Agenda item

The Superintendent of Epping Forest to be heard.

 

The Committee received an update from the Superintendent of Epping Forest and noted the following points:

 

Staff changes

Football Development Officer has left to head up a public health initiative in a North London Borough.  Visitor Services have successfully appointed a six month Internship with funding from (TBA while a new Volunteer Assistant Publications Officer is working at The Warren.

 

Anti-Social Behaviour, Policing and Bill - Changes in Dog Sentencing

Following the consultation last summer,new laws will be introduced in England and Wales raising the maximum jail sentence for the owner of a dog that kills someone from two to 14 years.  In the consultation Epping Forest sought this parity with current sentencing guidance on motoring offences.

 

Environment Agency Flood Maps

On 12^th December, the Environment Agency published new Flood Maps covering properties at risk from sea, river and surface water flooding.

 

Department of Environment, Farming & Rural Affairs - CAP Modulation

DEFRA have announced a 12% transfer from Pillar 1 (direct payments to farmers that previously replaced price supports) to Pillar 2 (rural development).  DEFRA had previously argued for the full EU figure of 15%, but have responded to a NFU campaign for 9%.  87% 0f payments will be through Natural England/RPA Agri-Environment Schemes with a review of schemes in 2016. 

 

Local Government Information Unit Research on the Green Belt

National Trust sponsored research by the Local Government Information Unit shows 51% of LPAs likely or very likely to allocate GB for development purposes.  Recent proposals in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement may encourage the release of Green Belt Land.

 

St Jude’s Day Storm

A team of 12 staff have worked for four weeks to remove more than 250 trees and branches which have fallen close to roads, homes and paths.  Costs are estimated at £45,000 and rising.

 

Christmas Storms

Continued stormy weather with winds gusting over 60mph has brought down further trees and branches, with four further road closures on Christmas Eve alone.  Wind-driven rain has also damaged the western elevation of the Hunting Lodge removing the lime ‘paint’ and render.  Epping Forest also received over twice the average rainfall in December and the trend is continuing for January.   Sections of the Forest have been again flooding onto the local roads system.  It was reported that the localised flooding at Pillow Mounds has been solved by the installation of drains.

 

Fisheries Management

Cuts at the Environment Agency have led to a loss of £10,000 funding to support our work with free public fishing on 25 ponds and lakes in Epping Forest.

 

Joint patrols with Fishery Enforcement Officers

Forest Keepers have jointly patrolled with Fisheries Enforcement Officers to address deliberate fishing without licenses and removing fish that were being caught.  Five anglers were prosecuted across 2013 with fines totalling £2,600.

 

Horse fatality at Rangers Road

Forest Keepers and Operations staff worked closely with the Emergency Services following an incident involving a runaway horse which collided with a vehicle on Rangers Road.  After sedation, the injured horse was successfully retrieved from a roadside ditch, but had to be destroyed due the extent of its injuries.

 

Quad Bike Incident

8 Keepers were involved with the arrest of a Quad Bike rider who assaulted 2 Forest Keepers in early January.   Essex Police provided timely and welcome support and both rider and passenger were arrested.

 

Fly tipping

Total fly tipping incidents were down 24.8% or 181 incidents from 731 in 2012 to 550 for the whole of 2013.  This welcome return to pre- 2005 fly tipping levels shows a 39.3% overall fall from the record 2011 figure of 907 incidents.  The impact of the economic downturn seems to continue with less household waste and an increasing element of commercial waste.  National coverage of fly tipping issues at Epping Forest was achieved on the back of a Tweet involving an image of a dumped ‘big cat’ soft toy.

 

Rough Sleepers

Forest Keepers attended a record 51 rough sleeper camps across the year, largely in the south of the Forest.  For the first time Keepers were asked to participate in the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) rough sleeper count which informs the national estimate.  The official figure will be released in Spring, but early indications suggest levels in local boroughs close to the Forest are high for Outer London borough, a trend which is particularly reflected at Wanstead Flats.

 

Year of the Dog Initiative

The London Borough of Waltham Forest Dog Control Orders (DCOs) were advertised 16^th December and came into force on 6^th January 2014.  In light of the new DCOs at Epping District and Waltham Forest and the increase in dog incidents, Epping Forest will be launching 10 public talks with a Forest Keeper and Animal Behaviourist  to help dog walkers, two ‘Paws’ dog fun days at Wanstead Park and The View in addition to training with LBWF and hopefully the London Borough of Redbridge on DCO Fixed Penalty Notices.

 

Great Gregories Outwintering Facility

Cattle were taken off the Forest on TBA.  Following planning and procurement delays the project is now running behind schedule.  Adverse weather has delayed the temporary straw bale housing which will be used to accommodate the cattle during the winter.

