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Balloch Wood Community Project |
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Wednesday, 15 October 2003 |
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Balloch Wood is an area of woodland some two kilometres long by approximately half a kilometre wide owned and managed by Forestry Commission Scotland. In October 2001 Forest Enterprise asked the people of Creetown if they were interested in turning the wood into a community woodland. The response from the community was overwhelming with 60 people attending the first open meeting.
Overview
PROJECT SUMMARY
Since then the project has developed from strength to strength with plans to formalise and enhance informal pathways through the wood, reclaim an old curling pond as a wildlife sanctuary, create an open-air educational resource, a sensory garden with sculptures and an all abilities trail.
It is hoped that through these efforts the wood will attract and retain visitors to the Creetown area as well as offering local people an external resource right on their door step.
KEY PARTNERS
The key groups were:
1. Forest Enterprise
2. Dumfries and Galloway Council- Access Officer and Community Worker
3. Forest for People's Panel - The Forestry Commission
4. Environmental Groups.
5. Creetown Initiative.
6. W.C.V.S.
Others involved are:
Lots of support such as from SEPA who offered advice on the reclamation of the pond.
Dumfries & Galloway Councils Biodiversity Dept./Adult Education/Community Development/Environment & Infrastructure/Community Regeneration/
Local & National MP's, MSP's, Councillors.
Solway Heritage.
Entrust.
SWEAP.
BTCV.
The project is staffed by volunteers.. There are some plans to recruit a part time worker some time in the next year - perhaps sharing with another project. The management committee has undertaken all the work with intensive support from the Community Recreation Ranger from Forestry Commission Scotland.
The allocation of a Community Development Worker from the Local Authority is relatively recent. Forestry Commission Scotland is still very closely involved.
FUNDERS
1. The group has successfully secured a grant from the Objective 2 European Structural Funds through Dumfries and Galloway Council to pay for phase one of the project - improvement of the informal pathways. This finance is managed by Forestry Commission Scotland who is directing the works. Forestry Commission Scotland contributes directly to the project through undertaking the wood clearance activity as part of their core business. By contracting out both elements, the path improvements and the wood clearance, a synergy has been created that has resulted in cost savings and more work being undertaken than if both elements of the works were contracted separately. These works are due to be complete by June 2003.
2. The group have also applied to the Scottish Executive's Aggregate's Fund for which they await the outcome of their application.
3. The group have applied for Dumfries and Galloway's Community Regeneration Fund, which was established by the Scottish Executive in the wake of foot and mouth. Again, the outcome of this application is still awaited.
4. £1000 has been secured from Forward Scotland for the plans for the pond development.
5. £7,500 has been secured from Scottish Natural Heritage for the interpretation materials.
6. £1000 has been secured from the Local Authority's Local Area Committee for stationary and overheads.
7. £500 has been secured from a local trust for overheads and running costs.
8. The Forest for People's Panel which is a Scottish Executive Pilot Project delivered through the Forestry Commission has been engaged to support the group. The Panel's remit is to offer practical support to Forestry Commission Scotland and local communities in increasing value of local woodland for communities. A development worker from the panel is now working with the group to develop a Funding applications for the further phases of the project. The Panel are also undertaking a baseline economic study of the area with which the group will be able to measure their success in attracting increased visitor levels and expenditure in the area.
THEMATIC SEARCH CRITERIA
Dumfries & Galloway ; Open Space; Local Amenities; Forestry
Plan
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Balloch Wood is an area of woodland some two kilometres long by approximately half a kilometre wide owned and managed by Forestry Commission Scotland. It consists of a 60/40 split between planted conifer woodland and very old native broadleaf woodland. The community had been using the wood for informal walking through which, created rough informal pathways. The area is rich in wildlife and archaeological interest with a gorge created by Balloch Burn, an old curling pond and some standing stones evident on the outskirts.
In October 2001 Forest Enterprise asked the community of Creetown if they were interested in utilising Balloch Wood on the edge of Creetown as a community asset. An initial open meeting was held by Forest Enterprise, and 60 local residents attended demonstrating the level of interest in the project. Forest Enterprise had conducted a thorough marketing campaign to inform local people of the meeting through the local newspaper, marketing fliers and posters distributed throughout the town. This initial meeting was followed by a Community Workshop and guided woodland woodland walk to develop ideas for the woodland's use. Again, over 40 local people attended the workshops.
