News

Views at Shugborough Estate on Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are about to get better. Shugborough Estate is an iconic Grade 1 Listed Park of international significance with extensive parkland and pleasure grounds, and a major tourist attraction. Part of the park and the main visitor route to the Mansion is crossed by an overhead power line that intrudes on the historic landscape. The 825m of powerline constitutes one the most significant modern intrusions on this landscape, impacting key parkland views, the settings of key buildings and tranquillity of the pleasure grounds.

The undergrounding scheme at Shugborough was proposed jointly by the AONB and the National Trust and will see overhead lines at Shugborough Estate removed to restore the historic character of this iconic Grade I listed park. Their removal will help the National Trust in their ambition to reinstate the historic beauty of the landscape and improve the visitor experience.

The final stages of the work are now underway to remove the overhead line and 10 wooden poles and place the service underground, along with repositioning the transformers to less obtrusive locations.

This is part of an ongoing £2.3 million regulatory-backed initiative funded by Western Power Distribution (WPD) to enhance protected landscapes.

Last year the AONB also secured funding from this initiative to underground overhead lines and so improve the landscape along Marquis Drive, between the White House to Moors Gorse.

Cannock Chase AONB Partnership wants to help farmers and land managers in the AONB prepare for the changes being introduced to agricultural support over the next few years.

Change is coming

The face of UK agriculture is changing.  From 2021 direct payments (the Basic Payment Scheme) will be phased out in the lead up to the roll out of a new Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELM) in 2024 which will focus on:

• Improving the environment
• Improving animal health and welfare
• Reducing carbon emissions

Farming in Protected Landscapes

To help farmers and land managers in AONBs (as well as National Parks) prepare for these changes, from April 2021-24 Defra is introducing a new ‘Farming in Protected Landscapes’ scheme.  This will provide advice and funding for those in nationally protected landscapes to manage the natural environment, cultural heritage and public access.  The details of this scheme are still being prepared, but it appears it will be delivered through the AONBs and National Parks themselves.

Support for farmers in Cannock Chase AONB

In preparation for the new scheme, Cannock Chase AONB Partnership is beginning to contact all farmers and land managers who own or manage land within or in close proximity to Cannock Chase AONB.  To help with this task, they have appointed DJM Consulting and Arbor Vitae – two local rural consultancy firms with experience and expertise in land management.

Over the next few weeks, information will be shared about:

• Current opportunities with existing environmental schemes
• Future opportunities for farmers and land managers in ELM and Farming in Protected Landscapes
• Future opportunities as part of farmer networks in the AONB

To learn more about the needs of the farming and landowning community in the AONB and to provide tailored support through the next few years, farmers and landowners are also being invited to complete a survey and take part in small group discussions and one to one meetings.  Due to the current restrictions, these will all take place remotely using videoconferencing/teleconferencing.

Next Steps

• Get in touch with Marie Charles at DJM Consulting if you farm and manage land in Cannock Chase AONB and want to take part and receive further communications:

Office line:       01746 714089

Mobile:            07803 533461

Email:              marie@theruralbusiness.co.uk

• Take part in the survey. If you prefer to, you can also complete this survey over the phone with Marie – call on 01746 714089 today.
• Register for one of the free online workshops in February or March
• Spread the word – mention this to your neighbours, family members or friends who farm or manage land in the AONB.

This February the AONB, together with the countryside charity CPRE, are inviting everyone to take part in Star Count 2021, a fun and easy way to enjoy the wonders of the universe.

Dark starry skies are a magical sight, but glare from streetlights and buildings can mean that many of us don’t get to see them. Just 3% of people in England experience ‘truly dark skies’. Locally, Cannock Chase has the highest levels of light pollution of all England’s 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). The AONB is affected by light spillage from nearby towns, but remains an oasis of darkness relative to the surroundings. Cannock Chase AONB wants to conserve its dark skies for people to enjoy and for nature to thrive, and as part of a wider project is joining with CPRE this year to study our starry skies. You can find out more about the AONB’s Dark Skies project on our website.

If you live in or around Cannock Chase AONB we need your help to count the stars, and we hope you will join CPRE’s Star Count. Anyone can take part in the survey by choosing a clear night between 6-14 February and counting the number of stars they can see within the constellation of Orion. It’s easy to do, and does not require a telescope or any other equipment. This year CPRE is asking everyone to take part from home: from a garden, balcony, doorstep or even bedroom window. It’s a family-friendly activity that’s quick and easy to do, even during lockdown, and can help more of us experience the beauty of a starry sky.

The results will help CPRE create an interactive map of the nation’s view of the night sky. Locally the results of this cosmic census will help the AONB Partnership in their work to reduce light pollution and keep the night skies above Cannock Chase special.

Councillor Frances Beatty, Chair of Cannock Chase AONB Joint Committee, commented:

“The amount of artificial light from growing conurbations surrounding Cannock Chase is damaging its natural world and reducing our ability to see dark skies. The need to protect and restore the rhythm of night and day has never been more urgent and we want decision makers to address artificial light pollution in their policies for the AONB and its surroundings. Plants and animals depend on the circadian rhythm of light and dark to govern life-sustaining behaviours such as reproduction, food, sleep and protection from predators. Artificial light has negative effects on many creatures, including amphibians, birds, mammals, invertebrates and plants, which impacts on the sensitive habitats on the Chase. Darkness at night should be an integral part of its landscape, adding to its tranquillity and sense of remoteness. We want to ensure that our skies don’t get any lighter, and that looking up at a starry sky is something we can continue to experience and enjoy.”

