Natural Devon, 2014 conference - Draft seminar notes (any comments to sarah.jennings@devon.gov.uk)

Naturally Healthy How can we encourage low income families to use our PROW and NPs better?

PROW don’t have info explaining where they go and what they are like / address awareness

PRoW are linear - people want to explore more widely.

Be more open for people to play when they get there.

Exmoor Mosaic project – young leaders – peer support

Project wild thing - good example of awareness raising of value.

Opportunities at childrens centres as part of commissioning (mental health services etc) – get out there.

Work place walks by employers – lunch times

PRoW don’t always connect to where people are – infrastructure improvements needed e.g. across busy roads.

Role of Local Access Forums

Can we set up stuff on PRoW to seed ideas about what people can do?

Cycling safety – people won’t go on busy roads and won’t buy a bike based on limited off road opportunities

Encourage dog walkers to help people get out

Train walk leaders – have a walking champion in each parish council Wild spaces

Schools – level playing field / increasing confidence / too much litigation and training for teachers as barriers

Peer support and access

Promoting behaviour change. What can you do within your organization to attract and encourage low income families to engage?

Confidence and support – what to do when you get there. Work through orgs Community Council and National Trust links

Tackle some negative attachment to playing outside and anti-social behaviour

Schemes to link teenage youth unemployment to provide vol support and work experience for activities to do in the natural environment – guides

Pre-school education sector – to embed idea that you can get out there in primary schools

Well managed parks and green space - funding needed to do this

Other people to be there? Neighbourhood watch scheme for green space

Identify and promote family friendly areas in towns.

Green Infrastructure (written up by Jonny Miller)

Issue/ Barrier Action Key organisations

(lead in bold)

Funding LNP to be represented on the LEP’s Planning Group DCC

Knowledge/ Awareness

Establish a regular LPA GI officer meeting

Promote best practice via (Devon) case studies, site visits, recommended guidance documents, meetings etc

Identify ‘killer facts and figures’ on range of GI benefits to help make case to management/leaders, communities and funders. To include: health,economic, biodiversity, flood mitigation etc. E.g. summary from Alastair Driver, EA.

DCC Local GI Partners EA, NE etc

Plans and Policies

Complete and adopt the Devon GI Strategy; should complement the District strategies and provide a resource for Districts that don’t already have one.

GI strategies should be integrated/holistic, spatial, related to statutory/funding priorities and adopted (to give weight in planning decisions).

Ensure appropriate GI policies in all relevant Local Plans and embedded in all other relevant plans.

Share ‘watertight’ condition/obligation wording that are consistent with the levels of resourcing for monitoring and enforcement

Share list of GI plans and policies

Emphasise NPPF requirement for LPA to have plan for protection and enjoyment of the environment (both historic and natural)

DCC LPAs LPAs GI partnerships GI Partnerships LPAs

Leadership Charismatic champion for GI to raise profile and priority across Devon.

Commitment at high level in LPAs and other stakeholders to recognise benefits and drive change from grey to green infrastructure

Unlock resources to increase staff capacity and increase delivery (see other actions)

LNP board LNP board LNP board

Funding Developers on site

But what about existing network? Health??

Work with LPAs to help use unspent s.106 monies on GI projects

Ensure GI projects are added into LPAs Infrastructure Delivery Plans and Regulation 123 lists for spending CIL receipts. Promote these GI projects to members and Town/Parish Councils to give best chance of securing funding.

Make economic case for GI projects for LEP bids

Establish a Devon GI project fund

Ensure GI projects fully factor in capital and revenue costs.

?? ?? GI Partnerships LPAs EA, NE etc LEP

LPAs

Staff capacity Identified lack of suitable capacity to coordinate, advise, design, deliver, monitor, enforce etc GI plans and projects.

Use community groups, students, volunteers, and consultants effectively to supplement officer capacity

Identify additional funding streams to increase officer capacity.