From the workshops a core steering group of 8 was formed, office bearers appointed and, thus, the Balloch Wood Community project was established.
The ideas which the community developed are as follows:
- Improve the existing informal path network in the wood.
- Redevelop the defunct curling pond
- Create a range of sculptures and wild art in the woodland
- Develop a wider network of paths encompassing the surrounding woodland
- Create interpretation boards and signage both within the wood and the local town
- Keep local people informed of the process.
- Create an all abilities trail around the defunct curling pond with full disabled access.
- Create a round house/observation point/crannog.
- Clear parts of the forest to allow natural regeneration to take place
- Replant with indigenous tree species + exotic species
- Manage the ancient woodland
TARGET OUTPUTS
Dumfries and Galloway Council offered the group a grant to start the work off whilst the group worked closely with Forest Enterprise's Community Recreation officer to phase the project's vision into realistic blocks of development activity. The phases developed are as follows:
1.Development of the path networks in the wood including woodland clearance. This work is due to be complete by June 2003.
2.Development of the pond area.
3.Wider pathway creation.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The overarching aims of the project are to:
- Improve access to the woodland for informal walking for local people and tourists.
- Attract visitors to the area to increase local spending and therefore the economic sustainability.
- Create a community resource.
- To promote economic, social and physical regeneration of the Kirkmabreck Parish and it's environs.
- To increase the contribution of forestry and woodland to the sustainable development of Kirkmabreck Parish.
- To promote practices commensurate with the growing awareness and concerns of the community about environmental issues.
A similar project at Straiton in Ayrshire has an average of 40 visitors per day and has resulted in two new businesses being created with jobs for local people. Creetown has 3 caravan sites and a popular Gem Rock Museum that attracts over 60 thousand visitors per year. The project will add value to these attractions and seek to increase local revenue generation. The town was badly affected by the recent foot and mouth epidemic with many fewer visitors and a number pf businesses lost.
MEASURING ACHIEVEMENTS
The project's aims are to:
a) Increase visitor numbers in the area.
b) Increase visitor spend.
c) Increase usage of the community wood
The monitoring of these measures will be undertaken both quantatively and qualitatively as follows:
- Forest for People's Panel is currently developing a baseline economic study of the area. This will monitor visitor numbers and spend.
- The group will periodically hold workshops of local businesses to ascertain whether their business revenue has increased.
- The number of local groups and organisations using the wood will be monitored.
FUTURE STEPS
It is expected that the project will continue for the foreseeable future. It is at an early stage of development and due to complete the first phase of a number by June 2003. The other planned phases are likely to take at least a further 2 years to complete after which time the focus will be on advertising the community resource and increasing usage.
Forestry Commission Scotland has offered to undertake all maintenance on the improvements made. The Management Committee will be involved in this process by monitoring the maintenance requirements to ensure they meet the needs of the community. A management plan with Forestry Commission Scotland and Balloch Wood Community Project is currently under discussion.
The organisation is now working on the next phases of the Community Wood project.
Progress
The project is still at relatively early stages in its development therefore tangible evidence of its success are yet to materialise. The first phase of the woodland regeneration will be complete by June/July 2003.
The group feel that progress has been slower than expected. However this is not borne out considering the whole process only began in October 2001. The key lessons learnt are that partnership working takes time and effort and open communication, that attracting funding is almost a full time job and that community groups of this type must be strong enough to ensure that statutory agencies work with them and don't seek full control.
Review
ACHIEVEMENTS
The key achievements to date are:
1. The speed with which the Project has developed from the original community open meeting in October 2001.
2. The number of funding applications developed in such a short space of time by volunteers.
3. The level of agency involvement in the project.
4. The level of community interest in the project.
PROCESS
The project has been particularly successful in involving the wider community. Newton Stewart Adult Activities and Resource Centre which, as part of Social Work Services works with adults with physical disabilities and special learning needs has been actively involved in the design of the all abilities path around the pond. The A.R.C. are also working on the design and production of a Flags & Banners project.
