willsbridge Mill, particularly for thoseschools with no grounds.

3.48 The Wildlife Trust, English Nature and the localauthorities have a leading role in the protection,management, advice, education and interpretationof the natural environment within the Forest; andother bodies, including the local authorities, the

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27Wildflowers adjacent to Barrow Wood (Photo: Forest of Avon)

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Environment Agency and the water companies,employ staff with a specific remit relating to wildlifeand nature conservation. Avon Farming andWildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) employs anadviser who works primarily with farmers.

3.49 In the recent past, Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs)and Habitat Action Plans (HAPs) have beendeveloped by statutory agencies and localauthorities as part of the UK’s undertaking tosustainable development agreed at the RioConference. The development of the Forest offersan opportunity to help put these plans into action.

Between 1996 and 2000:■ 4 new LNRs have been designated

■ 124ha of land has been acquired by theWildlife Trust for nature conservation andbiodiversity benefit

■ 302ha of land is now under appropriatemanagement for nature conservation andbiodiversity benefit

Archaeology and local history

3.50 The Forest area holds a rich diversity of sitesrepresentative of all periods of prehistory to thepresent day. The Forest area is in itself a historicartefact. From hill forts to Brunel’s engineering feats,the Forest inherits a time log of social, agricultural andindustrial change of national, regional and localimportance. Ashton Court Estate, for example, showsevidence of man’s influence from the Neolithic throughto the Romano-British, Saxon and mediaeval periodsand the Industrial Revolution up to the present day.The archaeological resource is not restricted to sitesof national importance but also includes other sites oflocal importance, as well as wider historic landscapes.

3.51 There are currently over 60 archaeological sites ofnational importance which are protected by law asScheduled Ancient Monuments (see Figure 3.8).Sites and finds of regional and local importance arerecorded in the councils’ Sites and MonumentsRegisters, an extensive and growing record ofevidence of our past and industrial heritage. Therecord is not complete, however, as new finds aremade and the importance and significance ofknown sites is reassessed. Few of these sites areeasily accessible to the public.

3.52 Historic parks and designed landscapes such asAshton Court, Blaise Castle, Kingsweston, Oldburyand Stoke Park are on the Register of Historic Parksand Gardens (English Heritage 1985) indicating theirnational importance, see Figure 3.8. They also play animportant role in informal recreation. Locally notableparks and gardens are recorded in a gazetteerproduced by Avon County Council and the AvonGardens Trust and are recorded on the Councils’Sites and Monuments Records. Whilst many are inprivate ownership and have no public access theynevertheless add to the landscape and the historicaltexture of the area. The National Gardens Schemeprovides access to many private gardens andlandscapes, the proceeds going to charity. Parkland isparticularly evident on the Severn Ridge. Otherhistoric landscapes, such as the pattern of drainageditches and small fields within the Severn Levels orthe remains of pore-historic and medieval fieldsystems are not deliberately designed.

By 1999,■ Bristol City Council received offers of

£7.27m from the Heritage Lottery Fundtowards the restoration of Blaise and Ashton Court Estates.

3.53 The area also contains many fine listed buildingsand conservation areas, which are protected fortheir architectural, historical and visual interest; andcouncils employ specialist staff to give advice andguidance.

Informal recreation and leisure

3.54 The population living and having access to theForest area is just under 1 million, creating anexpressed demand for participation in countrysidesports and recreation of between 240,000 to300,000 people. There is also considerable latentdemand. Population in the four unitary councils’area is predicted (Source: Office of NationalStatistics) to grow by 10.6% between 1996 and2021, from 894,800 to 1,088,700. Interestingly, theage profile is predicted to change, resulting in ahigher proportion in the older age groups.

3.55 Local trends will generally mirror national datawhich indicate that walking is by far the mostpopular activity and is growing faster than otheractivities. Cycling is booming and field sports havegrown in popularity.