LPAs, 3rd sector, etc GI Partnerships

Community engagement

Support communities to design and deliver GI projects e.g. via Neighbourhood Plans.

Identify resources to support community engagement e.g. CABE Spaceshaper etc.

Listen and respond to community interests/concerns

LPAs GI Partnerships All

Standards and definitions

Agree common GI standards and definitions for Devon, including: quality, accessibility, quantity and benefits.

Reduce use of jargon and make concepts widely understandable

GI Partnerships GI Partnerships

Complex land ownership

Need for certainty of plans and requirements

Legal issues relating to CPO?

Encourage LPAs to review existing land ownership for GI opportunities (particularly where seeking to dispose of land)

?? ?? LPAs

Outdoor learning (written up by David Weatherly)

Context It was stressed that on a day to day basis in Devon a very wide range of organisations including some with charitable status; NGOs; schools and higher education institutions facilitate outdoor learning with people of all ages – running into thousands. Each of these organisations and institutions are, within the capacity and monetary constraints imposed upon them, seeking to engage more learners in outdoor learning. In addition it was also emphasised that learning is integral to achieving the objectives of each of the other priority themes and should not be seen in isolation especially when it comes to funding applications which too often neglects learning as a given that will somehow happen as a given without dedicated and ring fenced funding. Points arising from general and group specific discussions The LNP holds a unique position in terms of lobbying on behalf of those facilitating lifelong learning e.g. for change at national strategic level to Ofsted inspection criteria to place higher value on learning outside the classroom; supporting funding applications from LEP which recognises learning as a major economic and social driver; The LNP website could function as a data base of lifelong learning providers for Devon and Torbay – a one stop shop for those looking for support from partners or to link with others engaged in the same kind of activities. There was support for establishing lists of LNP outdoor learning mentors and volunteers on the web site that could lead activities outside and/or act as mentors to those who are co-ordinating outdoor learning e.g. teachers in schools. The LNP could also function as a hub for resources contributed by providers to be accessed by schools and children to facilitate outdoor learning. This would be even more effective if each school in Devon and Torbay appointed an outdoor learning ambassador to function as the first poit of reference with the LNP; The group recognised the crucial importance of training for teachers and trainees at Devon’s three PGCE providers as well as volunteers and mentors, in terms of knowledge and understanding and approaches to learning and teaching outside the classroom. Building confidence and capacity is crucial to delivering more people learning in the outdoors; Providers could work more collaboratively to provide evidence of impact of learning outside which the LNP could use in lobbying and in funding applications or in seeking sponsorship.

Farming and nature (written up by Sarah J from post its – need checking)

Flip chart notes from seminar More and better pro nature choices 1. sharp – rules, regs – kill CAP? 2. sticky – agri-environment schemes, incentives 3. sweet - all choices align – warm bread……! There are good examples of farming and nature Challenges – funding – CAP what if? Utility companies Food security Sustainable intensificiation = more food. Weak = more food / neutral environment. Strong = more food and more environment Where is R&D?? North Wyke / IGER CAP is tax payers money! Population Changing consumption patterns – soya and meat How to manage fuels Fuel us?? Us?? Working in the supply chain Assurance / accreditation and self-regulation Circular economy AD _ fert (?) Culture of farmers

- can be too much noise from farmers that the environment is a block - old agri environment scheme was sold out - how to blend public and private sector - there have been cultural AS i.e. uplands - get right people on board - market forces - look at the balance sheets – if it is positive then can afford to de-intensify

how do we enable the land in Devon that is not giving much food but also not giving clean water etc? we can be prevented from doing more by having regs that prevent change. E.g NVZs make some productive areas not produce need to re-connect with farms and civil society

if you want a change then use the supply chain to demand more for the environment who is going to pay for change?

