2000 United Kingdom Exchange – Glenullin, Northern Ireland

COUNTRYSIDE EXCHANGE 2000 REPORT

ORIGINS OF THE PROGRAMME

The North America/United Kingdom Countryside Exchange programme has its origins in a memorandum of understanding signed in 1986 between the United States National Park Service and the Countryside Commission, in which it was agreed to co-operate “on the conservation and management of cultural, natural and recreational resources”. This memorandum has been renewed twice, most recently in 1997.

The Exchange is inspired by the belief that, sharing a common regard for rural traditions and a concern for the future of the countryside and its communities, the participating countries can learn a great deal from each other. Exchanges lead to valuable recommendations for the case study areas, upon which the communities and local agency representatives can act, providing at the same time a professionally rewarding experience for the participants.

Since 1987, 85 case studies have taken place in the UK, the USA and Canada, involving some 670 team members.

In the United Kingdom, the Exchange is organised by CEI Associates Ltd. under contract to the UK Steering Group, which is chaired by the Countryside Agency and made up of representatives of the national funding partners. In 2000 these were: the Countryside Agency, the Countryside Council for Wales, English Heritage, English Nature, the Forestry Commission, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Natural Heritage. A representative of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers attends as an observer.

In North America, the Exchange is organised by the Glynwood Center, a not-for-profit body based in New York State and concerned with training and advisory work in rural communities.

FOREWORD

U.K. 2000 Exchange Steering Committee:

Heather Danson (Countryside Agency)
Roger Saunders (Countryside Council for Wales)
Steve Trow (English Heritage)
Keith Payne (English Nature)
Sandy Greig (Forestry Commission)
Judy Cligman (Heritage Lottery Fund)
Sharon Simpson (Scottish Natural Heritage)
Mike King (BTCV Steering Group Associate)

A new millennium, and another successful year for the Exchange. This year’s case studies truly covered the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with teams visiting Merseyside, Garstang, Hiraethog, Craghead, the Upper Endrick Valley, and Glenullin. Covering issues such as sustainable tourism, revitalisation, cultural heritage, conservation, and economic regeneration, the case studies reflected a range of the Exchange themes.

Every year each member of the UK Steering Group joins one of the case studies to attend the local public presentations, at which the teams present the results of their week long research and make recommendations for the future to their host communities. This year I had the privilege to join the Glenullin team at the end of their intensive Exchange week. Despite having to compete with torrential rain, the team presented their thoughts and recommendations to a well attended public meeting. In addition to being able to observe a team of highly skilled professionals, who had met only a few days before, working together to help the people of Glenullin find ways in which to realise their common goals, I was also able to witness the bond of warmth and mutual respect which had developed between all of those involved in the Exchange. We promote the Exchange as an opportunity for personal and professional development for participants, and as a tool to help local communities find answers to current countryside issues. Maybe we should also highlight how it offers opportunities to learn more about the people who live in the United Kingdom and North America and to experience first hand the way in which local communities and relative strangers can work together when they share the aims of caring for the countryside, while also recognising and celebrating the importance of local culture, and heritage.

This year has seen some changes for the UK Exchange. We have introduced a rolling programme, which enables us to identify well in advance potential case studies for the coming year. This helps the local organising committees to have a longer lead-time to prepare for an Exchange visit, and ensures that they receive any guidance they need to put together an effective case study. Next year’s case studies are shaping well and we look forward to seeing teams visit Shropshire, High Weald, Braemar, Swansea, North West Scotland and the Scottish Borders. This year we have also welcomed Sharon Simpson, Scottish Natural Heritage, and Steve Trow, English Heritage, to the UK Steering Group. Both have brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team and we wish Sharon well as she moves on to new areas of work. We will also be losing the services of Mike King of BTCV, who has made many valuable contributions to the Exchange in recent years, and wish him good luck in his new post. We also hope to be able to report more new members joining the UK Exchange Steering Group in the coming year, so watch this space.

Finally I would like to extend thanks on behalf of the UK Steering Group to all of those who have made this year’s UK Exchange possible, in particular the local communities, the organising committees, and CEI Associates for their continuing excellent service to the Exchange.

