Breaking News Newsletter for Breaking New Ground Landscape Partnership Scheme
Aug 2017
A newsflash for project partners and participants with news items, project updates, special features and forthcoming events.
Engine House Refurbishment Update
How to Make a Shepherd’s Crook Event Wednesday 16th August, 9.30 - 3.30 Methwold High School woodwork shop, The Crook symbolised the role of the Shepherd throughout history. Shepherds would have made their own in their spare time, or as part of their apprenticeship.
We’re excited that the Engine House at Brandon Country Park is very nearly ready to be opened for use by the local community! Soon you’ll be able to book this lovely new space for up to 60 people for your community event or meeting. Prices will be as follows: •
Local Community / Charity Hire without revenue: FREE
•
Local Community / Charity Hire with delegate revenue: £10.00/hr (minimum 2hour charge)
The aim of this one day course is to show you how to make your own. We will shape a piece of ash into a crook, carve and polish it, and then mount it onto a hazel stick. Places are limited. Booking essential. Email sheepinthebrecks@gmail.com
We want to know what you think!
Wingspan Consulting is doing an independent evaluation of Breaking New Ground. The main • Commercial Hire: £150.00 day / £90.00 half purpose of the evaluation is find out what went day (under 4 hours) well and how things could be done even better in the future. • Use of 1 room only (Bothy or Engine House): £100.00 / £60.00 half day (under 4 As part of this, we are carrying out a survey of hours) people who were involved in Breaking New If you would like to book the venue, please Ground – for example, people who volunteered on contact Brandon Country Park on 01842 the scheme or took part in training, events or 810185 activities. If y ou
Look out in next month’s newsletter for a We would be very grateful if you could help us by double page spread on the newly refurbished completing this short online survey. It takes 5 to Engine House! 10 minutes to answer the questions. All of the information you provide will be treated as confidential and used anonymously. Everyone who completes the questionnaire will be entered into a prize draw for a £50 Amazon voucher. LINK http://bit.ly/2uFMPZ0
Project Evaluation C19: Landscape Revolution
This project, delivered by the landscape history team at the University of East Anglia and keen volunteers, discovered the changing landscape of the Brecks in the period 1700 to 1930. The main topics tackled by the project included uncovering the growth of landed estates and their influence on the landscape, changing designs of parks and gardens, tree planting and enclosure. Volunteers were trained to carry out detailed surveys of cartographic and other documentary sources to establish past land use, vegetation and landownership to create an extensive GIS dataset. The number of volunteers was almost double the original target of 50, and 27 of these went on to conduct independent research projects of their own using their new-found skills. An online landscape research toolkit has been developed and provides a starting point and guide for research into landscape change in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was shaped by discussions and feedback in early events which suggested that the focus should be on maps and easily accessible online resources. The introduction provides an overview of the region and the key themes which shaped the landscape during this period. Each subsequent section includes a summary, examples, information of where to find the material and suggestions of what it is most useful/appropriate for researching. The toolkit, along with lots of other resources, including maps, can be found on www.breckslandscape.co.uk. The UEA team also supported a number of other BNG outputs including the Pine Lines and Brecks From Above projects, helping them with mapping and historical research which was invaluable. “The project has increased knowledge and understanding of various aspects of the Brecks landscape, particularly the nature and progress of tree planting in the eighteenth and nineteenth, patterns of enclosure, influences on park and garden design and the changing road network. The project has also drawn together existing data to present patterns across the project area. In terms of what has worked well, the most productive elements of the project have been where a group was engaged in a particularly ongoing task (researching parks and gardens, fieldwork at Knettishall) or where individuals were following their own research interests.”
PROJECT LEGACY
Dr Jon Gregory—University of East Anglia
Commitment to publish reports and articles where appropriate
Support provided for volunteers who continue to research the landscape Material from the project is being used to inform landscape history teaching at UEA
Project website will be hosted for a minimum of 5 years GIS datasets will be updated as research reveals more
Brecks Events BNG Events Learn to make a Shepherd’s Crook Wednesday 16th August, 9.30 - 3.30 Methwold High School woodwork shop, email sheepinthebreacks@gmail.com to book Partners’ Events Wild at Weeting (arts, crafts and guided walk—call 01842 827615 to book) 5th August NWT Weeting Heath 10:00-16:00 Bioblitz at Brandon Country Park 8th August 13:30-3:30 Brandon Country Park Enchanted Forest 25th August 10:30-15:30 Brandon Country Park (£3 per passport) Pulp Power Discovery Day 22nd August, 10:30-13:00 Ancient House Museum (£2/£1 for members) (plus loads of other events throughout the summer holidays!) If you’d like to see your event here, please send us details at bng.admin@suffolk.gov.uk
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Picture of the Month Repairing the Shepherd;s Wagon as part of the Sheep in the Brecks project
News from the Shifting Sands Team
Following the brilliant news of the granting of HLF money for ‘Shifting Sands’, the Brecks project within the ‘Back from the Brink’ programme, we have been full speed ahead with recruitment. We’re pleased to have Phoebe Miles and Zosia Ladds joining us mid-August. Phoebe will be taking on the Project delivery officer role and Zosia the Keystone species officer role, both based within the Natural England Brecks team.
Barnham Cross Common
Despite the fact neither is officially in post both were able to join an induction event for all the delivery officers from across the 7 integrated projects (like the Brecks one) and 12 species specific projects, that make up the national programme. Not only was the event a great chance for all the project officers to get to know each other and start to share skills, but we were able to host it in Thetford and show off some of the Brecks to colleagues from around the country. In particular we were pleased to visit Barnham Cross Common to talk about the work of Breaking New Ground and see first-hand some of the work accomplished. We hope to be able to continue to build on this brilliant ground work (pun fully intended!) through the Shifting Sands project, and Phoebe and Zosia are looking forward to getting started, so I expect many of you will be hearing from them shortly.
Get your Brecks Events/News noticed!: If there is something that you would like included in the next newsletter, please send details to Amy : BNG.Admin@suffolk.gov.uk Breaking New Ground c/o Visitor Centre, Brandon Country Park, Bury Road, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0SU 01842 815465 e: bng.admin@suffolk.gov.uk t: @TheBrecksBNG f: TheBrecksBNG. w: www.breakingnewground.org.uk