Crispin Truman, chief executive of CPRE, the countryside charity, said:

‘A starry night sky is one of the most magical sights the countryside can offer, connecting us to the nature we all love and the wonders of the wider universe. Dark skies are also crucial for our health and for that of wildlife. Lockdown and the coronavirus have reminded us about how good for us the countryside can be.

‘But many places suffer from light pollution, bleaching out the night sky. We want to change this. By taking part in Star Count, people will be contributing to citizen science, helping us to lobby the government for more protection of this too often overlooked, but vital, part of our countryside’.

For more information about how to take part in the Star Count and to download a free family activity pack, visit CPRE’s website.

Following the new national lockdown in England announced on Monday 4 January 2021, there are some changes to the government guidelines which are relevant to anyone wishing to visit Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) at this time.

The updated guidance includes the following information:

• You can only leave your home to exercise, and not for the purpose of recreation or leisure (e.g. a picnic or social meeting). This should be limited to once per day and you should not travel outside your local area.
• You should minimise time spent outside your home.
• It is against the law to meet socially with family or friends unless they are part of your household or support bubble.

You can exercise in a public outdoor place:

• By yourself
• With the people you live with
• In a childcare bubble providing childcare
• Or, when on your own, with 1 person from another household

Public outdoor places include:

• Parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests
• Public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them)
• The grounds of a heritage site
• Playgrounds

If you need to travel you should stay local – meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live – and look to reduce the number of journeys you make overall.

Read the full guidance from the government.

Thank you for staying at home, protecting the NHS and saving lives.

The next meeting of the Cannock Chase AONB Partnership Joint Committee is taking place at 10.00 am on Friday 11th December 2020.

The meeting is being held remotely and can be observed by joining the webcast.

Agenda:

1. Welcome and introductions
2. Apologies for absence
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 16^th July 2020
4. AONB Projects – updates
5. AONB Business Plan 2021-23 – key item
6. Financial report
7. Dark Skies Project proposal
8. Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMs) advocacy project
9. Mountain biking on Cannock Chase
10. Cannock Chase business engagement
11. Planning update (a) Development management and planning policy, (b) Planning White Paper, (c) Commonwealth Games (d) HS2, (e) Undergrounding
12. Any other business
13. Date, time and venue of next meeting

Exclusion of the public and press

Part Two (all reports in this part are exempt)

Papers for the meeting can be viewed here.

The AONB is governed by the Joint Committee which has devolved authority from the five local authorities that cover the Chase (Staffordshire County Council, Cannock Chase Council, Lichfield District Council, South Staffordshire Council and Stafford Borough Council).  It leads on preparing, monitoring and reviewing the AONB Management Plan for Cannock Chase.

Do you have a project in mind that will make a difference to Cannock Chase AONB, its wealth of wildlife and heritage and its communities? Projects must support the conservation and enhancement of this special area by providing an environmental, economic or social benefit – ideally all three.

Anyone (individual, groups or organisation) can apply for a grant of up to £3,000 from the AONB’s Sustainable Development Fund (SDF). The fund is provided by Defra.

The closing date for applications is midnight 16 November 2020 and projects must be completed by 31 March 2021.

For grants of £500 or under we can fund up to 100% of the project costs. For awards over £500 we usually ask for match funding of between 25% – 50%. This can be made up from ‘in kind’ contributions such as volunteer time or the loan of premises or equipment.

You do not have to live or work within Cannock Chase to apply but, your project must have a direct positive impact upon the AONB, have a wider public benefit, and support one or more of the priorities set out in the Cannock Chase AONB Management Plan. Please see our Cannock Chase AONB Management Plan page.

Projects supported in previous years include:  interpretation panels, habitat management, wildlife surveys, bird and bat boxes, social history research, leaflets and art projects.

Of the grant scheme, Frances Beatty, Chair of the AONB Joint Committee commented:

“Over the many years the scheme has been operating it has helped to fund projects such as educational and interpretational work, conserving wildlife, and improving health and wellbeing through the arts, all very different but all with the conservation of the unique landscape at their heart.  This grant is a very small recognition of the exceptional work by local volunteers and organisations year on year, all with a love of the Chase”.

For more information and how to apply, please see our ‘funding for your project’ page.

Image credit: Paul Roberts, Lead Ranger Shugborough Estate & Staffordshire Countryside, National Trust.

Cannock Chase AONB Joint Committee has set out its views of the proposals put forward by the Cannock Chase Special of Area of Conservation (SAC) Partnership in a Position Statement published today.

The body which has responsibility for protecting the nationally designated landscape believes that the proposals for car parking and visitor management offer a way forward to provide for the future growth in recreational use of Cannock Chase whilst safeguarding the area’s special landscape, wildlife and heritage interests.  The Joint Committee has taken into consideration:

• An ‘inevitable’ increase in visitors sparked by housebuilding must be managed to protect Cannock Chase’s vulnerable landscape and wildlife.
• Analysis of information from planning authorities in the area shows an anticipated 30,564 additional homes will be built within 10 miles of Cannock Chase by 2032.
• Three-quarters of people currently using Cannock Chase travel less than 10 miles and visitor numbers are already expected to rise to nearly three million a year over the next decade.
• Up to £7.8 million could be available to deliver future plans produced by the Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation Partnership, which relies entirely on money from developers to offset the effects of housebuilding.
• The plans want to improve trails, invest in more way signs and interpretation boards, provide conservation education to children and manage where people park by closing some parking areas in vulnerable parts of the Chase and creating more parking spaces, including free ones, in the more robust areas.