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3.56 Participation in sport and recreation tends to behighest among the more affluent social class groups,which comprise 80% of the resident population.The 20% making up the less affluent and lessmobile groups tend to be concentrated in localisedneighbourhoods.

3.57 A key recreational asset in the Forest is itsnetwork of public rights of way, including bridlewaysand byways. There is 1127 km of rights of way inthe Forest, of which 80 km are bridleways and 44km are byways or roads used as public paths. Mostparts of the Forest are served by footpaths, andwhilst they may not all be usable ‘on the ground’,the local authorities’ Rights of Way teams areworking towards the Countryside Agency’s targetfor rights of way. Many paths are waymarked andmanaged in conjunction with parish councils, manyof whom show great enthusiasm for getting theirpaths ‘up to scratch’ and maintaining them. Thereare a number of well-publicised routes which arewell signed and usually have some interpretativematerials available (see Figure 3.9). The CommunityForest Path, Frome Valley Way, Jubilee Way,TwoRivers Way,Avon Walkway, Dramway, Severn Wayand Coastal Path are the most notable. A numberof green corridors already penetrate the city: theFrome Valley, the Malago Greenway and the AvonValley. These routes also serve to link key parksand open spaces of great value to the community.

3.58 For cyclists, there is a range of on-and off-roadroutes proposed or under construction. The bestknown is the Bristol-Bath Railway Path on the oldMidland Railway, developed by Sustrans as the firstof its type in the country, which is extensively usedfor both recreation and commuting. The AvonCycleway provides some 130 km of signed routeson minor roads and cycleways. The councils’ cycleteams have identified a number of potential routesusing existing bridleways and byways within theForest which could be used by all-terrain bikes witha minimum of investment. Some irresponsible all-terrain biking threatens historic sites and sites ofnature conservation importance where controlsare ignored.

3.59 The Sustrans Millennium National Cycle Networkhas brought new investment and routes to theForest area which will help provide the skeleton formore local connections and to increase the scopeto encourage more people to ride for pleasure andto work.

3.60 Bridleways are not common and often do not linktogether, though the Round Avon Ride is beingadded to and improved, to create a safer and moreenjoyable ride, using bridleways, byways, permissiveroutes and minor roads. This Ride is the focus of anumber of circular routes, promoted through aseries of leaflets. In Kingswood, where horse-basedactivity is prevalent, surfaced routes have beencreated, linking areas of common land. There are13 riding establishments in the Forest area as wellas a large number of horses kept in paddocks,adding to a significant demand for off-road, safefacilities. Heavily used bridleways can createproblems for walkers because of surface damage,impaired drainage and the fear of physical contactwith horses. Grazing by horses is often the onlymanagement available in urban fringe areas andneeds to be kept at an appropriate level. Over-grazing of marginal land may lead to loss of flora,reducing wildlife value.

3.61 Byways and roads used as public paths attract anumber of motor cyclists, most of whom areresponsible members of clubs. However, a minorityof thoughtless individuals cause problems of noiseand harassment to walkers and riders, particularlyclose to urban areas.

3.62 The railway and bus networks provide an excellentbasis for access to the countryside, and a number ofnew stations are under consideration. However,Sunday services are generally poor and cycles arenot easily taken on trains. Local initiatives, e.g. theSevern Beach partnership aim to increase the use oflocal lines, partly through recreational promotions.

3.63 There are also a number of key open spaces whichattract and encourage informal activities.Woodland locations have been previouslymentioned (see paragraph 3.24).

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Community Forest Path, Dundry (Photo: Forest of Avon)

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Others include the Downs,Ashton Court, EastvillePark/Oldbury Court Estate/Frome Valley, StokePark/Purdown, Eastwood Farm, Hengrove Park andCharlton Common. The commons in Kingswoodand around Yate/Chipping Sodbury play animportant role in providing space with the freedomto roam.

3.64 The only Country Parks in the Forest are privatelyowned and commercially run, at Oldown nearThornbury and in the Avon Valley near Saltford.These incorporate pick-your-own produce with arange of other attractions and represent examplesof farm diversification.