- need to connect with the science - need to connect farmers to deliver on a larger scale

LNP should take forward the landscape approach ad reach the hard to reach What do we want from our resource? Strategic approach – could do more Money Flip chart notes from seminar Need for more mixed farming – will help with N,P,K Issue with P as a finite resource and potential for env damage Devon has potential to do more as has a history of innovation You can get success for nature by asking nicely How do you get commercial returns along with xxx for nature NGOs need to improve the way processors pay for food – is it on renewables? – is it on conservation? How do we celebrate the best? There are loads of innovative businesses in Devon that we don’t shout about. We are the place where the food economy is more important than anywhere.. There is no one size fits all – diversity of approaches and pro-active partnerships Post its Promote, educate, invest in and support farming to produce food which has been produced ‘sustainably’ in the broadest sense. Farmers are switched on to schemes – they need the best incentives in a range of situations to do this. Public education on sustainable food is needed. Supermarket shoppers driven only by price are like local people not accessing green space – they need to be converted, not afraid of the ‘unknown’ to try real, affordable and sustainable food. Also promotes the local economy and environment if they only knew. Encourage both public and private sectors to support environmentally friendly farming Support landowners in working at a landscape scale and maximising their role in the ecosystem.

Work to change the culture of Devon farming to see the environment as positive and value nature. 1. provide more and better advice to farmers 2. support farmers who are doing good things for nature to share their passion 3. encourage neighbouring farmers to work together for the environment Use local groups / partnerships to encourage collaboration landscape scale partnerships and promote good examples / events to spread the word about sustainable farming. Devon needs to be sold as the green sustainable county of England i.e. quality of food, quality of environment, beautiful scenery (not master of none) Support marketing of goods from wildlife friendly farms particulary on marginal land. Farm support to be focused on a suite of ecosystem services rather than food alone. Promoting the good (great!) things that ARE being done by farmers and landowners throughout Devon to enthuse others to do the same. Provide a supporting mechanism for running new projects that look at investigating new ways of bringing nature and farming together – this should include all sectors and all scales - businesses, public, voluntary, NGOs, 1. promotion of ‘green credentials’ in farm products. Support for those farmers that allow space for nature. Celebration of good news stories. 2. stronger connections with environmentalists and farmers through direct engagement, workshops, advice. Promotion of available support e.g. NIA soil aeraters, Biosphere, WRT etc Celebrate successes we have made to a wider and new audience Please don’t forget wildlife Work with the farming businesses in Devon to eliminate ‘green concrete’ of our rolling hills, and help create a more sust industry that includes jobs, biodiversity and a living landscape. Great but HOW? Encourage and work to include progressive farmers in the LNP and promote and incentivise these progressive farmers Devon LNP to lead in terms of celebrating its farmers and promote ‘good news stories’ to help better educate the consumer and change behaviour to recognize the benefits of local produce. 1. To produce locally with respecting the environment fully should come first. 2. To produce and export around the globe should be done only when the energy balance if guaranteed….. Have a clear shared view on how you want to influence the NELMS – what would be best for Devon nature cf individual priorities?

Supporting local branding and links to local markets Use County Farms as exemplars for sustainable agriculture. The UK (and Devon) has an enormous resource of semi-improved grassland that is of neither high ag value nor biodiversity (ecosystem service) value – we need to change this resource one way or another! Look at food assurance that is simple for buyers and farmers to understand and quantify their eco, env and social impact. Encourage a less confrontational approach between the ‘factions’ Encourage less waste of food by consumers Farm profit – environment – people – farm profit Strategy for use of resources – hard without strategy – there is no plan or delivery – only defeat Enable and facilitate farmers, NFU, Councils and NGOs to show cheap food has a negative cost to wildlife. Use innovation and collaboration (incl retailers) in farming to cover real costs at prices more people can afford. Value / brand – focus as an opportunity for farming and the environment Need a grater interface between science and practical farming! We have limited resource – our land. How do we define what we (all) want from it? A strategic plan. The cost of C to be included at all stages of ag production. Small scale joint enterprises to share problems Farmers and conservationists to work together in Devon to put pressure on food manufacturers / retailers to increase financial benefits to farmers. Education of public in less food waste. If supermarkets and consumers didn’t waste so much there would be more space for wildlife. New Env Land Man Scheme – Devon wide forum for holistic targeting across all env interests. I will continue to farm small scale and sell directly to the local community – unsubsidized local food www.chagfarm.org Tie in ecosystem service to actual benefit for farmers – pollination / natural pest control etc Small steps yield big benefits

- support for capital works kick starts large sustainable benefits e.g. hedging grants lead to bio and landscape benefits, local environment and thriving community.