Frances Beatty, Chair of the AONB Joint Committee commented:

“Cannock Chase is already hugely popular and the number of visitors will inevitably increase still further over the next decade and beyond, not least as a result of local housing growth.

“Cannock Chase is a priceless resource that we all enjoy.  We have a shared responsibility to ensure that we keep it special.  This includes giving careful consideration to the way that we visit and use the Chase”.

“The AONB Joint Committee welcomes the proposals for car parking and visitor management put forward by the SAC Partnership, as a way to safeguard the ecology and landscape of Cannock Chase whilst retaining people’s use and enjoyment of the Chase”

“I would encourage everyone who loves Cannock Chase to read the proposals in detail and work together to keep the Chase special.”

The AONB Position Statement highlights that:

• Cannock Chase is one of England’s finest landscapes and is internationally important
• Authorities and landowners have legal responsibilities to look after the Chase
• Cannock Chase is a wonderful resource for people to enjoy, but its popularity is creating pressure on its fragile ecology and natural beauty
• Visitor use needs careful management to ensure that the Chase remains special for years to come
• The proposals put forward by the SAC Partnership offer the opportunity for long-term investment in visitor infrastructure, at no extra cost to the taxpayer, and a way forward to ensure that future recreational use doesn’t damage the area’s special interests.

Notes

Cannock Chase AONB Joint Committee, comprises elected members from the five local authorities which cover the protected landscape (Staffordshire County Council, Stafford Borough, Cannock Chase District, South Staffordshire District and Lichfield District).

The housebuilding analysis referred to was prepared by consultants for the Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation Partnership and published in 2017.

View the Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation Partnership’s conservation proposals.

View the AONB Position Statement.

View Staffordshire County Council’s response to the proposals.

2019/20 was another busy and successful year for the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership.

Our latest Annual Review has just been published. It highlights some of our many achievements to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of Cannock Chase, and balance our responsibility to look after its precious ecology whilst at the same time connect people with this nationally important landscape.
Our AONB Team, our partners and local communities are working together to save the unique character of Cannock Chase by:

• helping the recovery of scarce and threatened nature like the nightjar and white-clawed crayfish;
• improving the scenic quality of our wonderful landscape;
• encouraging high quality, landscape-led design of new developments;
• improving our understand of the significance of our cultural heritage,
• raising the visitor experience, and;
• creating new ways to engage and raise awareness of Cannock Chase.

Frances Beatty, Chair of the AONB Joint Committee commented:

“I would encourage everyone who loves Cannock Chase to read what we continue to achieve on your behalf. The landscape, wildlife and heritage of Cannock Chase is a priceless resource enjoyed by millions of visitors each year as well as those who live and work on it”.

“As ever, I would like to thank everyone for their continued co-operation and commitment to the AONB, especially Defra and our local authorities – Staffordshire County Council, Cannock Chase Council, Stafford Borough Council, Lichfield District Council and South Staffordshire Borough Council”

The year ended with everyone facing the worry and uncertainty of the coronavirus outbreak. Councillor Beatty added:

“The surge in popularity of Cannock Chase since the easing of lockdown restrictions shows how much we value our protected landscapes for raising our spirits and for physical exercise. People have headed for open spaces and are fortunate to have an internationally important place to visit. It is important to understand that it is fragile and can be damaged, so when you do visit please do so responsibly and with care and consideration for others. It is essential that we all work together to keep the Chase special for future generations”.

Do you have a project in mind that will make a difference to the landscape, wildlife, heritage and communities of Cannock Chase?

Community groups, schools, organisations and individuals could be eligible for a grant of up to £3,000 from Cannock Chase AONB’s Sustainable Development Fund (SDF).

The fund is provided by Defra, and you will need to demonstrate that your project will have an environmental, economic or social benefit – ideally a combination of all three.

Applications need to be submitted before 8 September 2020 and any project granted funds must be completed before the end of March 2021.

For grants of £500 or under we can fund up to 100% of the project costs to support small projects and grass roots community organisations. For awards over £500 we usually ask for match funding of 25% – 50% but this can be from a variety of sources including ‘in kind’ contributions such as volunteer time or the loan of premises or equipment.

You do not have to live or work within Cannock Chase but you must be able to demonstrate that your project will have a direct positive impact upon the AONB, have a wider public benefit and support one or more of the priorities set out in the Cannock Chase AONB management plan.

Of the grant scheme, Frances Beatty, Chair of the AONB Joint Committee commented:

“Over the many years the scheme has been operating it has helped to fund projects such as educational and interpretational work, conserving wildlife, and improving health and wellbeing through the arts, all very different but all with the conservation of the unique landscape at their heart.  This grant is a very small recognition of the exceptional work by local volunteers and organisations year on year, all with a love of the Chase”.

For more information and how to apply, please see our ‘funding for your project’ page.

Image credit: Paul Roberts, Lead Ranger Shugborough Estate & Staffordshire Countryside, National Trust.