3.65 A number of picnic areas exist in the Forest, atConham, Leigh Woods,Ashton Court and AbbotsPool.These are often simply tables adjacent toparking areas. Tog Hill picnic site, on the CotswoldEdge and Swineford picnic site near Bitton, areclose by the Forest.

3.66 The size of population of the Forest suggests ademand for greater provision of facilities such ascountry parks and picnic areas. At present theForest area is poorly provided for in comparisonwith other areas. This results in many peopledriving away to the Mendips, the Cotswolds and theForest of Dean for a countryside experience.

Between 1994 and 2000:■ 900 km of paths and rights of way have

been improved / upgraded

■ The 72 km Community Forest Path has been completed

■ New leaflets and events have promotedaccess to an increasing number of people

Countryside sport and outdoorrecreation3.67 The countryside around Bristol and the surrounding

towns already provides for a number of sports, seeFigure 3.10. The most evident are playing fields forsoccer, rugby, cricket and hockey, etc. usually close tothe urban edge, and golf courses.There are 17 golfcourses at present, and several new sites withplanning permission. The recession caused a numberof new courses to falter. There is an identified needfor more Pay as you Play facilities.

3.68 Orienteering is a well-established sport and is wellsuited to a woodland setting, whilst beginners andless competitive orienteers can participate on openland and parks. Maps specially created fororienteering exist for 13 areas within the Forest, ofwhich seven are woods. Permanent facilities existat Ashton Court and Blaise Castle estates. Simplerpermanent courses are currently being designed foruse by schools and beginners in city parks(Eastville,Victoria and St. George’s).

3.69 Target and field archery are both to be found in theForest area, Chelvey Butts having a field archerycourse, well away from the public.

3.70 Water sports are restricted to a few sites on theAvon, coastal waters and the city docks, which areat their maximum level of use according to theEnvironment Agency. A fairly recent addition hasbeen the West Country Water Park atAlmondsbury which caters mainly for wind-surfingand jet skiing. Sailing is available at Chew ValleyLake, Cotswold Water Park and AxbridgeReservoir, all of which are outside the Forest area,and along the coast. Day-ticket trout fishing isavailable on three reservoirs at Barrow Gurney,totalling 50 ha. Angling clubs are well establishedand cover suitable waterways in addition to anumber of new fishing lakes.

3.71 A recent addition to countryside activity is paintballgames, with a well-used facility at the privatelyowned Brockley complex and other sites justoutside the Forest area. Forest Enterprise doesnot allow paintball games on its land. This sportdoes cause disturbance in woods with wildlife valueand English Nature has recently publishedguidelines regarding paintball activities in woods.

3.72 There is one full-bore and one small-bore rangewithin the Forest. Sporting shooting is found inprivate woods, predominantly on the ridge to thesouth-west of Bristol, associated with large estates.Access may be restricted in areas with permissiveaccess because of disturbance and poaching of gamebirds and safety. Shooters should take special carewhere public rights of way exist. The BritishAssociation of Shooting and Conservation publishesguidance for owners and tenants. Clay-pigeonshooting occurs on an occasional basis within the 14-day rule, unless the site gains full planning permission.

3.73 There is no venue for regular motor sports, eithercar or motor cycle, in the Forest though CastleCombe, several miles to the east, provides a circuit

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for cars (saloons, sports and sports-racing).Occasional scrambles, trials and grasstrack eventsrun on an infrequent basis, usually on farmlandunder the 14-day planning rule. Illegal motor cycleriding on waste land and on open spaces aroundhousing causes severe noise, surface damage andsafety problems. Policing and motor projects aimto reduce this problem.

3.74 Larger publicly owned sites host a wide range ofsports and events, including golf and grass skiing. Inaddition, the International Balloon Fiesta, the BristolCommunity Festival, and International Kite Festivalare major attractions bringing thousands of peopleto the area.