Loss and vulnerability of marginal grassland – huge potential lost. Options include high nectar grass leys, suitable silage crops……? Somerset Wildlife Trust farms. LNP to develop a bid to the LEP to support piloting Devon for sustainable / green rural enterprise. I want the LNP to act as a broker to get more farmers to engage proactively with landscape scale initiatives.

Wood for good (Robin Toogood)

Bringing “woody assets” back into management

The most immediate and effective thing that the LNP can do is encourage its member

organisations to make a commitment to the local woodland supply chain – such as by

installing wood-fired heating systems. It would make a huge difference. For example: Devon

County Council energy strategy to switch to wood fuel in schools

But we need confidence in the technology: which wood fuelled boilers work best? Need to

find successful installations and spread the word about it

Connect woods with processors and markets – strengthen the supply chain

Many small woods are uneconomic to manage on their own – so it needs better

collaboration, innovation, and working in clusters

Woods need management advice, plans and action, with the whole sector working together

more effectively. Need to get better co-ordination between different advisors to get

coherence messages and avoid “advisor silos”

Woodlands work best when they are managed as multi-functional assets

A plea for hedges: hedges hold 60% of our available biomass – easily accessible, under-

utilised. Need to promote the case for cost effective wood fuel from hedges and involve

farmers and wider community

The “ward forester” model in Devon involves currently involves five groups of landowners

operating through joint management plans (collaboration, but not requiring formal

partnerships). It is not yet clear whether these will prove financially sustainable, but the

scheme needs further promotion and development

The North Devon Nature Improvement Area has a habitat creation target of 210 ha of

woodland but it has been hard to get take-up. Lots of barriers (squirrels, deer, disease, etc).

Can the LNP help overcome these obstacles?

Lobby for incentives for broadleaved woodland planting and seek greater recognition of the

ecosystem services provided

Promoting innovation and best practice in the sector

There is an opportunity to incentives woodland management and creation through engaging

large companies in social responsibility action, where they report on their environmental

impacts. Can woodland management fit in to the “ecosystem service market” and if so, how

do we monetorise the value?

Could develop a “Devon Wood Mark” brand – a premium price paid for local sustainably

managed wood

Need to develop sharper facts and figures about woodland economics and the value of

woodland produce, to persuade landowners to get involved – with simple information and

case studies

The Renewable Heat Initiative is a great driver for stimulating woodland and hedge

management

Build skills and knowledge amongst owners, advisors and supply chain stages to create a

greater sense of professionalism. There is a lack of knowledge and confidence – need to

share experience and demonstrate the art of the possible

Do a bid to the LEP to stimulate the woodland economy (skills, supply chain join-up etc)

Undertake product development for small diameter logs – can it be used in local

construction?

Establish local hubs for woodchip collection and distribution, to minimise transport costs

Investigate harvesting and marketing of flailed hedge cuttings

Encourage innovation in agroforestry, increasing woodland cover without “locking up” land

Set up a wood fuel practitioners group to share best practice

The Renewable Heat At Work initiative is a collaboration of businesses promoting renewable

heat technologies to the commercial sector – one of several schemes involving RegenSW

(www.regensw.co.uk )

Could support agricultural college leavers in setting up as contractors as part of a social

enterprise

Reconnecting communities with woodlands

Need to build a culture of public understanding and support for the economic management

of woodlands – getting acceptance of this is the driver for all the other services and benefits

