How green is your village ?
The Rural Community Council has been promoting Village Appraisals over the past year and
already several Island community groups have carried them out in their villages. The idea of a Village Appraisal is to invite local people to air their views on their village or Parish and then to develop these views into positive ideas for local action.

The AONB Project is now working with the Rural Community Council to try to take this process one step further by encouraging community groups to do environmental appraisals or green
audits. If a group is already thinking of carrying out a village appraisal, then by including a few extra questions it is possible to find out peoples' views on the state of their local countryside, what they think should be done to look after it and whether a more detailed survey should be carried out covering local wildlife, energy use or recycling. By adding such questions, the groups will gain a better understanding of what is valued locally and what is in need of some attention.

This is where the real work starts! The public response might call for example, positive practical action to improve a local eyesore, reduce energy use in the village hall or to conserve a local woodland.

It may be more appropriate to do a thorough survey of the wildlife and habitats of the parish, to take stock of the environmental situation before deciding what practical steps to take.

Whatever is the outcome of this survey process it is bound to lead on to action benefiting the local environment, to be carried out by local people - which has to be a good thing.

The AONB Project is keen to help any local group who is thinking of doing a village appraisal and would like advice on how to give it a more environmental focus. We can also help with follow-up advice on how to do habitat surveys, habitat management, how to recruit volunteers, how to
organise an event, how to get funding - and plenty more.

Chine Catchment Management
Chines are significant features of the Isle of Wight landscape - they are always cutting back and new ones are beginning to form. They all have their own special character and range from leafy ravines such as Shanklin Chine to rocky clefts with waterfalls such as Compton Chine.

Chines are the remains of ancient river valleys, now mostly small gullies leading down to the sea. The term "chine" is only used on the Isle of Wight and parts of Dorset and Hampshire and means "fissure". As the walls of the chines and cliffs of the coast of the Isle of Wight are so unstable and erode continually, the strata is clearly visible. Chines are therefore very important for their fossil records, their archaeology and the unique flora and fauna they support.

Folklore is often associated with the chines because of their history with local smuggling, fishing and shipwrecks.

The formation of chines and their wildlife value is very much influenced by the type of farming which takes places around them, as crops are often grown close to the edges of the chines and water drains into the chines from this farmland.

Over the next few months, the AONB Project will be working with farmers and local residents within the catchment area of each chine. We hope to be involved in all sorts of schemes such as wetland management, landscape improvement, litter clearance and also to celebrate the history, geology and folklore of chines.

We plan to work with the County Archaeological Centre in looking at evidence of bronze age cooking hearths and the conservation of Roman sites close to the chines.

English Nature has funded an ecological survey of coastal cliffs and the results highlight the ecological differences between chines - each one being a unique ecosystem in its own right. We are also currently carrying out a visitor questionnaire survey in three major chine car parks along the Tennyson Heritage Coast. From this we hope to get an impression of visitors' appreciation of chines, the AONB and the Heritage Coast.

We would be interested to learn more about the folklore and history of the chines and to do what we can to keep them special. So, if you have any local stories or ideas for landscape improvement projects, please get in touch on Tel. 01983 822118.

Arable Landscape Assessment
Over the last decade there have been great changes in the types of crops grown on the Island. For instance ,there has been a six-fold increase in the amount of oilseed rape and linseed grown. There are likely to be even more changes in the next few years too as farmers have to diversify in the wake of the BSE scare and possible subsidy changes. Recent articles in both the County Press and the national newspapers have all highlighted the trend for current farmers to diversify not only the type of crops they grow but also to try new enterprises such as bed and breakfast accommodation,
visitor centres and car boot sales.

The AONB Project will try to assess the impact of future trends on the landscape, wildlife and water resources of the Island. By doing this, it will be able to respond more effectively to future demands and target help in the form of advice or grant aid to ensure that the landscape of the AONB remains special.

Already we are targeting grant aid for the creation of arable margins around fields to improve habitat for farmland birds and rare arable weeds. Future projects might also include events to celebrate arable landscapes and what they mean to local people; the organisation of farm open days and school visits to let people understand the workings of the modern farm.

East Yar Valley Project.
The Project has spent time these last few months consolidating its work in and around Alverstone and Sandown.

Our team, now boosted by the NVQ training scheme, is delivering a wide range of practical projects including new ponds, footpath improvements, bird surveys on farms, grey wagtail next boxes, sand martin cliff restoration and much much more!

In addition to this vital core of real, tangible, practical work, we have expanded the Project's research programme. We are working with several colleges and universities on catchment water resources; agricultural Phase I/II surveys; iron precipitates in greensand streams and deep peat coring.

The Project's links with other organisations and agencies continues. We are working on a series of collaborative projects such as the production of a Yar Valley Schools Pack (East Yar Valley Project and Environment Agency), a further study of peat cores (East Yar Valley Project and Environment Agency), landscape improvements at the Bembridge sluice (East Yar Valley Project, Environment Agency and English Nature); SSSI site plans ( East Yar Valley Project and English Nature) and
development of woven willow produce from sustainable Island sources (East Yar Valley Project, RCC and Community Environment Project).

A further objective of the Project is to input strategic policies to the Unitary Development Plan - policies that encourage the use of river catchments as fundamental planning units. Finally, we hope that the European Social Fund training scheme that has been based on the East Yar Valley Project this year will be repeated next year.

AONB - Summary.
Initiatives, other than those already mentioned, involving the AONB Project include:

Wight Willow - willow crafts from Island withybeds.

"Green" Tourism - work with the Community Environment Project to develop cooperative schemes that deliver special interest and educational services.

Isle of Wight Pond Survey - Spring 1997: to assess the landscape and ecological importance of the Island's ponds.

Heathland Restoration - work with John Fyfe Ltd on a programme of habitat restoration and creation in the AONB and the Yar Valley.

Reedbed Filtration - a study of the potential for small-scale reedbed sewage treatment schemes in the Yar Valley.

School Environment Project - a two month feasibility study on the provision of a pro-active environment service for schools.

Island 2000 - the Island's Millennium Bid: the AONB Project and East Yar Valley Project are integral parts of the Millennium Bid. We will know soon whether we have been successful.

And, in addition to this lot - a whole range of advice, grant aid, local community projects and fund raising.

Countryside Index
WightOnLine - The Isle of Wight on the Internet