To receive presentations from the following organisations on their
activities and plans for the future, help needed from the Council and feedback
on the Council’s draft Bio-Diversity Action Plan:
(i) Rowhill Copse
Nature Reserve (Mr. Roy Champion);
(ii) Blackwater
Valley Countryside Partnership (Mr. Steve Bailey);
(iii) Basingstoke
Canal Authority (Ms. Fiona Shipp);
(iv) Brickfields
Park (Mr. Mike Hatch);
(v) Cove
Brook Greenway (Ms. Hilda Anscombe).
Minutes:
(1) Rowhill Nature Reserve Society –
The Panel received a presentation from Mr. Roy Champion,
Chairman of the Rowhill Nature Reserve Society. During the presentation, Mr. Champion advised
Members that Rowhill Nature Reserve covered 55 acres
and was now returning, in part at least, back into the working wood it
had once been. Mr. Champion also made reference to
the Society’s work in monitoring species at the Nature Reserve and the
upgrading of paths, including an accessible trail.
Mr. Champion answered Members’ questions on fence making,
volunteering by corporate groups and working with children.
On behalf of the Panel, the Chairman thanked Mr. Champion
for the Society’s on-going and valuable work for the community. The Chairman
thanked Mr. Champion for his presentation and extended an invitation to attend
a future meeting for a further update on the Society’s work.
The
Panel NOTED the presentation.
(2) Blackwater Valley
Countryside Partnership –
The Panel received a presentation from Mr. Steve Bailey,
Manager of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership. During the presentation, Mr. Bailey advised
Members of the role played by the Partnership in co-ordinating projects and
actions of all involved parties and stakeholders in the Blackwater Valley to
increase sustainable usage of the Blackwater Valley, especially for informal
outdoor recreation, and to ensure wildlife and landscape protection. Mr. Bailey spoke about the work of the
Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust, a charity which had been set up ten years
ago and supported the work of the Partnership.
Mr. Bailey advised Members of the sites managed within Rushmoor and gave
examples of works carried out in Southwood Woodland and Wellesley Woodlands. Mr. Bailey also gave details of wider Blackwater
Valley issues, including the Southwood Woodland extension, Farnham Quarry,
North Camp recycling and Loddon Catchment Partnership.
Mr. Bailey answered Members’ questions on engaging with
local communities and Farnham Quarry.
On behalf of the Panel, the Chairman thanked Mr. Bailey for
the Partnership’s excellent work in the community. The Chairman thanked Mr. Bailey for his
informative presentation and extended an invitation to attend a future meeting
for a further update on the Partnership’s work.
The Panel NOTED the presentation.
(3) Basingstoke Canal
Authority –
The Panel
received a presentation from Ms. Fiona Shipp, Manager of the Basingstoke Canal
Authority. During the presentation, Ms.
Shipp advised Members that the Basingstoke Canal was 32 miles long and was
jointly owned by Surrey County Council and Hampshire County Council. The
Basingstoke Canal Authority had been established to manage the Canal on behalf
of the two County Councils. During the
presentation, Ms. Shipp advised Members of current work along the Canal: a
tree-thinning project; the Ash Aqueduct inspection; a telemetry project to
provide constant digital information on water levels; and, work to replace the cills at Ash Lock.
Ms. Shipp also
spoke about wildlife issues, including the need for good management of
vegetation to encourage a wide range of wildlife and the problems caused by
crayfish. Volunteers were very important
to the work of the Canal Authority and Ms. Shipp referred to examples of work
carried out by volunteers. She was
pleased to report that the number of volunteers had increased. In respect of future work, Ms. Shipp advised
that refurbishment work would soon commence on the towpath between Ash Lock and
Eelmoor Bridge and that work would be undertaken to
turn Artillery Weir into a sluice which would help to manage water levels.
Ms. Shipp
answered Members’ questions on cyclists using the towpaths, the mooring of
boats, dredging and drainage issues.
On behalf of the Panel, the Chairman thanked Ms. Shipp for
the Canal Authority’s important and much needed work. The Chairman thanked Ms.
Shipp for her informative presentation and extended an invitation to attend a
future meeting for a further update on the Canal Authority’s work.
The Panel NOTED
the presentation.
(4) Friends of
Brickfields Country Park –
The Panel noted that, unfortunately, Mr. Mike Hatch,
Chairman of Friends of Brickfields Country Park, who was to have given a
presentation on the work of the group, was unable to attend the meeting due to
illness. Mr. Hatch would be invited to
attend a future meeting to provide an update.
(5) Cove Brook
Greenway Group –
The Panel received a presentation from Ms. Hilda Anscombe, Chairman of the Cove Brook Greenway Group. Ms. Anscombe
advised the Panel that the Cove Brook Greenway Group was an environmental group
of local residents in Farnborough which looked after Cove Brook. It was noted that Cove Brook drained off the
hills above Farnborough Airport and ran for 3.5 kilometres through Southwood
Meadows and Cove to join the River Blackwater on Hawley Meadows. The
Group held conservation working parties, litter picks and open meetings and
worked with Rushmoor Borough Council, Blackwater Valley Countryside
Partnership, the Environment Agency and other parties.
During
discussion following the presentation, it was suggested that Rushmoor could
host an event to recruit volunteers for conservation groups.
On behalf of the Panel, the Chairman thanked Ms. Anscombe for the Group’s excellent work in the
community. The Chairman thanked Ms. Anscombe for her presentation and extended an invitation to
attend a future meeting for a further update on the Group’s work.
The Panel NOTED the
presentation.