Management of Rights of Way & A National Trail in the UK
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An internship report by visiting student Yumiko Yamamoto from the University of Kyoto. The report investigates management of Rights of Way and the Cotswold Way in the United Kingdom. With assistance from Kate Ashbrook from the Open Spaces Society.
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Management of Rights of Way & A National Trail in the UK
- 1. Internship Report: Management of Rights of Way and a National Trail in the UK Yumiko Yamamoto M1 - Landscape Architecture Laboratory Department of Forestry Graduate School of Agriculture 1
- 2. • Paths on which the public have a legally protected right to travel • Customary used by public for over 20 years • footpaths – walk • bridleways – walk, horse, cycle • restricted byways - any transport that doesn’t have a motor • byways - for any kind of transport, including cars Background 2 Public Rights of Way in UK
- 3. National Trails and Nationally protected area in the UK • 15 National Trails Background 15 National Parks 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- 4. • Host institute: Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) The University of Gloucestershire • Supervisor: Dr John Powell • Duration: 17 September- 12 November 2014 Internship 4 Here ! London
- 5. • To acquire knowledge and understanding regarding management of Rights of Way and National Trails in the UK • Background & context • The key organizations and stakeholders • Their roles, relationships, and recognition • The characteristics of volunteers and walkers 5Objectives How Rights of way and National Trails are managed in the UK?
- 6. • Document search • Interview to representatives • Open Spaces Society • Natural England • Cotswold way Officer • Gloucestershire County Council • Gloucestershire Site Warden • Cotswold Voluntary Wardens • Ramblers Association • Winchcombe Walkers are Welcome What is your role as…? What is the relation between…? Have Rights of Way changed after National Trails were created? etc… 6Methods
- 7. • Participant observation • Guided walks • Dursley Walking Festival • Walk for Health×2 • South Cotswold • Mid Gloucester • Cheltenham Rambling Club • Voluntary maintenance work • Gloucestershire Vale Conservation Volunteers×2 • Cotswold Voluntary Wardens×3 • Interview to other participants How often do you walk on footpaths? What is your main reason for walking on footpaths? Do you think there is any differences between National Trails and other footpaths? etc… 7Methods
- 8. Cotswolds AONB & Cotswold way (http://www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/?page=map) • Cotswold AONB • 2,038km2 • The largest AONB • About 150,000 people live in the area • Gloucestershire County • Local authority • 60% of Cotwold AONB • Cotswold Way • 164km • Developed by Tony Drake in Gloucestershire Area Ramblers in 1960s • launched as a National Trail in 2007 8Research Place university
- 9. Cotswold 9
- 10. Local Volunteer Groups Cotswold Voluntary Wardens Working Party Cotswold Conservation Board Staffs Volunteer coordinator Walkers Landowners National Trust Private Local Businesses NationalLocalThe key organizations and stakeholders DEFRA Natural England Members Gloucestershire County Council Highway Department Rights of Way Department Councilors Officers Property Service Department Site wardens Enforcement Officer Legal Officer Central District Chairman Coordinator Parish Wardens Coordinator National Trail Team Cotswold Way Wardens Trail Officer
- 11. 11Their roles, relationships, and recognition Natural England • Non-departmental public body to work for the environment in UK • A part of Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs National Trail Team • 8 people • responsible for all National Trails in England • policy, quality standards, promotion, building new NT • receive money from DEFRA and distribute it to each NT Cotswold Conservation Board • Independent statutory body to look after the whole Cotswolds • 37 members & 15 staffs • make management plan • employ Cotswold Way Officer • register, train and manage volunteers
- 12. 12Their roles, relationships, and recognition Trail Officer • assigned to each National Trail • practical maintenance, responding to inquiries, dealing with issues, planning of work program, promotion of the trail Cotswold Way Officer • responsible for Cotswold Way • one of the 15 staffs in Cotswold Conservation Board • 1 year contract • 3 people → 1 person • holds two other positions The Budget • 75% from Natural England • 25% from County Councils • Sales of merchandize and books • have been decreasing The Expenditure • 70% for Trail Officer’s salary • The rent for the office, utilities, printing paper • The cost for the actual maintenance is the smallest
- 13. 13Their roles, relationships, and recognition Cotswold Volunteer Wardens • integral part of the activities of Cotswold Conservation Board • divided into 5 districts • 360 people registered as voluntary warden • are required to commit at least 8 hours per month • can take Coswold Rural Skills training courses for free Dry stone walling Hedgelaying Blacksmithing Tile Roofing Wheat Straw ThatchingCharcoal Making