In addition Criminal Justice has been engaged through offering Community Service opportunities to local offenders whereby elements of the conservation and development activities are undertaken as part of the Community Service orders.
SWEAP, a local environmental group and BTCV, a conservation trust, have also been closely involved in delivering elements of the work through their network of volunteers.
The group also established an exhibition in a shop window to keep local people informed of the developments. A local newsletter is also in postproduction.
8 members of the Management Group were involved locally.
Other local people involved in the project are:
- Clients of Adult Activities and Resource centre
- Offenders in the Criminal Justice system will undertake some of the work as part of community service orders.
- Up to 60 local people were involved in the original meeting and subsequent workshops to establish the development plans.
- The Creetown Initiative, which acts as an umbrella organisation, is comprised fully of local people and businesses.
- Volunteers will undertake much of the work.
Local people have been encouraged to get involved because:
- There is a very active community base in the area working to improve the economic and social fabric.
- The wood was used by local people and had a history of community links. Many local men were involved in the conifer planting in the 1960s whilst the older population can recall skating on the curling pond.
Forestry Commission Scotland has the ultimate say in what work goes ahead but all the ideas and development plans are community driven.
Since the core group has been established there has been a natural drop in the numbers involved but the project is still very much community driven.
To ensure continued interest the organisation has an exhibition in a local shop informing the community of the ongoing developments. They also hold fundraising events. A local newspaper is in pre production. Information exhibited at the Exhibition Centre, Creetown.
EXTERNAL INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT
The group have actively sought support from a number of external agencies, both statutory and voluntary to progress the project as follows:
1.SEPA - to assist with the pond reinstatement.
2.Wigtown Council for Voluntary Services - to assist in forming the constitution of the group.
3. Dumfries and Galloway Council through both the Access Officer and a Community Worker who has recently been engaged to help the group develop. Funding towards path construction.
4. Reforesting Scotland
5. Forward Scotland funding £1k towards cost of planning of pond
6. Dumfries & Galloway's Mid Galloway Committee. Funding £1k towards start up cost
7. Entrust administered through Solway Heritage. Funding £5k
8. Scottish Natural Heritage. Funding £7.5k towards interpretation.
9. Slevin Bequest Fund. £500p towards administration.
NEED FOR THE PROJECT
The process was driven by Forestry Commission Scotland whose current strategy states a strong commitment to involving communities in the work of Forestry Commission to improve woodland amenities and access. Following the establishment of the steering group the Community Recreation Ranger worked closely with the group to assist then in developing their ideas for the woodland. From this point forward the project was very much community led with ideas subject to agreement with Forestry Commission Scotland. Partnership working was the essential feature with the key partners being:
- The Community Group
- Forestry Commission Scotland
- Dumfries and Galloway Council through the Access Officer
- Creetown Initiative
- Interested outside agencies. SEPA. BTCV. SWEAP. SNH.
NEED FOR THE ORGANISATION
Creetown Initiative is a constituted not-for-profit organisation, which acts as an umbrella organisation to the Balloch Wood Community project, among others. The aims of the Initiative are to regenerate the Creetown area and improve the economic sustainability of the town and its businesses and facilities.
The basis for a tripartite partnership agreement was formed between the local Authority, Forestry Commission Scotland and the project group. A management agreement is under active discussion,
CRITICAL FOR SUCCESS
The essential elements cited for the success of the partnership are as follows:
1. Open communication between all parties
2. A commitment from the statutory authorities to community involvement.
3. The enthusiasm and expertise in the project group itself. Many members of the steering group are highly experienced individuals with backgrounds in forestry, natural heritage or committee working.
LESSONS LEARNT
The key barriers were when disagreements arose between statutory agencies and the group. The key lesson learned is that this type of partnership project needs trust, open communication, discussion and the ability to compromise on all sides to progress.
More support could be available for attracting funding.
The level of community interest was higher than initially expected. Likewise the number of local groups actively involved in progressing the project has been higher than expected.
The organisation came into existence as a result of the project.
ADVICE TO OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Do it!
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