Natural England funded exemplary Green Infrastructure projects2012/13

You will need to submit project reporting with this template to release natural England project funding.

Reporting on progress of work

Name of Agreement:Hereford Green Infrastructure Project

N.B. Hereford Urban Tree Forum has since changed its name to the Herefordshire Tree Forum.

Funding contribution from Natural England: £15,000

This report supports the invoice to Natural England for: £15,000

NE purchase order: Already paid

Date:04/04/13 Final report

  1. ) Progress towards Milestones:

[Please copy milestones from Memorandum of Agreement (MoA)]

Milestone / Completed activity / Fully achieved (Y/N)
Formalise Herefordshire Tree Forum / / Herefordshire Tree Forum formalised (please note change of name from Hereford Urban Tree Forum) / Y
Choose Formal Title for GI project / Dec 2011: GI project title agreed: Hereford Green Infrastructure Project / Y
Submit formal bid to NE & confirm financial and in-kind support from partners / Dec 2011: 1 bid submitted to NE and money / in-kind support secured / Y
Arrange first project steering group / inception meeting with NE / Meeting held with Hayley Pankhurst on 09.01.2012 / Y
Confirm Project Steering Group, appoint project co-ordinator and chairperson; identify wider stakeholder group; identify project mentor / Nicky Davies identified as project Co-ordinator, (with Leonie Richardson taking over in August 2012).
Steering group identified – members include Mo Burns, (Hereford Civic Society) Cllr Chave, Cllr Hubbard, Jeremy Evans & Mike Townsend (Woodland Trust), Kate Gathercole (New Leaf), Hayley Pankhurst (Natural England). Chair: Juliet Wheatley, Herefordshire Council
Wider stakeholder Group – Herefordshire Tree Forum
Mentor: Tracy Ricketts, Delegated Grants & Programme manager (Herefordshire Council) / Y
Review relevant strategies, studies, plans and projects / A review of parish plans was undertaken identifying environmental actions. This is available upon request.
Meeting was held with Forward planning officers to identify potential sites in proposed development areas in relation to the Local Development Framework (LDF) and to tie in with existing plans such as the Unitary Development Plan (UDP).
The project was developed from the Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategy. Particular areas of Hereford city are highlighted in the GI strategy as either Hereford City Strategic corridors, Local enhancement zones, or Hereford Fringe zones. / Y
Review HC Parks & Highways grounds maintenance budgets to assess constraints/opportunities for on-going maintenance of new planting/other environmental works / First meeting held with Parks & Countryside team and representation from Amey Services. Outcome of this discussion is an agreement to tie in with existing management plans. There are ongoing discussions with the Parks manager in Herefordshire Council who has proposed sites for amended management regimes to be compatible with projects themes. / Y
Consider other mechanisms for paying for maintenance costs / This has been considered in discussions with the Parks & Countryside section of Herefordshire Council and voluntary support has been offered from a variety of different sections within Herefordshire Council as part of their annual voluntary work entitlement.
Groups in receipt of the GIP grant had to demonstrate considerations for ongoing maintenance in their application forms.
Advice was provided to applicants on the need for a sustainability and maintenance plan prior to application submission. / Y
Contact Hereford City Council, parish councils/schools/voluntary groups/ businesses/communities/ individuals who may be interested in assisting with GI project / A brief was circulated to the Cabinet member for the Environment and the Environment Cabinet support member. All ward councillors (within the project area) were also briefed including Herefordshire Council members and Hereford City Council members.
Schools in the remit area were identified and contacted with an introduction to the project and how they could get involved. The Officer who undertook this work is a member of the sustainability team in Herefordshire Council and was previously the Eco-schools co-ordinator.
Other groups / individuals contacted and briefed on the project include – National Trust, Amey, voluntary personal travel planners, parish council co-ordinator, Ministry of Defence & Carillion, Broomy Hill Waterworks Museum Chairperson, Hereford Society of Model Engineers, Greening the Village, Hereford Skate Park, Hereford Cider Museum, Hereford Civic Society, Hereford in Bloom, Woodland Trust, Herefordshire Nature Trust, Friends of Castle Green, Hereford Lions, NFU, Burghill Valley Golf Course, Burghill Parish Council, Wyevale Nurseries, Hereford City Council, Network Rail, Holme Lacy College, Heineken and the Bulmer Foundation. Briefs were prepared for third sector, health & well-being, business and land managers. / Y
Organise publicity for project / A meeting was held with the Herefordshire Council media officer who gave expert advice on appropriate communication and publicity options to maximise publicity of the project.
Project briefs were prepared for schools, media, third sector, businesses, and health and well-being sectors.
Individual challenge fund projects also carried out their own publicity as projects were delivered on the ground. / Y
GI audit – using maps in the GI Strategy as the baseline, undertake community mapping, utilising GPS and the HC IRIS system
Identify constraints, deficiencies in existing GI (amount & type) and opportunities / 31/03/12: 100 hectares of land with GI potential identified.