-Heather Danson
Chair of the U.K. Exchange Steering Group

THE FRAMEWORK

The core of the Exchange is a co-ordinated programme of case studies selected on a competitive basis in the U.K., U.S. and Canada. Each study has a local organising committee (LOC) representing local interests which makes both the initial application, identifies the relevant issues and co-ordinates the visit. There are usually around six studies on both sides of the Atlantic each year, each involving an eight member team (50:50 representation between North American and U.K. participants), again chosen through a competitive application process.

Each team, acting as a catalyst, spends a week intensively exploring the area and meeting key people. Their skills of analysis, technical expertise and advice are focused into a package of suggestions and recommendations. These are presented to the local community via a public meeting and a written report. The visit is framed by an initial welcome/orientation meeting of all case study teams and includes a review to evaluate the new experiences gained by all participants.

Each study is championed by a local organiser, who puts the case study programme together, organises appropriate briefing material, contacts relevant local interests and provides necessary logistical support for the team including local accommodation, meals, transport, computers etc., while in the study area.

The end products are valuable advice to the host communities and professional development and a rewarding experience to team members.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The first Exchange in 1987 established a model of bringing together countryside professionals from both sides of the Atlantic to work on common issues and problems and to share experience and expertise. The following objectives have been set for the Exchange:

To address specific problems being faced by rural and peri-urban communities and provide new ideas and solutions through concentrating a variety of fresh expertise on case study areas involving local people.
To encourage exchange of expertise between professionals and volunteers concerned with the well being of the countryside, its communities, environments and economies, and with their development and conservation.
To contribute to the development of communities’ capacity to sustain longer-term action to manage their environment.
To develop participants’ skills and confidence in working in diverse teams within rural and semi-rural communities to address complex stewardship problems.
To encourage the practical implementation of the ideas and recommendations resulting from exchanges and case studies.
To publicise the results of the programme so that experience and recommendations can be disseminated widely.

THEME AND ISSUES FOR THE EXCHANGE

The key theme is: Managing Change in the Countryside

The issues selected by the U.K. Steering Group are:

Retaining and enhancing bio-diversity, local landscape character and cultural heritage
Community empowerment, coalition building and public participation in decision making
Creating a sustainable social, economic and environmental future for the countryside and the coast
Supporting sustainable land uses, including farming and forestry
Co-ordinating projects and funding mechanisms involving public, private, voluntary and not for profit bodies

The six U.K. case studies selected in 2000 were based on the Exchange’s need for geographic representation throughout the U.K., how they addressed the above issues and a number of other criteria.

THE CASE STUDIES:

EXPANDING HORIZONS

This has been the first year of the Steering Group’s new contract with CEI Associates for the administration and development of the Exchange in the UK. With secured funding commitment for three years it is now possible to extend planning and budgeting horizons. One immediate benefit has been that we have been able to confirm selection of case studies much earlier, giving the hosts as much as eighteen months to establish Local Organising Committees, find financial support and plan their programme.

July visits to North American case studies

During July Phil Dagnall and John Chapman spent some days with colleagues from the Glynwood Center visiting the sites of the upcoming North American case studies, meeting members of the Local Organising Committees and witnessing at first hand something of their development. It was most illuminating to compare the similarities and the differences between ‘theirs’ and ‘ours’. We were struck by the extent to which control of development rests with the communities themselves, and by the invigorating sense of the local future being in local hands. The other side of this coin, though, is that much depends on the energy and commitment of the members of each community. It can be hard to make considered long-term planning decisions, too. There is neither the framework of planning legislation nor the professional expertise deployed by local government in the UK. Relative priorities are also different. The North American communities have to focus on managing their local tax base to meet budget demands that include education, provision for older citizens and infrastructure to support the local economy. In such circumstances, the case for conservation of landscape and natural heritage has to be made against tough criteria.

