The Fifth Continent Landscape Partnership

‘the world, according to the best geographers, is divided into Europe, Asia, Africa,
America and Romney Marsh……’
Rev. Richard Barham, The Ingoldsby Legends
The Fifth Continent Landscape Partnership Scheme
Living Landscapes: Restore, Recreate,
Reconnect
Living Landscapes are recovery plans for nature
championed by The Wildlife Trusts since 2006,
which seek to create a resilient and healthy
environment.
Living Landscape work:
• Focuses on landscapes or large areas, rather than
individual habitat patches
• Employs a multi-disciplinary approach (e.g. habitat
creation and restoration, provision of landowner
advice)
• Is carried out in partnership with a range of other
organisations and local communities
• Delivers environmental benefits for people, such as
health benefits, skills training and green tourism, as
well as improving conditions for wildlife
Romney Marsh Living Landscape Partnership
Formed in 2007, Led by KWT (RMLL)
Strategic aims:
•
To provide opportunities for people to discover, explore & learn about the Romney
Marsh landscape & heritage
•
To help people participate in looking after & celebrating the cultural & natural
heritage of Romney Marsh
•
To conserve or restore the built & natural features that make up the distinctive
character of the marshes
•
To provide opportunities for people to develop skills to care for, & share with
others, the special heritage of the Romney Marsh
RMLL Grant Application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)
Landscape Partnership Scheme
The grant aims to:
• ‘conserve areas of distinctive landscape character’
• promote an ‘holistic and balanced approach to the management of landscape heritage
at a landscape scale’ benefitting heritage, people and communities
RMLL
Considerations
2009-2014
Existing Officer Input
No HLF funding
Outline Submission
to HLF & First
Round Pass
April-Nov 2014
Commencement of
Development Stage
Full Submission to
HLF
Jan 2015
Oct 2016
£274,050 (£43,750 of which to be secured
from various sources)
Second Round
Notification
Mar 2017
Implementation of
Delivery Stage
Mar 2017-Sept
2020
£2,307,650 (£571,350 of which to be
secured from various sources)
Possible Match-Funding: Visit Kent, Marsh Million Fund, Environment Agency, Diocese of Canterbury, Central Government Education & Apprenticeship Funding,
RDPE LEADER Programme, KCC Heritage Team, Other in-kind staff time, volunteer time, donations
The scheme covers 86% of the Living Landscape area (242km2).
Three-Pronged Approach
1. Restore (RS) - Facilitate the restoration,
recreation and enhancement of the built and
natural heritage of the area
2. Rediscover (RD) - Put the
communities and people of the Marsh
back at the centre of their landscape
and heritage; enhance opportunities
for visitors and locals alike
3. Reclaim (RC) - Develop opportunities for
learning and skills development
Restore: RS1 Shingle on the Cusp (Vegetated Shingle Project)
• 2000ha of vegetated shingle habitat on Romney Marsh
• Threats from visitor pressures, gravel extraction, climate change and over grazing by
rabbits.
• Over 600 species of plants - around one third of the national flora
• Difficult to restore
Project Elements:
• Detailed evaluation of the whole coastal shingle resource
• Study of current and past threats, review of current and past management
techniques, and preparation of a plan of action
• Implementation of shingle restoration and species control measures
• Provision of general and bespoke landholding information
Restore: RS2 Blue Lanes of Romney Marsh (Ditch & Grazing Marsh
Project))
• 90% of the ditches on the Marsh are privately managed; remainder by Romney Marsh
Internal Drainage Board and Environment Agency
• A large proportion are subject to insensitive management for wildlife
Project Elements:
• Feasibility Study for habitat works including hydrological assessment
• Ditch enhancement works
• Marsh restoration and enhancement works
• Training workshops, forums and advice surgeries
• Provision of general and bespoke landholding information
Restore: RS3 Monitoring the Marsh (Habitat & Species Monitoring)
Project Elements:
• Digitisation of outstanding survey reports into the KMBRC database
• Completion of habitat survey coverage for the Sussex side of the project area
• Analysis of habitat change
• Development of recording methodology for species of local importance
• Purchase of recording equipment
• Training events for the wider public, local naturalist volunteers and on-the-ground staff and
contractors
RS4: Heritage Gap Analysis
- Collation of archaeological information including production of reading list and
list of archive/museum collections
- Identification of strengths and weaknesses in knowledge
- Identification of stakeholders
- Defining the detail for the Hunt for Romney Port, Churches of Romney Marsh,
Staff Secondments/Exchanges, Community Heritage Officer role and RS5 below.
RS5: Geomorphology, Geology & Land Use Information Project incorporating:
- Archaeological surveys for landholdings by volunteers
- Production of Environment Reports for landholdings (including archaeology,
geology, geomorphology and ecology)
Restore: RS6 Green Lanes for
Bumblebees
Project Elements:
• Provision of professional advice
• Post-grad training placement
• Volunteer Training
• Purchase of Survey Equipment
• Running of Workshops
• Production of leaflets
Rediscover: RD1 Hunt for Romney
Port
Project Elements:
• Purchase of survey equipment
• Meeting of digger costs
• Professional advice and supervision
• Volunteer workshops
• Production of leaflets
Rediscover: RD2 Sentinels of the Marsh
(Historical Surveys & Heart of the Marsh Projects)
• Churches contribute to the visible heritage of Romney Marsh.