One pilot community mapping sub-project utilising GPS secured. HC IRIS system capabilities assessed and found to be unsuitable for community mapping work. / Y
GI audit – refine & develop maps in the GI Strategy / 31/03/12: Maps in the GI Strategy refined and developed / Completed project being fed in to GI Strategy / Y
Engage with landowners – HC Property Services, Highways & Parks, NHS & private landowners / Meeting held with HC officers including reps from Parks & Countryside, sustainability unit, ecology, media team, property services, project development team, forward planning, sustainable communities, Highways department. In addition meetings have been held with:
  • NHS property services manager
  • Broomy Hill Waterworks Museum Trust
  • National Trust
  • MOD & Carillion (Contractors)
  • Bulmers
  • Private Landowners
  • Wheeled Sports for Hereford Ltd.
  • Herefordshire Nature Trust
  • Network Rail
  • Burghill Valley Golf Course
/ Y
Assess opportunities for local people to engage with practical conservation work on selected sites / Projects requiring volunteer support were widely publicised and a large number of potential volunteer groups identified and contacted including:
  • Herefordshire Council
  • HVOSS – Herefordshire Voluntary Organisations Support Services
  • Woodland Trust
  • Herefordshire Nature Trust
  • Transition Town groups
  • Credenhill Wood Volunteers
  • Local Nature Groups
  • Cargills
  • Herefordshire Tree Forum
  • PTA groups
  • Beaver Group Leaders / Ewyas Harold Beavers
  • Bulmer Foundation
  • Heineken
  • Hereford Society of Model Engineers
  • Holmer Allotments
  • Youth Offenders
  • Holme Lacy College
  • Hereford Lions
/ Y
Identify if there are delivery mechanisms/funding opportunities for the proposed works & on-going maintenance / Project criteria included project / works maintenance requirements and sustainability plan.
Funding opportunities were identified through discussions with the Project Development team in Herefordshire Council and the Woodland Trust. External funding for future maintenance on the Roman Road Avenue (GIP/12/18) was secured from Hereford Lions. Additional funding for schools was raised from e.g. PTA groups. Several projects are applying for additional grants to continue the work started with the GI projects e.g. Hereford Skate Park, Hereford Cider Museum, Herefordshire Nature Trust & Hereford Society of Model Engineers. / Y
Discuss opportunities with landowners / Hereford City Council & 7 Parish Council presentations were completed in the early stages. Meeting held with HC officers including reps from Parks & Countryside, sustainability unit, ecology, media team, property services, project development team, forward planning, sustainable communities, Highways department. Meetings have also been held with:
  • NHS property services manager
  • Broomy Hill Waterworks Museum Trust
  • National Trust
  • MOD & Carillion (Contractors)
  • Bulmers
  • Private Landowners
  • Wheeled Sports for Hereford Ltd.
  • Herefordshire Nature Trust
  • Network Rail
  • Burghill Valley Golf Course
/ Y
Consult GI stakeholders / The Herefordshire Tree Forum meets quarterly and each meeting covers the GI project as a set agenda item. Update and Final PowerPoint presentations delivered to Herefordshire Tree Forum and Hereford City Council. / Y
Organise & run community meetings to discuss potential use of spaces / Community Meeting with appropriate groups were on-going throughout the project. In excess of 37 community / project meetings were held. CABE ‘Spaceshaper’ workshops were found to be unsuitable in respect of project ideas proposed by community groups. Advice was sought from the Community Support team (including parish liaison officer) within Herefordshire Council and a brief was prepared and circulated for the third sector groups. / Y
Modify proposals if needed & reconsult landowners/stakeholders / This was carried out as necessary on a project by project basis. / Y
Select projects which can be implemented / 31/03/12 – 31/03/13: 16 projects approved for funding. A further 5 projects were identified / developed, but failed to reach completion. / Y
Agree long-term funded management plans for sites / Management plans consulted upon and tailored to individual projects as well as being integrated into the project funding criteria / Y
Produce interim report for Natural England to enable release of payment / 31/03/13: Interim report submitted to NE / Y
Feedback to local communities/stakeholders - to publicise the practical works undertaken / This was largely undertaken via the Herefordshire Tree Forum and through successful applicants of the Challenge Fund (who publicised their own projects – press releases / articles supplied). Project update reports and PowerPoint presentations were delivered to appropriate stakeholders (Hereford City Council / Herefordshire Tree Forum / Woodland Trust and through the Hereford Civic Society newsletter) / Y
Produce case study for 1 site / 05/04/13: Written material/photographs gathered & case study produced / Y
Arrange & implement practical works through contractors and volunteers / 31/03/13: On the ground implementation / securement of 95.8 ha GI enhancement and habitat creation / restoration completed / Y
Monitor – collect and input data into Herefordshire Biological Records Centre and for Natural England / HBRC updated with relevant information / Y
Develop supporting policy options – Forward Planning Team, Herefordshire Council / Completed GI Project being reported internally to feed into Herefordshire GI Strategy. / Y
Produce final report about GI mapping/delivery secured for Natural England including case story & images. / 05/04/13: 1 project report written & submitted for project / Y