Follow-up and evaluation

CEI was asked by the Glynwood Center to arrange a study tour of former case study sites in Scotland. This proved illuminating, and it is hoped that similar exercises can be undertaken in England and Wales as part of a wider investment in evaluation and follow-up. With the longer timescale, and growing awareness of the opportunities that participation in the Exchange can bring, we will be able to turn more attention to assuring and enhancing the value to the host sites. We expect to invite former Local Organisers to play a role.

Breaking new ground

This year’s case studies included some significant expansion into new areas, geographically and thematically, as well as a welcome return to a source that the Steering Group has been particularly keen to encourage. For the first time there was a case study in Northern Ireland. Also for the first time we had a case study with a strongly urban element, around the Mersey Estuary, and another in a coalfields priority area at Craghead. Meanwhile in Scotland in the upper Endrick Valley was our second case study (after Rob Roy in 1997) to be put forward and organised from grass-roots level, through the local Community Council.

There were first appearances and welcome re-appearances among those participating as team-members, too. Newcomers included individuals from the Board of the Countryside Agency, a Regional Development Agency, the Local Government Association and the Country Landowners Association. The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers was represented for the first time since 1993.

In 2001 the pattern will change again. With the six case studies for next Autumn already selected and under development we can see that the geographical split, with three in Scotland, two in England and one in Wales, will need different logistical arrangements. Rather than bring all six teams together in one place for initial orientation we will stagger them, with the northern and southern groups convening, within reach of suitable international airports, a couple of weeks apart.

The Glynwood Center decided during this year to change to a biannual pattern of case studies in North America, dividing them between the usual Autumn period in the late Spring. There are clear advantages in terms of spreading the workload and consequently of the levels of support that might be offered, but there are some doubts as to the availability of countryside and tourism-related staff at what tends to be a busier time of year. We are therefore monitoring this development carefully before deciding whether or not to follow suit.

Looking ahead: more change and growth

The Steering Group has recently agreed a proposal from BTCV to invite two senior managers of non-governmental organisations in Hungary and Poland to participate as team members in case studies in Britain. This will help us to evaluate the practicability of a fuller Exchange relationship with the region.

New relationships have been developing within Britain, too. As Heather Danson reports in her Foreword on page 2, following the successful seminar in London last year there have been discussions with a number of organisations about their becoming sponsors. We are approaching agreement now with three of them, two in England and one in Wales, and we look forward to welcoming their representatives onto the Steering Group in the near future.

The publication of the Rural White Paper, which we are still digesting, has brought back to the front pages the range and complexity of the issues facing rural Britain, requiring complex responses tailored to and led by the needs of individual communities. We expect during 2001 to be exploring the opportunities for Exchange case studies to play a role in some of these initiatives. For example, there is already some interest in the idea of dovetailing Exchange events into projects under the Market Towns Initiative.

John Chapman, CEI Associates

WHAT THE 2000 TEAM MEMBERS THOUGHT

Without question – an incredible experience

The Exchange more than met my expectations for growth, experience, learning and teamwork

…it was a very stimulating week. It made me look at my own organisation’s approach in a different light…

I felt fully involved in all aspects of the Exchange and was able to apply the full range of my skills and experience

…I am certain that our involvement increased local and regional awareness…

The experience was excellent and the whole thing very well organised

It was fun to be involved in areas outside my specialisation…

I wanted a good learning/broadening experience. It did well

Very enjoyable experience and quite inspirational

I had a great time and really enjoyed working with a dynamic team

Excellent rapport and good communication and problem solving

No training course could have given me the rounded professional development I needed for my work. Inspiring and brilliant…

Above all, it was great fun

THE COUNTRYSIDE EXCHANGE IN NORTH AMERICA

Glynwood Center, a non profit organisation located in Cold Spring, New York, organizes the Countryside Exchange in North America.

The Countryside Exchange took on a slightly different look in North America this year. Three Exchanges were held in the fall with three more planned for spring 2001. Eighty- six communities have now hosted the Exchange since it was initiated in 1987.

North American Exchanges included Northern Dutchess County New York and the Towns of Warwick, New York and Vernon New Jersey. All three communities are located less than two hours north of New York City. Not surprisingly, the communities’ proximity to such a vast urban area was an issue in all three Exchange communities.