Communities can provide “sweat equity” (voluntary work or work for in return for woodfuel

etc) to bring woodlands back into management – benefiting the woods, and benefiting the

participants (good for community cohesion)

This process needs active brokering to join the parties together across the area – creating

farmer-community partnerships

To succeed, landowners need to “let go” of some control and be prepared to take risks

The public forest estate needs to be more open to community involvement

A new social forestry innovation project is being developed by the National Association of

AONBs and this could provide a useful template

Neglected woods with large trees are expensive and difficult to tackle, but once brought

back into regular management they can be taken on by volunteers

Community wood-fuel groups can take on woodland management and take a share of the

logs – but the participants need training, equipping and skilling

Can only be developed through a number of very localised arrangements, to minimise the

distance and cost of transporting bulky produce

The Dartmoor Circle has good guidance available about involving volunteers

Establish a forum to share ideas and experience on community woodland management, and

look to share case studies of what works

Promote the recreational benefits of woodlands (mountain biking for example)

Run an annual wood fair to connect local people with all things woody

Establish local woodland associations linking woodland owners with contractors, consumers

and volunteers (a good example is the Blackdown and East Devon Woodland Association –

see www.woodbiz.co.uk )

Resilient wetlands (written up by SJ from post its – need checking)

Flip charts

Re-using soil. Sediment shifted upstream. Primary goal stop losing soil / stop at source. Other solutions. Silt traps. Ponds. Expensive. Maintenance costs built in.

planning stops and loss of subsidy via single farm payment.

New dev pressure means that need major changes in uplands e.g. Dartmoor

CAP reform may help or not - only entry level greater focus on soil protection

Soil structure is critical

Look at wetlands between wetlands and others e.g. Exeter – look upstream. Work with community for storing water and soil health / ag benefit

Funding obvious link between rural landscapes and business

Work with insurers and business to pay for upstream

NIA money address FRM e.g. change of grass seed / DCC as lead flood authority is changing focus of funding

LNP can help projects on the ground – change policy / funding Post its Issue / barrier – lack of understanding of natural systems and associated benefits + one size does not fit all Action – partnership / culture change / lead and support from top of organizations + lobby for flexibility focus on outcomes desired. Issue – interpretation – explaining the wetland message Answer – accessible interpretive events like bogtastic and moorland classroom Issue = drainage of farmland / space for water and farming. Answer = continue Working Wetlands Project Need for more 1. engagement with farmers in lowland areas – encourage blocking of ditches to aerate more smaller wetland areas. lack of connectivity in wetland habitats 2. coordination between upland and lowland areas action 1. place blockages in ditches to encourage small wetland areas – filter water / reduce flooding / wetland habitat and wildlife benefits 2. bring together conflicting parties Issue increasing vulnerability of communities around Devon to surface water flooding. 2012 floods – over 120 communities affected (all floods not just surface water) 2014 floods – over 65 communities affected (ditto) Action – find ways of linking flood risk management objectives into broader landscape scale environmental projects (e.g. through NIA, catchment sensitive farming etc) Key issue – supporting farmers to improve ag practice + issues facing farmers due to CAP reforms and NELMs. Removal of upland ELS = major problem.

