Countryside Officers
Ribble
Coordinator for the Parish Lengthsman Schemes
The Lengthsman scheme is, in essence, the re-incarnation of an old concept;
a local person contracted to maintain roadside verges and drainage, public
open space and pathways.
The modern Lengthsman role has now been expanded to tackle small-scale environmental
projects directly or jointly with the local community and the partners involved.
While some Parishes in Lancashire have continued to use local Lengthsman, the
County Council re-introduced and extended the concept in 1998 as a pilot project
in the Forest of Bowland AONB. The 2 pilot projects were successful and because
of this initiative, there are now 22 Parish Lengthsman Schemes operating in
46 parishes throughout the County.
Ribble Way
A survey has recently been carried out on the access furniture and surface
conditions from the Dolphin Inn, Longton to Elston Lane, Grimsargh and
improvements to upgrade this section have started.
Conservation
Management of County owned sites such as Preston Junction Nature Reserve
and Spring Wood Picnic Site, Nr Whalley.
Spring Wood is a site of semi-natural ancient woodland and is a popular
location for locals and visitor’s alike .The Friends of Spring Wood is a voluntary
group formed in 2000 and supports Lancashire County Council’s Countryside
Service in undertaking conservation work at the site.
The group has been successful in obtaining grants from the Lottery Fund
and the Local Heritage Initiative. Projects to date have included an Access
for
All Trail, Arboretum and a Woodland Survey to assist in the implementation
of a management plan.
Parish and Community
Assisting schools and local groups with small scale environmental projects
through the Green Partnership Awards in South Ribble, Preston, Ribble
Valley and Fylde. Green Partnership Awards is a community partnership
between
Lancashire County Council, District Councils, United Utilities, The Environment
Agency
and The North West Development Agency.
Working in partnership with the Parish Councils of Hutton, Longton, Farington,
Penwortham, Lea, Woodplumpton and Whalley in the employment of six Parish
Lengthsman, working on behalf of those communities to improve the local
environment.
Parish Lengthsman
Friends of Spring Wood