The next meeting of the Cannock Chase AONB Partnership Joint Committee is taking place at 10.30 am on Thursday 16th July 2020. The meeting is to held virtually via Microsoft Teams.

Members of the public wishing to attend this meeting must contact the AONB Team in advance of the meeting to be given access details.
Please email cannockchase@staffordshire.gov.uk, or call 01785 276051.

Information on the agenda and accompanying papers for the meeting can be viewed here.

The Joint Committee is the body that leads on preparing, monitoring and reviewing the AONB Management Plan for Cannock Chase.

With warm weather forecast for Father’s Day weekend Staffordshire residents are being urged to respect the countryside and each other.

Until recent colder, damper weather discouraged some visitors, parks, lakes and rural places open to the public have been very busy as people allowed outdoors to exercise once more flocked outdoors following lockdown.

But Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Fire and Police, all district and borough councils, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Forestry England, Peak District National Park Authority, Cannock Chase AONB and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust are calling for public help after a spate of fires, littering and groups of people appearing to disregard social distancing requirements.

Gill Heath, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Communities, said: “It’s great that people can get outdoors again and enjoy Staffordshire’s beautiful countryside, but people need to respect the countryside, as well as following social distancing.

“It’s plain to see that most people have been doing the right thing, but there are idiots lighting fires and barbecues where the ground is as dry as a bone, leaving piles of rubbish lying around at beauty spots and having social gatherings which look to be more than the permitted size.

“Let’s be clear. Do not light fires and barbecues, do not throw away matches or cigarettes carelessly, do not enter the water and follow the Countryside Code so our beauty spots are still beautiful for the next person to come along.”

Drivers are warned that car parks may close at short notice to enforce social distancing and that if they cannot find a place, they must not block lanes or gates needed for emergency service access – nor park across entrances to people’s homes.

Most public places still have public toilets and information centres closed so visitors should plan accordingly.

Superintendent Tom Chisholm, Head of Neighbourhood for Staffordshire Police, said: “There are many beautiful places in Staffordshire and we understand perfectly why people want to visit. The threat of infection has not gone away and everyone must take personal responsibility.

“To those visiting outdoor public spaces, please observe social distancing, park legally and considerately and don’t leave anything valuable in your vehicle.”

Dermot Hogan, Group Manager for Central Prevent and Protect for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The recent rain has done little to dampen everywhere enough to reduce the fire risk and with a few hours of sunshine the fire risk will be just as high as it was before we had the wet weather.

“We would encourage people to avoid BBQs and take a picnic instead, taking all your litter home. This includes cigarette ends, they can cause a fire which can quickly spread, impacting on the wider community and wildlife.”

Following the Government’s updated guidance on exercising and staying safe during the Covid-19 pandemic, car parks on Cannock Chase are beginning to re-open.

Information is being constantly updated, so for the latest details on which car parks and facilities are open and what you may be asked to do during your visit, you are advised to check the websites of the major landowners:

Staffordshire County Council (for Cannock Chase Country Park)
Forestry England (for Birches Valley)
National Trust (for Shugborough Hall and Gardens)
Cannock Chase Council (for Castle Ring and Shoal Hill)
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (for Gentleshaw Common)

From Wednesday 13th May, Government guidance says that people may drive any distance to visit publicly accessible outdoor spaces and that they can sit and rest there with members of their household or with one person from another household – though they must keep at least two metres apart.

To ensure social distancing public gatherings of more than two people are still banned. Full guidance can be found here, or by watching this video #StayAlert #Coronavirus https://t.co/dRjGoZPLzj

The recent warm weather and dry vegetation has increased the risk of fires on Cannock Chase. Fire can endanger people’s lives and homes as well as have devastating effects on our wildlife. Please take extra care on the Chase, leave no trace of your visit, and help reduce demand on the emergency services at this particularly difficult time.

Enjoy our beautiful countryside, keep Cannock Chase special, and please remember:

STAY ALERT – CONTROL THE VIRUS – SAVE LIVES

The lockdown is continuing and the Government is asking us to stay indoors a bit longer to save lives and protect the NHS. To help you enjoy nature from your own homes, we thought we would bring the sights and sounds of Spring on Cannock Chase to you! We asked one local resident living on the Chase to share with us the wildlife that is returning to its forests and heaths.

An early morning doorstep walk on the Chase

An early Spring morning; chill, but a low bright sun sparkling through trees gives promise of a warm day to come. Hawthorn and Birch have sprung into leaf, and the gorse is in full flower, the bright green and yellow a welcome relief from the brown drab of winter. The silence that has pervaded the Chase over the last months is no more.

Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Chaffinches proclaim loudly, interspersed with the more subtle and fluid notes of the Robin and the liquid waterfall song of the Willow Warbler. Standing still I can also hear the the beautiful strident song of the Blackcap, while numerous Tits and the metronome of the Chiffchaff, now eclipsed by their lookalike cousins the Willow Warbler, add to the orchestra. Spring has arrived with a sudden rush of exuberance this year.

A stroll down the hill through Brocton Coppice, where the ancient oaks are just beginning to spring into life, reveals a Redstart, as usual proclaiming from the tree top, bright handsome plumage striking against the blue sky. A male Mandarin Duck sitting on a horizontal branch several metres above the ground is a strange but welcome sight. These naturalised immigrants nest in tree holes, often some distance from water, and it seems they are now adding a touch of the exotic to our local patch.

