Month: March 2018

Recruitment of 6 new Secretary of State members

The Secretary of State, Michael Gove, and Lord Gardiner are seeking to appoint six passionate and committed members to the Cotswolds Conservation Board.

Lord Gardiner states “As a Secretary of State appointed member, you will have the opportunity to help conserve and enhance our most treasured landscapes now and for future generations. I welcome applications from people who have a clear understanding of land management, rural communities, as well as protection and enhancement of the environment.”

UPDATE: The closing date for applications has been extended, and is now noon on 16th April.

Click here to read more

A battle between the 15 National Trails has commenced!

Our 15 National Trails across England and Wales, including the Cotswold Way, offer a choice of scenery, physical challenge, wildlife, local culture and more. Following on from ITV’s recent television programme ‘Britain’s Favourite Walks: Top 100’ it would be great to hear which Trails attract the most public affection currently. You have until the end of March to cast your vote in the Facebook poll!

To cast your vote visit https://poll.fbapp.io/which-is-your-favourite-national-trail – then just click on the photo of your favourite trail (Cotswold Way of course), and click on the green confirm button at the bottom of the page.

Successful Cotswolds Farming Forum

The Cotswolds Conservation Board held its annual Cotswolds Farming Forum on Tuesday 6^th March. Chaired by James Cox, Deputy Chairman, Gloucestershire NFU, over 80 farmers, land managers and advisors from across the Cotswolds attended the event held at the Royal Agricultural University.

Hot on the heels of the Government’s 25 year plan to improve the environment and   the recently published consultation seeking comments on the future shape of the post-Brexit agricultural policy and environmental scheme, the Forum explored the goods and services Cotswold farmers could be selling to the public in place of the current Basic Payment Scheme and Environmental Stewardship Scheme as we move towards the post-Brexit era.

Paul Silcock, Managing Director of Cumulus Consultants gave an overview of the goods and services Cotswold farms provide for private and public markets. Two services were then explored in more detail.

Jo Old, Environment Agency Catchment Co-ordinator for the Evenlode and Ock and Vaughan Lewis, Windrush AEC Ltd spoke about flood management in the Evenlode and Sarah Olney, Thames Water Agricultural Catchment Adviser on whose soil is it anyway?

The presentations, available below, were followed by a lively discussion.

• Download Paul Silcock’s presentation
• Download Jo Old and Vaughan Lewis’s presentation
• Download Sarah Olney’s presentation