- 14. 14Their roles, relationships, and recognition Working Party • do practical maintenance two times per week → 25742.5 h /year Parish Warden • patrol Rights of Way in the responsible area • do small maintenance jobs • report big problems • make good relationships → 3269 h /year Guided Walk • organize free guided walks across the Cotswold AONB for the public → 6577 h /year Cotswold Way Warden • 25 people • patrol the responsible section of Cotswold Way • do small maintenance jobs • report to Trail Officer → 1404 h /year
- 15. 15Their roles, relationships, and recognition Gloucestershire County Council • responsible for all Rights of Way in the county Rights of Way Team • consist of councilors and officers in Rights of Way Department • attend the Commons and Rights of Way Committee • discuss the issue to make decision about amending the definitive map Enforcement Officer • deal with claim for new Rights of Way and problems reported by the public • collect the evidence of use • demand landowners to maintain Legal Officer • understands all the law about Rights of Way • guides councilors as a solicitor Site Wardens • manage Country Parks in the county • maintain walking paths, make walking maps • ask maintenance jobs of local volunteer groups
- 16. Local Volunteer Groups Cotswold Voluntary Wardens Working Party Cotswold Conservation Board Staffs Trail Officer Volunteer coordinator Walkers Landowners National Trust Private Local Businesses NationalLocalThe key organizations and stakeholders DEFRA Natural England Members Gloucestershire County Council Highway Department Rights of Way Department Councilors Officers Property Service Department Site wardens Central District Chairman Coordinator Parish Wardens Coordinator National Trail Team Cotswold Way Wardens Enforcement Officer Legal Officer £ £ £
- 17. Local Volunteer Groups Cotswold Voluntary Wardens Working Party Cotswold Conservation Board Staffs Trail Officer Volunteer coordinator Walkers Landowners National Trust Private Local Businesses NationalLocalThe key organizations and stakeholders DEFRA Natural England Members Gloucestershire County Council Highway Department Rights of Way Department Councilors Officers Property Service Department Site wardens Central District Chairman Coordinator Parish Wardens Coordinator National Trail Team Cotswold Way Wardens Enforcement Officer Legal Officer Report problems Report problems Task request Task request
- 18. Local Volunteer Groups Cotswold Voluntary Wardens Working Party Cotswold Conservation Board Staffs Trail Officer Volunteer coordinator Walkers Landowners National Trust Private Local Businesses NationalLocalThe key organizations and stakeholders DEFRA Natural England Members Gloucestershire County Council Highway Department Rights of Way Department Councilors Officers Property Service Department Site wardens Central District Chairman Coordinator Parish Wardens Coordinator National Trail Team Cotswold Way Wardens Enforcement Officer Legal Officer Report Report Report Report
- 19. Local Volunteer Groups Cotswold Voluntary Wardens Working Party Cotswold Conservation Board Staffs Trail Officer Volunteer coordinator Walkers Landowners National Trust Private Local Businesses NationalLocalThe key organizations and stakeholders DEFRA Natural England Members Gloucestershire County Council Highway Department Rights of Way Department Councilors Officers Property Service Department Site wardens Central District Chairman Coordinator Parish Wardens Coordinator National Trail Team Cotswold Way Wardens Enforcement Officer Legal Officer Report problems Report problems Task request Task request Demand
- 20. 20Their roles, relationships, and recognition Ramblers Association • The biggest walking community • manage funds from membership fee, charities and grants • nationally promote walking, protect and expand places to walk, campaign, provide walking information, maintain the path Gloucestershire Area Ramblers • 10 local walking groups • Each group hold 1-8 walks per month • Volunteering on Rights of Way in the County other than AONB • 110,000 members • pay membership fee (£33/year, £725/life) • can join any local walking groups’ walk • 500 local walking groups • divided into 57 Areas • Each group holds guided walk independently • Chairmen of each group attends Area Committee
- 21. 21Their roles, relationships, and recognition Walkers are Welcome Network • promote their own town as Walkers are Welcome Town • raise funds from Natural England and local authorities • create new walking routes, maintain the paths, publish maps, hold guided walks, organize Walking Festivals • 114 towns and villages • pay membership fee (£30/year) Winchcombe Walkers are Welcome • joined WaW in 2007 • became famous as walking destination • Walking Festival • 22 various guided walks in 3 days • fund from local businesses and farmers • 280 visitors (8% from abroad, 25% from outside) • Visitors spent £163 /person for accommodation and food in town