Please provide photography separately in jpeg format (i.e. not embedded in word document) on CD if larger than 10 MB - Done

Please provide paper and/or electronic copies of any publicity material (if you haven’t already done so)Done

Please provide a map of the site location/ boundary (if you haven’t already done soDone

2.) Cost/ expenditure to date must match the resource allocation table in MoA within small variance for final claim.

Activity / Cost / NE element / Claim with this report
Project Management / Officer Support costs / Herefordshire Council (20 days / month @£300/day for 16 months = £96,000)
Woodland Trust (3 days / month @£300/day for 16 months = £14,400
Total: £110,400 / n/a / n/a
Capital cost of biodiversity / other enhancement work including tree planting and access improvements / Cash Contributions from:
Herefordshire Council (£7,500); Natural England (£15,000); Hereford City council (£5,000); Woodland Trust (£5,000); Heineken (£250); Bulmer Foundation (£250); English Heritage (£1000).
Total: £34,000 / £15,000 / £15,000 (already received)
Revenue Cost of biodiversity and other enhancement work, including tree planting (mainly volunteer time) / Wyevale Nurseries Tree Donation (£1000); Woodland Trust Volunteer (2 days/20 volunteers @£70 / day = £2,800); Heineken (8 days @ £300/day + 4 people for 3 days @trained rate of £150 per day = £4,200); Bulmer Foundation (16 days @£300/day = £4,800); Hereford Civic Society (Volunteer time @£150/day =£2,475); Cllr. Hubbard (2.5 days/month @£300/day x 16 months = £12,000); Cllr. Chave (2.5 days per month @£300 / day x 16 months = £12,000)
Project Volunteer Time (1700 hours @£9 / hour = £15,300)
Total: £54,575 / n/a
Project Total / £198,975

The costs were largely as expected although an additional £1000 match funding was secured from English Heritage towards the community mapping project, whilst in-kind volunteer time on individual projects was not included in the original MOA and amounted to approximately 1700 hours at £9 / hour (£54,575)

Section for case story development

Box 1 – Study Details

Please note this case story template is more about a place than just about the partnership project. In some cases you may wish to state additional areas or benefits or activities that were not formally part of the MoA.