Action – advise on schemes available to landowners. Educate benefits of GAEC. Issue – loss of saltmarsh and mudflats Action – look at opportunities to work with the EA and other partners to deal with coastal squeeze and support wetland creation projects. Challenge – need to change public / media perception – too much emphasis on flood protection downstream + more education and awareness raising required for flood prevention upstream. Action – Use my role in East Devon to educate people in the Lower Axe and Exe about the need for upstream thinking and management Issue – incomplete understanding of biodiversity benefits of some of the water management initiatives Action – happy to work with partners to investigate and promote to stakeholders and the public (who said this?) Issue – invasive species e.g. knotweed and signal crayfish Action - coordinated control of knotweed at a catchment scale. Survey of signal crayfish to measure the level of the problem. Challenge (Ed Parr Ferris) Too many small stream and valley systems are ditched, canalized, undergrounded (pipes) and are currently being fenced off tight to these streams (e.g. CSF) – allowing small wet valley / stream systems to become ribbon wetlands could help multiple benefits. Fencing off of streams should be done allowing wide wetland areas – extensively grazed. What am I doing – trying to persuade CSF, WRT, Devon LNP to try this and investigate it. Also encouraging farmers to do this on land I advise on (Avon Valley Project). Promotion and delivery of multi-functional SUDS. Early discussions with developers to ensure that the true multi-functional potential of SUDS is achieved to deliver recreation, biodiversity and flood alleviation benefits. Issue – disintegrating wet woodlands. Lack in management, stock and deer pressure. New trees and woods for improving water quality and alleviating flooding. Action – promoting more woodlands in the right locations. Opportunity mapping with EA etc. better woodland management. How to maximize the benefits of options under agri-environment schemes and encourage landowners / farmers to go ‘above and beyond’ to make broad brush options tailored to localities. - campaigns, education, tailored advice and solution. Rivers = ecological corridors = wildlife ‘corridors’ Issues where the public is intensively attracted to nice river sites – river paths for miles Action – careful management of the public interfering along rivers – mainly on Exmoor esp within the SSSIs and NNRs.

Issue 1. soil structure degradation by intensive agriculture 2. Single Farm Payment / conditions are a key constraint on achieving resilient wetland objectives in terms of ecosystem service potential Action 1. research into soil structural amelioration through type of crops and management 2. refine single farm payment conditions Issue – new housing leading to greater run off and areas at risk of flooding Action – LPAs work with range of partners to identify upstream projects that can be funded by downstream development and negotiate robustly for high quality SUDS. Issue – soil quality and water supply Action - Ensure best practice on Devon County Farms Estate EA post it

- EA wants to work with partners to help achieve WFD objectives but making a real difference to protecting and enhancing a healthy environment. How, who, what with – LNP can help strengthen these partnerships and encourage nay-sayers to be involved.

- Through our funding streams (FCM and WFD) work with catchment partnerships to help identify and deliver multiple benefits that are in line with LNP aims (EA outcome measures for FRM are Bio 2020 habitat targets)

NT post it – Issue – impact of past river management and ag practices on speed of run-off and water quality Action – investigate ops for restoration of floodplain hydrology within NT lowland estates. Issue – duplication of farm advisory services. Action – through our catchment hosting role we will aim to integrate and focus the range of advisory services (WCRT Issue - There are lots of Defra funding streams CRF, EA, NELMS, SEP etc but they do not all align and are nationally driven / not locally responsive or integrated enough. We will aim to secure better alignment and synergy in the use of Defra funding through local negotiation with delivery organizations.

Sustainable seas (Steve Guilbert)

What can the LNP do? Richard White (DWT): LNP can make a difference in two key ways: 1.) in relation to Marine Planning - informing the Marine Planning process; 2.) in terms of getting the message out there. ‘Media don’t like the idea that there is a consensus’ – need to counter this. Need to identify projects that highlight best practice. We need to use the resources of the LNP to project a consistent, independent message e.g. Good Fish Guide Anon: We need to highlight the impacts on the sea from the land. The LNP is positioned well to look at connections between sea and land i.e. joined up thinking…downstream thinking…important not to forget the coastal zone. Alex Scholefield (TCCT): LNP needs to get the message out there about how a healthy marine environment contributes to the economy. How?...by partnership working…engaging with the community. Anon: LNP should focus on spreading the work…getting the message out there [i.e. the value of the marine environment] Anon: The LNP needs to get involved with ‘coastal observatories’…because they are central and related to coastal/marine interaction. Anon: The marine environment has a major positive psychological effect. The LNP should look to exploit the coastal feel good factor…promoting the the health benefits of the marine environment at school events etc.