On the heath and in the valleys Tree Pipits parachute gracefully, singing as they tumble, while skylarks hang high overhead, their liquid notes floating on the breeze. Fallow Deer are everywhere, seemingly enjoying the peace of an empty Chase, the females fat with the promise of new life. At our feet Peacock Butterflies race past, and Green Hairstreaks flit among the Bilberry and Gorse. An occasional Brimstone floats past, while in woodland glades a lone Speckled Wood chases off all comers, defending his patch.

A Cuckoo echoes his call, elusive as ever, safely arrived back from sub-Saharan Africa.

Spring has truly sprung.

Please remember what you need to do during the Coronavirus crisis – ‘Stay at Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives’.

Our normal lives may be on hold for the time being, but there are ways you can bring nature into your homes or learn about the environment. Here are some suggestions to help you keep up your spirits during the lockdown.

Staying in touch with nature

Staying in touch with nature during the coronavirus lockdown might seem a tricky thing to achieve while we are being told to stay away from each other, avoid unnecessary travel and exercise locally. However, there are still many ways we can experience our natural environment, even if you have limited local access to greenspace. Chris Packham, for example, has launched an online birdwatching community called the Self Isolation Bird Club, to offer an escape for those self-isolating due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. Drawing people together to focus on enjoying and engaging with wildlife, Chris has created a space for wildlife-lovers across Twitter and Facebook to share their findings with one another. From beautiful blue tits in the garden to the sound of robins singing, the videos and photos are celebrating the best of the great outdoors — and it’s easy for everyone to get involved. You can join the thousands of nature watchers taking part through the Facebook page he’s set up, the Self-Isolating Bird Club . Chris is also live-streaming from the New Forest at 9 am every morning.

Farmers launch #LockdownLearning initiative for home education

Farmers and growers from across Britain are hoping to inspire and educate children about food and where it comes from as a part of a new #LockdownLearning project. The free, online resource comes as thousands of parents are now home-schooling their children due to the coronavirus. The project, which was developed by the NFU and the team of farmers at EatFarmNow, provides exciting educational farming activities for children while they are away from school, helping to build their knowledge of science and technology alongside learning all about food production. Children will hear first-hand about how their food gets from farm to fork, with well-known farming faces such as Countryfile’s Adam Henson and TV presenter Jimmy Doherty documenting their farming journey through online videos and social media. The project will focus on different themes over the next four weeks, starting with an Easter theme for over the Easter holiday and then focusing on horticulture, food and technology in agriculture. Educational resources designed by the NFU’s education team of former teachers will be available for parents to use, as well as activities from other educational farming programmes.

Bumblebee Conservation Trust Learning Zone

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has a range of free educational activities designed for children and young persons from age 4 to 11+ to develop their knowledge and understanding of bumblebees, the challenges and threats they face, and how children can become a guardian of bumblebees to secure their future.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – 24 March UPDATE

Following yesterday’s government announcement, it is clear that the best thing to do right now is to STAY AT HOME to limit the spread of coronavirus. Heading to a beauty spot like Cannock Chase is not essential travel, and local amenities will be closed.

So please ignore all previous advice and STAY AT HOME.

Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Team

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – UPDATE

18 March 2020

Contacting us
In accordance with latest Government guidance the Cannock Chase AONB team is working remotely for the foreseeable future. If you would like to contact us please email the relevant team member directly. Alternatively, email us at cannockchase@staffordshire.gov.uk. We will respond to you as soon as we can.

Events and meetings
Our events and meetings, and those planned by our partners, are being cancelled, postponed, or conducted remotely where possible. If you are due to attend an event or meeting please contact the organiser.

Enjoying the landscape safely
If you are able to go out, Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is still open for restorative fresh air and sunshine, exercise, and mood boosting as long as you follow the latest Government guidance. With 69 square kilometres of forests, heaths and countryside and over 150 km of footpaths or bridleway there is plenty of space for you to enjoy the outdoors safely if you are able to.

Visitor centres/hubs
If you are thinking of going to one of the Visitor Centre/Hubs on and around the Chase please check them first for further information.

Stay safe.
Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty team

To protect visitors and volunteers from the risk of exposure to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the Great War Hut at Marquis Drive Visitor Centre is temporarily closed from today (17 March 2020).

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

We are closely monitoring the situation, and will re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Cannock Chase AONB Unit
Email: cannockchase@staffordshire.gov.uk

Over the last few years Staffordshire County Council, working with RSPB and Natural England, has been discussing and developing options for managing open habitats on Cannock Chase.

The options included types of management that have been used for many years on the Chase, such as cutting and controlled burning of heather, cutting and spot treating trees and scrub, and cutting and spraying bracken. They also included reintroducing grazing with livestock, which was the traditional way the Chase was managed before the Great War. This update from the County Council tells you what’s been happening, and the work planned over the coming months.

Grazing Pilot Begins
Spring 2020 sees the start of the grazing pilot scheme at Moors Gorse, Cannock Chase. This small area of heathland and woodland near the Visitor Centre will be grazed this summer by up to six traditional breed cattle.

Work will start in March with clearance work ahead of installation of fencing around the perimeter of the area to be grazed. The fencing has been located in amongst the vegetation to reduce its visual impact, and the area has been checked by ecologists, archaeologists and the AONB team to make sure it’s in the best location. Initially gaps will be left in the fence and gates will later be installed. There will also be special features to ensure deer and other wildlife can still get about easily.