3.75 Outdoor pursuits and adventure sports areprovided for through outdoor activity centres,aimed largely at young people. These are at AvonQuay in the City Docks, at Eastwood Farm andGoblin Combe.

3.76 Sport England (previously the English SportsCouncil) is the lead organisation for sport and assuch is responsible for developing and maintainingthe infrastructure for sport, as well as beingresponsible for distributing National Lottery funds.The Sports Council (SW) and CountrysideCommission undertook a study ‘Sport andRecreation for the Bristol/ Avon CommunityForest’ in May 1994.This remains the main strategicdocument at the local level. Figures from theGeneral Household Survey (1996) indicate thatwalking remains the most popular form of sportand physical activity (two thirds of adults surveyedhad gone for a walk of two miles or more).

Since 1997■ Forest Fever fortnight has promoted over

50 events each summer to young people

The local planning context

3.77 The whole of the Forest area falls within the fourunitary authorities of Bristol, Bath and North EastSomerset, North Somerset and SouthGloucestershire and is therefore subject to thepolicies contained in the Joint Structure Plan. Thecouncils are also producing Minerals and Wastelocal plans. All the local authority partners arepreparing or revising their district-wide local plans,which will also contain policies or proposals

complementing or assisting the implementation ofthe Forest. Work is in hand to developSupplementary Planning Guidance for use by thepartners and developers.

3.78 Most of the Forest area is in the Bristol/ Bath GreenBelt, shown diagrammatically on Figure 3.11, wherethere is a presumption against inappropriatedevelopment. Detailed boundaries of the Green Beltare identified in local plans. Only 4.5% of the Forestarea is outside the Green Belt, on the northern sideof Yate. The focus will be on the continuation andenhancement of appropriate open uses, particularlyagriculture, forestry and countryside recreation. TheForest will offer positive alternative uses for landwithin the Green Belt, which are consistent with andsupport that policy.

3.79 Other policy documents that are important interms of the Forest are the councils’ natureconservation, landscape and countryside strategies.Local authorities are producing transport planswhich will also have a bearing on the Forest. Thetransport plans aim to expand park-and-ridefacilities, develop walkways and cycleways, enhancethe public transport system, e.g. light rail, andimprove network links. All the local authorities areproducing Local Agenda 21 Plans, though these arenot part of the statutory Planning system.

3.80 Planning agreements, planning conditions andSection 106 agreements of the Town and CountryPlanning Act 1990 may offer ways of seeking Forestbenefits in relation to approved development andhave already been used to secure large-scaleresources for tree planting in relation to a newpower station in Severnside.

3.81 There is very little derelict land in the Forest area;only 200 ha has been identified, the majority ofwhich is in the urban area and not available forplanting.

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Figure 3.11 Green belt in the Forest area

3.82 Local authorities own approximately 1600 ha ofsmallholdings and agricultural land in addition totheir open space and woodlands. This land isusually leased and is therefore not readily availablefor dedication to Forest purposes. Nevertheless,some woodland planting, management and accessagreements are already in existence, indicating waysforward, for example at Warmley Forest Park,Kingswood and Manor Road, Keynsham. Whenland is being considered for disposal, there ispotential to put the land to Forest purposes. SouthGloucestershire Council has adopted supportivepolicies and endeavours to work with tenants toseek opportunities to pursue community forestobjectives. Dedication as open space or woodlandwould represent income forgone to the authorityconcerned.

3.83 The Forest Plan will be used by local authorities toaid decision making and policy implementation. Inthe long term, the plan may be formally adoptedand become supplementary planning guidance.National research into the relationship ofcommunity forest plans and local plans should assistin guiding this process.

3.84 Following Local Government Reorganisation, the newunitary authorities have all maintained their leadingrole as Forest Partners and have all enshrined theForest within relevant planning documents.

3.85 Work is underway at policy and implementationlevels to ensure that the planning system can becomea key tool in delivering Forest objectives within theexisting policy framework.The Forest represents ameans to move towards sustainable development.