- 22. Interviewees • 27people • Guided walks • Dursley Walking Festival (6) • Walk for Health (1) • South Cotswold (4) • Mid Gloucester (4) • Voluntary maintenance work • Gloucestershire Vale Conservation Volunteers (9) • Cotswold Voluntary Wardens (3) 22The characteristics of volunteers and walkers Male 20 Gender Female 7 20s 2 30s 3 50s 3 60s 9 Age over 70 9 Occupation Company employee 10Retired 16 Are you a member of any walking groups? 4 5 5 1 9 1 0 5 10 15 No 1 group 2 groups 3 groups volunteer walker County Gloucestershire 23 South Gloucestershire Somerset Oxford
- 23. 23The characteristics of volunteers and walkers Have you walked on any of the National Trails? How often do you walk / participate in volunteer work on public footpaths? 8 4 2 1 4 4 1 1 0 5 10 15 2- /week 1/week 1-3/month less than 1/month walk 2 1 2 1 1 1 4 5 1 1 0 5 10 2- /week 1/week 1-3/month less than 1/month 2-5 times once never work volunteer walker 1 5 3 3 2 2 4 4 0 2 4 6 8 10 No 1 2 3 4 • Cotswold Way 13 • Southwest Coast Path 9 • Pennine Way 6 • Pembrokeshire Coast Path 5 • Offa's Dyke Trail 4 • West Island way 2 • Hadrian's Wall Path • Thames Path • Great Glen Way • South Downs Way • West Highland way 8 4 9 Thru-hike Section-hike only some parts Complete distance in one time Complete distance with some section-hike
- 24. What is your main reason for walking on footpaths? • Health • health (8), exercise (3), get fit, keep fit (2), physical fitness (2), • relaxation (2), mental health, feeling good • Pleasure • pleasure (2), leisure, enjoyment, fun, enjoy walking, like to walk in mountains • Outside, Countryside, View • enjoy countryside (3), being in nature(2), get outside into countryside, get out in the country, • being outside (3), get out the house, explore countryside • in the air of countryside, fresh air (3), sunshine • view, enjoy the very beautiful wonderful scenery, see beautiful countryside, see landscapes • Difference • to see different places, do something different, explore new places, away from where we live, away from works • Social • talk to people and friends, social occasion • Public • keep footpaths open and more use them, to look after the National Trail • Transfer • transport, taking dogs 24The characteristics of volunteers and walkers
- 25. What is your main reason for participating in volunteer work? • Health • exercise outdoors, exercise, keep fit • Pleasure, Interest • enjoyment, I like to organize things, satisfaction of seeing paths improved • I’m interested in volunteering, general interest in a countryside and rural landscape management • Outside, Countryside • being outside (3), being out in the country, working outside in fresh air, I like countryside • Difference • doing different things • Satisfaction, Learning • satisfaction of seeing paths improved, doing something productive, to occupy myself • learning some skills from other people, learn something about countryside and skills • Social • being a part of community, companionship • meeting people (3), doing something with other people, sharing useful things to do • Public • not to lose footpaths (2), help countryside, keep the variety of wild life, to preserve history • keep paths for people, for general public who walk in countryside 25The characteristics of volunteers and walkers
- 26. Do you think there is any difference between National Trails and other types of public footpath? • Scale • bigger, much longer, continuity • Importance • nationally quite important • Maintenance • better maintained (4), better kept (3), better looked after (2), better cared for, in good condition, guaranteed to be looked after • kissing gates and less stiles (2), easier to walk • better way marked (4), better sign posted (3), easy to find (2), easier to navigate • Facility • more accommodations • more interesting things to look at (monuments, seaside, places where battles have been fought) • better situated (café, toilets, youth hostels) • Use • more use, more popular, more people walk • more information (2), you can buy books and maps • require more planning, more expensive 26The characteristics of volunteers and walkers
- 28. A Landscape Character Assessment (http://www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/userfiles/file/Publications/Landscapefinal.pdf)
- 30. • grasped the structure of management • made connections with stakeholders Summary 30 Internship Key points • Volunteers play an important role in the financially difficult situation • actual maintenance, patrolling, reporting, guiding walks, education, rural skills succession, campaigning, promotion, management of organizations • Walkers have a strong power because their organizations operate not only a local basis but also on a national basis • Walking activities have some big economic impacts • Rights of Way connect various landscapes • protect landscapes by preventing land use change • enable people to walk in countryside and appreciate it
- 31. Thank you for your kind attention!