 

The Grotto, Wanstead Park

Further damage to the Grade II Listed Building by self-seeded trees within the fenced area has changed the previous policy of ‘camouflaging’ The Grotto with scrub.  As discussed on the November Committee visit clearance of the building has been initiated with dramatic results.

 

Cattle Grids – Meeting with Horse Riding interests

A series of meetings have been held including Natural England and British Horse Society in which help suggestions were made on surfaces and gate locations.  Similar meetings were held with the Epping Forest Riders Association regarding both grids and fencing gates.

 

Staff Conference

Staff from Epping Forest and Cemetery and Crematorium jointly organised a very successful Departmental staff conference in December for TBA staff.

 

Gifford Wood

Forest Keepers from the North Team supported a community planting event for a series of local schools, ahead of a well-attended public planting event on 14^th December with over 120 planters planting some TBA trees.

 

Family Learning Events

600 children visited Father Christmas at the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge over the weekend of 14/15^th December complete with a craft fair and reindeer.

 

Highams Park Lake Large Raised Reservoir

The City Surveyor has appointed Royal Haskoning DHV as design contractors for the dam project.  A construction contractor will be appointed shortly.  Walthamstow Scouts have been asked to sign a Tenancy-at-Will covering their occupation to the start of works.  Pre-Application meetings with the Local Planning Authority (LPA) have indicated that an Environmental Impact Assessment will not be required.  The LPA have yet to determine the development status of the project.

 

City of London Contract Partner – MITIE – Moratorium on Works

The City Surveyor has announced a 4 month moratorium in December on all but Health and Safety critical works.

 

GLA ‘Mini-Holland’ Proposals

The London Boroughs of Newham and Waltham Forest have both been short-listed for the final round of the GLA’s cycling awards.   Both Boroughs have been informed that they cannot rely on Forest Land for Mini-Holland schemes without the approval of your Committee.

 

Friends of Bush Wood

Forest Keepers have worked closely with the Bush Wood Area Residents Association (BARA) to develop a series of conservation tasks delivered by a new Friends Group which has cleared Bush Wood’s only pond and improved a series of woodland paths.

 

Outreach – Rokeby School and Kids Company

The Community Outreach Officer, Forest Keepers and Kids Company have supported practical conservation tasks for children from Rokeby School during November and December.

 

Gifford and Rowan Trails

Two new waymarked trials have been completed at Epping Forest, the Gifford Trail in Upsire and the Rowan Trail at Lords Bushes and Knighton Wood.  This brings the number of waymarked trails at Epping Forest to nine.

 

Epping Forest Visitor Survey

Staff and volunteers have completed 1083 completed visitor questionnaires.  The contract with Alison Millward Associates is now complete and Epping Forest is now fully responsible for the survey.  Survey data has recently been cross-matched with the Hazardous Tree Review to ensure areas of high visitor density coincide with the most regular survey thresholds.

 

Landscaping at Jubilee Pond

The landscaping works at Jubilee Pond are now complete following the resurfacing of the car park which opened on 9^th December.  Two planting tasks have been completed ahead of the main spring planting together with adjustments to the natural play area.

 

Volunteer Conservation Tasks

Volunteers have been clearing paths at Wanstead Park and clearing holy and associated scrub at Leyton Flats.  Since April we have recruited 20 new volunteers working in five different roles.

 

Cloister - T E Lawrence Hut

The death of Peter O’Toole, famous for his portrayal of T E Lawrence, has renewed interest in the Cloister, the hut on Pole Hill shared by T E Lawrence and Viv Richards which is now located in The Warren Yard.  The Superintendent is working with Lawrence’s biographer to research the history of the hut. The City Surveyor is awaiting the outcome of this research before potentially commissioning a Conservation Management Plan for the building.

 

A Verderer asked if we could allocate resources to ditch clearing to improve flooding onto roads. Officer said City Surveyors were assessing ditches, culverts and bridges to clarify condition and responsibility. Officers were also working closely with Local Authorities in problem areas being included into works programme. Bridges were the responsibility of City Surveyors, ditches, however the responsibility of  Epping Forest culverts was yet to be undecided.

 

In response to a query regarding the ‘mini Holland’ scheme Officers informed Members that it was a series of cycle ways with extension of public rental bikes. The London Borough of Newham had been shortlisted but City Corporation Officers had made it clear that Forest land was not available without the full consent of this Committee.

 

A query was raised regarding how Highams Park Lake was coping with the recent rain. Officers said the rain had been prolonged and continuous but not heavy. The dams had all coped as they should

 

In response to a query regarding the limewash on Hunting Lodge Officers said decisions were made and agreed on the limewash previously by this Committee as the most authentic and beneficial treatment for the exterior. Officers would be re-rendering where the rain has caused damage.

 

A Verderer raised a query regarding whether there would be further pressure throughout the Forest if this cycle scheme went ahead. Officers said the Management Plan was addressing this issue.