• Some have been studied by researchers or community heritage groups
• Under-used as community hubs and tourist attractions
Project Elements:
• Volunteer research studying the churches (and ‘lost churches’) and their
relationship with the landscape
• Community excavation of the St Martin’s Church site (New Romney)
• Volunteer scheme enabling churches to open to the public as community spaces
• New interpretation (audio guides, an app, a mobile exhibition, self-guided walks)
• Heritage tourism package, possibly linked in with other visitor attractions and
accommodation providers
• Wildlife gardening project
• Grazing project with local graziers and volunteer livestock checkers (‘lookers’)
• ‘Young artists in residence’
Rediscover: RD3 The New Lookers (Community Policing Project)
• A need to tackle anti-social behaviour to address heritage crime.
Project Elements:
• Additional police resources on the Marsh
• Development of network of local ‘lookers’
• Awareness raising meetings
• New publications
Rediscover: RD4 Community Tapestry
Project
Project Elements:
• Devising a Tapestry Engagement Plan
• Purchase of art & craft materials
• Holding of supervised tapestry workshops
• Training of volunteers to help run activity sessions
• Funding of training placement
• Touring exhibition outlining the development of the tapestry
Rediscover: RD5 Rediscovering the Fifth Continent
Project Elements:
• Innovative and inspiring community engagement programme
• Dedicated Fifth Continent website and newsletter
• Development of Teachers’ Packs
• New trails and signage
• Refurbishment of railway carriage as ‘teaching space’ at RMVC
Rediscover: RD6 Sustainable Tourism Project
Project Elements:
• Detailed review of current tourism studies with recommendations and clear strategy for
promoting sustainable tourism in the area
• ‘Branding’ of Romney Marsh with an identity which is appealing to the visitor and
representative of certain values
• Annual sustainable tourism conference
Rediscover: RD7 Coastal Communities Heritage Project
Project Elements:
• Recording of the ‘living history’ of new seaside communities including ‘oral history’
• Production of interpretation panels
Reclaim: RC1 Traineeship & Apprenticeship Programme for Young People
• 16 week ‘intervention package’ for NEETs to reach the required attainment level in English
and Maths and receive coaching in life-related subjects, followed by further training through
vocational traineeships and apprenticeships in conservation, agriculture and sustainable
tourism
• Wider suite of traineeships for other young people including in specialist crafts, media skills,
graphic design, project management and volunteer management
Requirements of the Development Stage
• Funding Needs to Be Secured for Development & Delivery Stages
Ultimately, HLF will be asked to cover 75% of the costs of delivering
the Fifth Continent Project.
• Reports Need to be Commissioned
As well the reports already mentioned, the following need to be
written with the support of consultants.
 Community Engagement Plan
 Landowner Engagement Plan
 Interpretation Audit & Plan
 Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
• Project Ideas Need to be Finalised
Detail of exactly what will be undertaken during the Delivery phase of
the project needs to be outlined.
• Plans Need to be Written & Documents Collated
HLF requires a number of plans to be drawn up to ensure that project
outputs and outcomes are clear to everyone.
 Landscape Conservation Action Plan
 Fundraising Plan
 Project Business Plan
 Updated copy of the Partnership Agreement
 Evaluation Reporting Form
 Photographs to illustrate the Project.
The Benefits ….
Efficiencies/pooling
resources eg. Grazing,
marketing
Others
expertise
New people resources
ie. volunteers, staff
Release of draw-down
funding
Competitive
tendering
Spatial relationships
(ecological & personal)
Not alone in dealing with
the ‘big headaches’
Reputation &
Publicity
Monitoring & Evaluation
1%
Community Tapestry
2%
Railway Carriage Plans
1%
Community Consultation
1%
Sustainable Tourism
3%
Interpretation Audit
4%
Heritage Gap Analysis
5%
Staff Costs & Support
21%
Blue Lanes
5%
Farmer
Engagement Plan
5%
Monitoring the Marsh
16%
Traineeship Programme
10%
Other Costs
(eg. Contingency)
12%
Shingle on the Cusp
14%
DEVELOPMENT STAGE FUNDING
Green Lanes for Bumblebees
1%
Railway Carriage
New Lookers Sustainable Tourism Conference
1%
1%
New Communities Project
1%
1%
Community Tapestry
2%
Monitoring & Evaluation
0%
Hunt for Romney Port & Hunt for Romney
Port & Other (eg. Digger, publications,
supervision)
3%
Shingle on the Cusp
4%
Blue Lanes
5%
Staff Costs & Support
32%
Monitoring the Marsh
5%
Churches at Heart of the Marsh (eg. Wildlife
gardening, artist, publications, digital)
5%
Rediscovering the New
Continent (eg. Walks,
events, website, teachers
packs)
8%
Other Costs (eg. Contingency)
14%
Traineeship Programme
17%
DELIVERY STAGE FUNDING