Water troughs and handling facilities will also be installed and then later in summer a small number of cattle will be brought onto the site to graze the vegetation for a few months. This will help to more naturally manage the vegetation to create the best conditions to support a whole range of heathland wildlife. To find out more, click here

Winter Works Completed…

Heather Cutting
Over the winter heather has been cut on various parts of the country park. Much of our heather is quite old and cutting helps rejuvenate it. The aim is to get a range of age classes across the site as each age class supports different wildlife, or wildlife at different life cycle stages. Heather cutting has now finished – it is not carried out in spring and summer as birds will be nesting and must not be disturbed.

Caring for Brocton Coppice
Over the winter months a number of activities have taken place to care for Brocton Coppice and its wonderful veteran oak trees.

• Thinning young oak plantations – between 1975 and 1981 a number of oak trees were planted on Brocton Coppice. These trees have been thinned in the past and needed further thinning. This involves removing badly damaged trees or favouring healthy broad canopy trees so that they can have space to grow and form veteran trees in the future.
• Thinning birch around veteran oaks – some of the veteran trees were suffering from overshadowing by birch. There are a number of birch which have grown up around the edge of the canopies of the ancient trees, these then compete for light and moisture. These birch trees have been thinned to prevent the veteran trees becoming stressed.
• Heathland glades – there are a few areas of heathy glades that were starting to get encroached with birch regeneration. Some of the regeneration has been removed to preserve and enhance the diversity within the coppice

Invertebrate habitat
Plans to create bare ground habitat for invertebrates were severely hampered by the weather. The County Council will therefore pick this work up again later in the year.

Staffordshire Past Track has just added an historic image of sheep grazing on Cannock Chase to its collection. The image is one of a number taken by Walter Williams of Stafford that date from around 1890 to 1897, but the exact location isn’t known. If you have any ideas, please get in touch. The cottage (with smoking chimney) in the dip to the right hand side of the picture might give some clues.

Sheep, along with cattle, horses and even geese used to be a commonplace sight on the Chase up until the Great War. The image shows an open heathy landscape, with what appears to be scattered bracken in the foreground and middle ground, with some scrubby vegetation in the background, and trees in the distance.

Staffordshire Past Track is managed by Staffordshire County Council’s Archives and Heritage Service.

Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership has been awarded a grant of £192,291 over 6 years by National Grid’s Landscape Enhancement Initiative* to be delivered at Gentleshaw Common. The grant is provided to help reduce the landscape and visual impact of existing electricity pylons and overhead lines in protected landscapes. The pylons will still be there if you look up, but the aim is to carry out works to restore the Common away from them to a place that is buzzing with heathland wildlife. The project will be delivered by our partners Staffordshire Wildlife Trust at their Gentleshaw Common Nature Reserve.

Gentleshaw Common is an 86-hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), designated for the special mix of heathland plants living there. By controlling bracken, scrub and purple moor grass this will allow the characteristic flora and fauna of lowland heath, a nationally important habitat, to thrive. Areas of wet heath will also be restored to benefit more delicate plants such as the beautiful yellow spikes of Bog Asphodel and the carnivorous Sundew. There will also be improvements to encourage sensitive access by restoring footpaths, constructing boardwalks, and improving the small car park to enable visitors the opportunity to experience and enjoy nature up close.

Councillor Frances Beatty, Chair of the Cannock Chase AONB Partnership added: “We are delighted to receive this grant and the support of National Grid. Building on the fantastic work of our partners Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, this project will help to restore the natural heather and wet heath of Cannock Chase”.

Hayley Dorrington, Southern Heathlands Warden for Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We’re really excited to have been awarded this grant. Staffordshire’s heathlands are a massively important part of our ecosystem, but are often overlooked.

“This money will help us make Gentleshaw Common a stunning place to visit, as well as helping the heathland plants, birds and insects living there.”

Chris Baines, environmentalist, broadcaster and chair of the Stakeholder Advisory Group that advises National Grid on the Visual Impact Provision which includes the Landscape Enhancement Initiative said: “I am delighted that LEI is helping the Cannock Chase AONB and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to restore and enhance Gentleshaw Common.

“The LEI is an initiative devised by the VIP project’s Advisory Board and managed enthusiastically by National Grid. It is an initiative that stakeholders asked for and consumers support. The enhancement of Gentleshaw Common is one of several projects involving Wildlife Trusts to benefit from LEI. I hope we can look forward to supporting many more.”

* The Landscape Enhancement Initiative is part of National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project which makes use of a £500m provision from the regulator, Ofgem, to reduce the landscape and visual impact of existing high-voltage electricity infrastructure in English and Welsh AONBs and National Parks.

All electricity transmission owners are funded by a price control mechanism which is agreed with and set by Ofgem, the electricity and gas markets regulator. Ofgem has agreed a set of price controls and incentives for the period from April 2013 to March 2021. This includes a provision of £500m to mitigate the visual impact of existing electricity infrastructure in nationally protected landscapes in Great Britain.

£24m of this provision has been set aside for the Landscape Enhancement Initiative. This is available to 30 AONBs and National Parks across England and Wales.

More than £2.3 million has already been awarded to eligible AONBs and National Parks in England and Wales to help fund projects to reduce the landscape and visual impacts of existing National Grid electricity transmission lines.