Arts, culture and education

3.86 Woodlands in town and country are seenincreasingly as places where theatre, events, andcreative skills can be applied to enrich theexperience of visitor and locals alike. Already,sculpture in Bristol’s estates and along the Bristol-Bath Railway Path provide interest, humour and anadded dimension for visitors to enjoy. Major eventssuch as the Community Festival are well known;poetry, painting and drawing workshops, thoughthey attract less attention, are equally appreciated.Tree dressing, environmental arts and activity daysand similar events demonstrate the link betweenarts and the environment.

3.87 Craft workers in metal, wood and stone all add tothe diversity of the Forest and locally basedinitiatives, including the parish maps project, havedrawn out people’s creative talents and responsesin relation to their own place.

3.88 Involving innovative design and craft skills to thesigns and furniture of the Forest will give apermanent record for the future, whilst eventsinvolving performance and participation can exciteand expand people’s experience and perceptions.The Forest will provide a theme of immense scopeand scale for a wide range of arts activities, perhapsgiving a unifying theme for ‘green’ and countrysideevents and works.

3.89 Councils have, or are in the process of developingarts and cultural strategies and these will help inidentifying ways in which the Forest can be a placefor arts and cultural activities to thrive.

Since the partnership formed, a wide range of sculpture creation, animated walks,mural painting, and arts events have beendeveloped by the partners.

3.90 A school grounds working group helps to co-ordinate training and support to schools, whileSEENET (Sustainability, Environmental andEducation Network) focuses on environmentalissues, the National Curriculum events and training.Many schools have developed nature areas and usetheir local environment for study. Several schoolshave implemented Woodland Grant Schemeplanting within their grounds to the benefit oflandscape, nature conservation and curriculumneeds and as a positive use of ‘surplus’ land.

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Locally crafted waymarker, Badocks Wood, Southmead (Photo: Forest of Avon)

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There are, however, pressures to dispose of suchsurplus land, to the possible detriment of futureenvironmental and amenity options.

3.91 The Wildlife Trust operates an extensiveprogramme of schools, activities at Willsbridge Mill,involving over 300 teachers each year alongsidetheir pupils; this also acts as a form of informal in-service training.

Between 1996 and 2000:■ Each year, over 300 schools have been

involved in learning about the Forest orusing it as a resource, either through school grounds, visits or recycling projects.The Forest Education Initiative Bristol and West Cluster group has also developedinnovative work with schools.

■ Over 40 training courses have been run for Tree Wardens.

■ Dozens of students have used the Forest for research purposes.

■ Hundreds of people have learned to planttrees, lay hedges, build dry stone walls andhave developed practical countryside skills.

3.92 The two centres of higher education within theForest, Bristol University and the University of theWest of England, as well as the nearby University ofBath provide an excellent base for expertise, dataand research, both in relation to sites within theForest and to its growth and impact on the area.

Tourism

3.93 Most tourist activity in the Forest area focuses onthe urban areas of Bristol, now being promoted asthe ‘Great Western City’, and Bath, a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site and ‘Georgian City’. The twocities attract visitors in their own right anddoubtless many also use the Railway Path, the riverAvon or visit the Avon Valley Railway at BittonStation. Dyrham Park (National Trust) is justbeyond the eastern boundary of the Forest.Clevedon Court (National Trust) is just within theForest area.

3.94 The Youth Hostels Association International Centrein Bristol has acted as an information centre forvisitors wishing to find out more about the

countryside. The Bristol Tourist InformationCentre also carries leaflets relating to walks andplaces of interest. However, there is a need todevelop a better focus for the provision ofcountryside information for the benefit of visitorsand residents alike.

3.95 The River Avon now connects with the Thames viathe Kennet and Avon Canal and there is a growingdemand for cruising from local people and holidaymakers.

3.96 One of the most important uses of the Forest isfor day visits by local people, walking, cycling andexploring the countryside.This also has thepotential of bringing money activity to thesurrounding rural economy.