Case story Name: Herefordshire Tree Forum Green Infrastructure Project
Location: Hereford / County: Herefordshire / Gridref (8-digit): Individual project grid references provided in associated Excel Spreadsheet
Date of Report:31/03/13 / Author: Leonie Richardson
Size of Project Area:16 individual GI projects totalling 95.8 ha within a project area of 5672.2 ha / Shape File: On DVD provided to Hayley Pankhurst 02/04/13
Details of Project Partners:
Herefordshire Council (Departments including: Conservation / Planning - Environment Planning and Waste, Highways Transport and Community Services, Rangers / Parks & Countryside, Delegated Grants / Economy and Culture, Sustainable Transport and Herefordshire Biological Records Centre.
Main Contact: Juliet Wheatley, Team Leader, Conservation: ; 01432260157)
  • Herefordshire Tree Forum
  • Woodland Trust
  • Natural England
  • Herefordshire Nature Trust
  • Hereford Civic Society
  • Wyevale Nurseries
  • Hereford in Bloom
  • Hereford City Council
  • Bulmer Foundation
  • Heineken
  • New Leaf
  • Network Rail
  • Herefordshire Amphibian and Reptile Trust
  • Hereford Society of Model Engineers
  • Holme Lacy College
  • Holmer C of E Academy
  • St. Mary’s Primary School
  • Burghill Community Primary School
  • Trinity Primary School
  • Lord Scudamore Academy
  • Friends of Castle Green
  • National Farmers’ Union
  • Hereford Lions
  • Hereford Cider Museum
  • Greening the Village
  • Wheeled Sports for Hereford Ltd.
  • Kemble Housing Association
  • Burghill Valley Golf Course
  • Amey
The entire Hereford Green Infrastructure project was characterised by the large number of partners involved and the consequent development of relationships and communication channels between them. An innovative approach to project delivery was adopted through setting up a ‘Challenge Fund’ allowing community groups and local organisations to bid for grants up to a total of £3000 to carry out small-scale GI projects of their choice, facilitating a grass-roots, ‘multi-micro’ approach to GI. The use of this methodology and the inclusion of multiple stakeholders fostered a sense of ownership and community spirit that supported delivery of the projects and is key to safeguarding their future success.
Brief Project Description
16 individual GI projects were approved for funding under 5 categories:
School Sites:
  • Holmer Primary (GIP/12/04)
  • Lord Scudamore Primary (GIP/12/13)
  • St. Mary’s Primary, Credenhill (GIP/12/05)
  • Burghill Primary (GIP/12/06)
  • Trinity Primary (GIP/12/12)
Amenity / Cultural Sites:
  • Hereford Skatepark (GIP/12/08)
  • Burghill Valley Golf Course (GIP/12/20)
  • Hereford Society of Model Engineers, Broomy Hill (GIP/12/02)
  • Hereford Cider Museum (GIP/12/09)
  • Cantilupe Gardens (GIP/12/16)
Transport Corridors / Streetscapes:
  • Roman Road – Hereford Lions (GIP/12/18)
  • Greening the Village (GIP/12/07)
  • Kings Acre / Whitecross Tree Avenue Extension (GIP/12/10)
  • Hereford Railway Station (GIP/12/17)
Business Sites:
  • Hereford Livestock Market (GIP/12/20)
Traditional Nature Conservation Sites:
  • Wyevale Wood
Project Descriptions:
School Sites covering 5.5 ha GI Enhancement / 1.9 ha BAP Habitat (Hedgerow / Standing Open Water) Creation:
The 5 schools (totalling approximately 1600 pupils) all had existing green space, but much of the proposed GI project areas consisted of: frequently mowed sports-fields & play grounds; disused / derelict play areas unsuitable for child access due to broken / dangerous equipment; over-used play-areas to the point of having bare mud (i.e. no vegetation remaining); invasive species (e.g. the school pond at St. Mary’s was completely overtaken with New Zealand Stone Crop (Crassulahelmsii); and bare, imposing, un-aesthetically pleasing school fences due to a ‘blanket-ban’ on planting near or against boundaries for maintenance purposes.
The main issues and challenges were: planting / ground-work set-backs due to inclement weather; obtaining permission on a case-by-case basis for planting along school boundaries / fences; and the presence of great-crested newts requiring appropriately licensed ecologists to carry out all pond re-profiling and appropriate guidance for disposal of invasive species.
The school projects included:
  • Planting of native hedgerow species along school boundaries and fences creating wildlife corridors along perimeters and adjoining / enhancing neighbouring grounds
  • Planting numerous trees, shrubs, bulbs and climbers to improve biodiversity & aesthetics of schools
  • Creating outdoor classrooms and forest school areas for educational purposes
  • Crafting willow sculptures for green play areas and defining access / entrance points
  • Constructing vegetable patches / raised beds for grow your own schemes
  • Forming sensory gardens / wildflower areas / wildlife areas / shaded seating areas / ‘quiet-gardens’
  • Re-instating a school pond including: obtaining professional licensed expertise to deal with great crested newts; removal and disposal of dominant invasive species; re-profiling pond to maximise species richness; re-planting with appropriate species; creating a wetland / marsh area; creating hibernacula for existing newts; re-land-scaping and planting adjacent ground to benefit pond wildlife
  • Forming log-piles; putting up bird-boxes
  • Recycling materials for use in e.g. seating areas / shelters
  • Creating pathways to enhance access to outdoor spaces
  • Re-visiting maintenance regimes e.g. with regards to mowing / leaving wild areas
  • Facilitating disabled access to the outdoors / nurture spaces for disadvantaged pupils
  • Incorporating the projects into lesson plans / curriculum and school reward schemes
In addition, some of the schools have set-up schemes to open the grounds to the wider community through a ‘share-garden’ principle enabling external groups such as Scout Groups / Holiday Clubs / Sheltered Housing Residents / Pensioners etc. out-of-hours access. In one example, 1 in 6 pupils at the school do not have a garden and there is also a lack of green space in the local community, enhancing the value of the project to those involved.