Over the last few years Staffordshire County Council, working with RSPB and Natural England, has been discussing and developing options for managing open habitats on Cannock Chase. The options include types of management that have been used for many years on the Chase, such as cutting and controlled burning of heather, cutting and spot treating trees and scrub, and cutting and spraying bracken. They also include reintroducing grazing with livestock, which was the traditional way the Chase was managed before the Great War.

This post updates you on what’s happening and the work planned by Staffordshire County Council over the coming months on Cannock Chase Country Park.

Heather Cutting

Current works at Cannock Chase Country Park include cutting some of the heather. It is important to have a good age range in the heather across the site, as this ensures continuity and so that different wildlife can use it at different stages. Much of the heather on Cannock Chase is in the older age ranges, so management is essential to help get some new growth.

Creating habitat for invertebrates

Over the next few weeks some bare ground for insects and other species will be created on the Chase. Bare ground is an important component of heathland habitat. It is used by insects such as colonies of solitary bees and wasps, beetles and also by reptiles. Bare ground warms up quickly in the sun and creates ideal areas for burrowing and nesting, chasing prey and basking. It can also create good areas for seeds to germinate, helping smaller less competitive plants to get a chance to grow.

Bare ground can be created by natural processes and by grazing animals, but where there isn’t very much naturally occurring it can be helpful to wildlife to crate bare ground mechanically. This is a well tried technique that has been used on other sites with positive effects.

This work will start soon on Cannock Chase and continue over the coming years; Staffordshire County Council will be monitoring the site to check how wildlife is benefitting. Each location has been carefully checked to make sure it creates ideal habitat while not damaging anything else. Most will be south facing to make the most of the sun’s warmth, and each has been checked by the AONB Landscape Officer and County Archaeologist to make sure they will sit well in the landscape and not harm any archaeological features.

Comments and queries

If you have any comments or queries about these proposals, please get in touch using our contact form.

The next meeting of the Cannock Chase AONB Partnership Joint Committee takes place at 2pm on Thursday 5th December at the offices of Staffordshire County Council – Rudyard Suite, Staffordshire Place 1, Stafford, ST16 2DH. Members of the public are welcome to attend to listen to proceedings. For information on the agenda and accompanying papers for the meeting visit our publications pages. The Joint Committee is the body that leads on preparing, monitoring and reviewing the AONB Management Plan for Cannock Chase.

The National Association for AONBs Annual Report for 2018-19 is now available. This is the first year that AONBs have reported to new Key Performance Indicators, which are illustrated by case studies from around the UK showing the impact of the work of AONBs on nature, landscape, heritage and local communities.

Cannock Chase AONB Partnership is inviting community groups, businesses, farmers and individuals to apply for funding for projects that will benefit the AONB.

If you have an idea for a project which will bring environmental, economic, social or educational benefits to the communities within Cannock Chase AONB we want to hear from you.

A second round of the Cannock Chase AONB Sustainable Development Fund for 2019/20 is now open and applications need to be submitted by 15 November 2019.

The fund is funded by Defra and for the last ten years has enabled the AONB Partnership to support many projects which meet the primary purposes of the AONB:  to ‘conserve and enhance’ the natural beauty of the landscape.  The projects can be very different – but all have the conservation of our wonderful landscape at their core.  These have included local history projects, awareness days, leaflets about the wildlife of the AONB, practical work on local sites and nature reserves for access and wildlife, events, research projects and feasibility studies.

Applications can be made for grants up to £5000 and no project is too small.  Usually match funding of 25% – 50% will be needed but this can be from a variety of sources including ‘in kind’ contributions such as volunteer time or the loan of premises or equipment.

Of the grant scheme, Frances Beatty, Chair of the AONB Joint Committee commented:

“Funding is available to get local people thinking about how they can help keep the landscape in great shape.  We hope to receive plenty of applications and are looking forward to helping projects that will boost Cannock Chase AONB.”

For more information on how to apply contact cannockchase@staffordshire.gov.uk.

The Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Partnership is seeking views on its plans for how the internationally important wildlife habitats on Cannock Chase will be protected in the future.  The Partnership has produced two plans that set out how it will improve the visitor infrastructure at Cannock Chase, including the car parks, footpaths and visitor centres. They also look at how to raise awareness of the vital role visitors can play in protecting this special area.

The consultation runs until 29 November 2019. To read the plans and other relevant documents, please visit the consultation website at www.haveyoursaycannockchase.org.uk.

Reference copies of the plans are also available in the reception of:

• Stafford Borough Council at Riverside, Civic Centre, Stafford ST16 3AQ
• East Staffordshire Borough Council at The Town Hall, King Edward Place, Burton upon Trent DE14 2EB
• South Staffordshire District Council at Wolverhampton Road, Codsall, South Staffordshire, WV8 1PX
• Lichfield District Council at Frog Ln, Lichfield WS13 6HS
• Cannock Chase District Council at Civic Centre, Beecroft Road, Cannock, Staffs WS11 1BG
• The City of Wolverhampton Council at Civic Centre, St Peters Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SH
• Staffordshire County Council at 1 Staffordshire Place, Stafford, ST16 2DH

To discuss the plans, you can call the Cannock Chase SAC team on: 07800 619650 or 07800 619636.