The Northern Dutchess Alliance includes ten towns along and east of New York’s Hudson River. Issues centered on five themes: acceptable growth and land use, economic development, community involvement, heritage, and agriculture. The team added a sixth – tourism – which cut across the others. A very interesting story developed just before the team’s arrival. The team was to be housed in a large – and totally vacant Victorian house. Furnishing it became a community project. By the time the team arrived it was fully and lovingly furnished – everything from beds, mirrors and paintings to computers, dishes and appliances, each with a welcoming note from a generous community resident. It was an omen of good things to come and an indication of the amazing grass roots involvement and hospitality that is so common in Exchange communities. Equally amazing was the diversity of the team, boasting members from the U.S., Canada, France, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The Town of Warwick, New York is part of the Wallkill Valley and is renowned for its “black dirt”, a highly productive agricultural area. Preservation of open space -including farmlands – was a major concern along with the need to attract appropriate economic development. Of no less importance was the desire to develop a greater sense of pride amongst citizens while breaking down barriers that sometimes isolate the town’s villages and rural areas. A key to addressing these issues was the need to act strategically on recommendations coming out of the Exchange in conjunction with goals identified in a number of previous studies and plans completed in the community.

Vernon, New Jersey is located just up the Wallkill Valley immediately adjacent to Warwick. The challenge for the Exchange team was to help the community find middle ground between conservation and economic development. The community recognized the need for a strategy that would help identify and protect critical natural and historical resources while creating good jobs and a healthy, diverse local economy. The Exchange also addressed other tough issues such as controlling education costs and other taxes and the potential benefits of developing a high-density town center as a means of controlling sprawl. The need to develop a cohesive town spirit while respecting the distinct character of individuality communities within the town was a significant and all encompassing issue – one not uncommon to other Exchange communities.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

TEAM MEMBERSHIP

The U.K. Countryside Exchange Steering Group is seeking professionals and volunteers experienced in countryside and coastal issues to join the 2001 and future exchanges as team members. From past experience the Exchange co-ordinators are likely to receive more applications from potential participants than there are places available. Thus selection of team members is based on a number of criteria, including proven experience and expertise in countryside and related areas.

Previous successful participants have had a broad range of skills and experience in countryside management and related fields such as planning, conservation, ecology, economic development, forestry, agriculture, community participation, sustainable tourism, archaeology and others. Participants are also selected to meet the needs and issues of the specific case studies and can come from a variety of backgrounds, including local government, national agencies, voluntary organisations and the private sector.

Successful applicants may be assigned to either a U.K. or North American case study depending on information provided on the application form and the needs of the individual case studies.

CASE STUDY SITES

The Exchange plans to conduct case studies throughout the U.K. and in North America in the future. Potential case study organisers and sponsors are vital to the success of the process.

The Exchange offers a unique opportunity for a host community to obtain a concentrated input from experienced specialists that is normally beyond the reach of most local areas. It enables the case study organisers to address specific issues or problems with the added benefit of an experienced team chosen specifically with relevant skills and an objective viewpoint.

Case studies are selected through a competitive bidding process against a set of criteria and the need for a broad geographic representation throughout the U.K. Local organisers and sponsors in the past have included local authorities, voluntary trusts and private sector organisations.

The 2000 Countryside Exchange was organised on behalf of the U.K. Steering Group by Phil Dagnall, John Chapman and Carl Atkinson of CEI Associates and by Jayne Daly of the Glynwood Center in North America.

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you would like further details and an application form either to participate as a team member or to organise a case study, please contact, marking correspondence “UK Countryside Exchange”:

Heather Danson
Head of Training and Development
Countryside Agency
John Dower House
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire GL50 3RA

Tel: 01242 521381
Fax: 01242 584270
E-mail: Heather.danson@countryside.gov.uk

The views expressed in this report represent those of the 2000 Exchange team members and others and not necessarily those of CEI Associates or the sponsoring agencies, except where indicated otherwise.

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