Werneth Low Country Park

Country Park Rangers' Annual Review 2007/08

Location and Size

Werneth Low Country Park is located 15km (9½ miles) east of the city centre of Manchester on the edge of the Pennines. All the land in the Country Park is in the Borough of Tameside. The town of Hyde, along with the villages of Gee Cross and Newton, are just 2.5km (1½ miles) away to the west.

The Country Park consists of approximately 81 hectares (200 acres) of hilltop and hillside.

Ownership

60 hectares (150 acres) belong to the Hyde War Memorial Trust, including the visitor centre building. Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council owns the remaining 21 hectares (50 acres) of land in the park.

Creation of The Country Park

The Country Park was officially established in 1980 when the Hyde War Memorial Trust and Tameside MBC and the Greater Manchester Council entered into a formal agreement relating to the management of the park. Responsibilities relating to the Greater Manchester County Council were passed on to Tameside MBC in 1986 when the County Council was abolished.

Vision

The Vision for Werneth Low Country Park is of a place where landscape and nature conservation and informal countryside recreation are in balance. It is a place where natural beauty is enhanced, where wildlife will thrive, and where visitors, regardless of their ability or background, can spend an enjoyable and fulfilling time.

Overall Aims

The overall management aims are:

1. To manage the Country Park in a way that sustains and improves the quality and variety of its wildlife and landscape, and where recreation activity is in harmony with this.
2. To facilitate access for all, irrespective of ability or background.
3. To manage the Country Park for its cultural and historic importance.
4. To engender an understanding of the various aspects of the Country Park through programmes of lifelong learning.
5. To provide a high quality service to visitors, involving them in decision making about how the Country Park is run.
6. To maintain a safe and health environment, befitting the Country Park.

Managing The Country Park

The Country Park is formally managed by the Werneth Low Country Park Joint Management Committee. The Committee is made up of trustees of the Hyde War Memorial Trust and elected members of Tameside MBC. The Committee meets three times a year and the Country Park Ranger is employed in the service of the Joint Committee.

Maintaining the Park to a high standard is a major priority. When the Country Park was formally opened in 1980 all the main infrastructure had been installed such as fencing, footpaths, riding tracks and car parking areas. For many reasons, in due time, the condition of some of these items became a cause for concern. In 2007 following a report to the Joint Management Committee capital budget funding was secured for a programme of replacement fencing. During the period of this report all post and rail and all post and wire fencing within the Country Park have been replaced using Forestry Stewardship Council approved timbers.

2007/2008 Highlights

• Replaced 1,430 metres of post and rail wooden fencing along riding tracks.
• Replaced 4, 693 metres of post and wire stock proof field fencing.
• Annual programme of grass cutting footpaths, picnic sites, cenotaph area, car parks and areas around the visitor centre completed during April to October.
• Rebuilt 137 metres of dry stone wall along Flaggy Meadow.
• Installed 17 metres of new dry stone wall at entrance to the Lower Higham Visitor Centre (funded by the Hyde War Memorial Trust).
• Completed a minor works programme which included replacing gates in South Meadow, and installing information boards and way marking signs.
• 352 hours spent patrolling the Country Park.

Involving The Community

Community involvement is vital to the well being of the Country Park and, vital to the well being of the many people who enjoy it. The Rt Hon David Milliband MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs summed up the importance of green spaces:

“They provide places to unwind from the rush of everyday life, space for children to play and explore. Exercising in green spaces, whether a daily walk or off-road cycling, promotes mental as well as physical health and parks provide vital green corridors for our wildlife and biodiversity.”

The best example of community involvement in the Country Park is the Volunteer Ranger Service who in February 2008 celebrated 20 years of service. A few of the current volunteers were at the original meeting in 1988 and nearly all the other volunteers have at least 10 year service awards. Their contribution in terms of maintenance of sites, public enjoyment and wildlife nature conservation is of major significance.

2007/2008 Highlights

• We welcomed 6,014 people to the Lower Higham Visitor Centre.
• 10 school groups visited the Country Park working on a variety of subjects such as geography, habitats, local history and environmental art.
• The Volunteer Ranger Service completed 1,970 hours of duty.
• Using an electronic counter on the footpath from Lower Higham to the Cenotaph the total number of visitors recorded from April 2007 to March 2008 was 65,201. At the footpath near Quarry Car Park the total number recorded for the same period was 56,411.
• During the year the Country Park Ranger Service organized 22 events at which 1,413 people attended.

Conserving Habitats and Wildlife

The Country Park is a “Green Haven” to a great variety of wildlife. Careful and sympathetic land management and detailed monitoring of habitats over a long period has ensured sustained levels of biodiversity. A key factor has been the implementation of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. The scheme, administered by Natural England, enables the protection of the Parks’ flower rich hay meadows and the long term project of hedge planting meadow boundaries.

Condition monitoring of habitats will continue into the future as climate change will pose new management challenges. Specific species, such as Green Plover, will also continue to be monitored and surveyed. Following subsequent conclusions any land management recommendations will be implemented.

2007/2008 Highlights

• Planted 300 metres of new hedgerow in Rig Field Meadow.
• Planted 50 Oak trees in Hackingknife Woodland.
• Planted 30 metres of Holly hedgerow at Lower Higham.
• Completed year 8 of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
• Managed Hackingknife Meadow and New Piece Meadow for wildflowers and ground nesting birds.
• Monitored the management of the Parks’ hay meadows.
• Completed the 2007/2008 Wildlife Nature Conservation Programme including woodland management, tree planting and hedge cutting.

Providing A Quality Service

The Werneth Low Country Park Ranger Service is tasked by the Joint Management Committee to see that the Park is available for all to enjoy, and that at the same time is conserved and protected for present and future generations. At the heart of the philosophy that guides the management of the Park is a continual improvement approach, crucial to future development of our visitor services. In addition to standard working consultations and visitor survey programmes the Country Park Ranger, Information Officer and Volunteer Rangers are “out and about” the Country Park on a daily basis which offers visitors open access to staff. This is highly valued and helps maintain good communication and understanding.

During the period of this report, for a fourth consecutive year, we achieved a prestigious Green Flag Award confirming the high standards of service the public can expect at the Country Park.

Planned Developments For 2008/2009

• Submit application for Green Flag Award.
• Undertake 2 Country Park user group meetings.
• Complete survey of participants on public events.
• Implement year 2 of the Werneth Low Country Park Management Plan 2007/2012.
• Complete Year 9 of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
• Complete the 2008/2009 Maintenance of Sites Programme.
• Complete the 2008/2009 Wildlife Nature Conservation Programme.

How Much Does It Cost

It costs £75,000 a year to look after Werneth Low Country Park. This works out at about 46p a year for each person over the age of 18 who lives in Tameside. The costs are for:

• Maintaining the Country Park.
• Delivering educational programmes.
• Organising public event programmes.
• Promoting the Country Park locally and regionally.
• Delivering visitor services including the Visitor Centre.
• Staff Salaries.
• Operational costs.

If you have any comments or would like further information about anything contained in this report, please contact:

Contact Information
Send us a Message	Lower Higham Visitor Centre Higham Lane Gee Cross Hyde SK14 5LR View local map
0161 368 6667