Background

2.4 million people visit Cannock Chase every year. With increased housing development and a growing population, the number of people visiting Cannock Chase is expected to go up by 15 to 20 percent by 2026.

The two plans set out how to make sure there will be space for everyone to continue to enjoy the open air and natural beauty of Cannock Chase, without hurting its protected habitats and species.

Money has already been collected from developers of new housing developments that are built near Cannock Chase. This will be used to fund improvements to the Chase’s visitor infrastructure, provide better information, and work with visitors and landowners to help protect the site.

Once the plans are finalised, the improvements to Cannock Chase’s visitor infrastructure will start from early 2020 onwards.

Cannock Chase SAC Partnership includes: Stafford Borough Council, Cannock Chase District Council, Lichfield District Council, South Staffordshire District Council, East Staffordshire District Council, the City of Wolverhampton Council, Staffordshire County Council, Natural England, Forestry England, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, National Trust, RSPB and Cannock Chase AONB.

The 168-page review of England’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty by Julian Glover published on 26 September, wants “our national landscapes to work together with big ambitions so they are happier, healthier, greener, more beautiful and open to everyone”.

Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is one of 34 AONBs in England, and one of the oldest – designated in 1958 for its beautiful landscape, rich wildlife and history. Earlier this summer Julian Glover visited the AONB to meet partners and gather evidence. Frances Beatty, Chair of the AONB Partnership’s Joint Committee said:

“We are delighted that the review team has recognised the value of national landscapes like Cannock Chase and the hard work that AONB staff, volunteers, partners and local communities carry out together to look after these special places. We particularly welcome the recognition that, given adequate powers and resources, there is so much more that we can do for nature and people. The future for the nation’s most cherished landscapes looks bright.”

The review is now with the government. If ministers accept the review’s 27 recommendations, AONBs like Cannock Chase would have new purposes, powers and resources, and be renamed as ‘National Landscapes’.

The findings and implications of the Review were among the topics discussed at Cannock Chase AONB’s Annual Conference that took place at Brocton Hall Golf Club on Friday 4 October. Around 80 people gathered for this year’s event, the focus of which was the future of the AONB’s beautiful heathlands, home to threatened plants and animals, and much loved by locals and visitors.

A successful scheme designed to prevent accidents involving deer by keeping them away from the road is being expanded.

The pilot scheme, which is in place along the A513 near Shugborough, is activated by car headlights and use sounds and lights to stop animals from approaching. In its first year of usage, it saw a 60% decrease in night-time deer collisions with vehicles.

Now, the scheme is being expanded to run along a stretch of the Penkridge Bank Road, near to the Birches Valley Forest centre. Cannock Chase AONB and Staffordshire County Council have funded the scheme, which will be in place from 1 October.

Added to this, the British Deer Society Midlands has helped fund 100 deer safety signs, warning drivers that between October and December deer crossings along the Chase become more frequent, increasing the chance of collision.

Councillor Frances Beatty, Chair of Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) said:

“The herds of deer that roam the Chase are a much-loved emblem that people enjoy seeing as part of their experience of the AONB. The installation of further deterrents to reduce conflicts between deer and road users is very welcome, and is a great example of partnership working within the AONB.”

The views around Marquis Drive Visitor Centre and at Shugborough Estate on Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are getting better!

During this autumn and winter approximately 3.5 kilometres of overhead electricity lines from White House to Moors Gorse are being removed and placed underground as part of an ongoing £2.3 million initiative by Western Power Distribution (WPD) to enhance protected landscapes.

WPD Wayleave Specialist Donna Bayliss explains:

“This work is being funded through a regulatory-backed initiative to enhance protected landscapes by removing electrical infrastructure like overhead lines. We work closely with representatives from National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to identify suitable sites for consideration. This has been really helpful to pinpoint high priority schemes and enable the limited funds to be spent as effectively as possible.”

The overhead line runs alongside Marquis Drive and across Forestry England’s estate towards Sheepwash Farm.  WPD has obtained all the necessary approvals for working in this sensitive area. Work started on 16 September 2019 and is due to last approximately 16 weeks. The work will be arranged to minimise disruption; however, traffic lights will be necessary for a few weeks, and visitors to the area are asked to take care around the contractor’s working areas and make allowances for any inconvenience.

This is one of two sites in the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which will be transformed during 2019/2020. A scheme proposed jointly by the AONB and the National Trust, will also see overhead lines at Shugborough Estate removed to restore the historic character of this iconic Grade I listed park.

Councillor Frances Beatty, Chair of the Cannock Chase AONB Partnership added:

“We are delighted to have secured the funding from Western Power Distribution for these improvements to the landscape.  The work both at White House to Sheepwash Farm and at Shugborough will improve the visual amenity in iconic parts of the AONB, in terms of public benefit, the schemes will also deliver on a large scale as being two of the most visited sites in Cannock Chase.”

Cannock Chase has had a Fixed Point Photography project since 2005 – one of the longest running in any AONB in the UK.

By taking images twice a year from the same viewpoint, and repeating the exercise year on year, it becomes possible, over time, to detect landscape changes and understand the reasons why.

The project is still run by its founder, Steve Welch, who co-ordinates the volunteer photographers.  On 2 September 2019 a refresher workshop was held at Beaudesert Farm for around 20 of our enthusiastic volunteers.  With their fantastic support, the project looks set to continue monitoring landscape change on Cannock Chase for years to come.