Annual Review 2014 Page 1

A group from Little Heath’s Sixth Form for students with special education needs comes each term for about ten sessions. Overall this year, Little Heath took part in 35 sessions contributing 130 hours in total. Their programme is somewhat different to that of the Happy Loppers, as it combines both practical habitat management works largely at Warren Hill, Loughton, with a variety of discovery activities. These included bird watching, trees and leaves, nature art and shelter building.

Building on our work last year with Little Heath, we were able to develop our programme of activities to meet the standards for a DISCOVERY Award from the John Muir Trust. 8 individuals achieved the Award. Our volunteer, Mike Hacker, who has helped with groups working on the John Muir Award programme and is Assistant leader with the Green Team, received the highest level Conserver Award.

The John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme focused on wild places. It encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration.

Developing people, developing Epping Forest

Our vision is to inspire people, particularly those less able to participate, through engagement with Epping Forest in a deep and meaningful way, learning about, sharing, building memories and helping to develop the Forest - to develop people through conservation in Epping Forest.

Annual Review 2014

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During 2014, we continued to support our two long standing groups with learning difficulties who contrib-ute to habitat management work in Epping Forest.

Our part time Conservation Officer , David Miller, led the Happy Loppers on Fridays and Little Heath Sixth Form on Tuesday mornings. The Happy Loppers (12 participants) met for 29 sessions contributing 1,264 hour of volunteer work for the Forest mostly at Lord’s Bushes, Buckhurst Hill where they opened up the Forest floor by removing young holly.

Five individuals received Volunteer Awards from the City of London for their efforts; two received Gold Awards, one a Silver Award and two a Bronze Award.

Page 2 Annual Review 2014

Conservation with a light touch

Much of the work in Epping Forest takes place through the City of London Epping Forest’s Forest Operations team, along with the use of external contractors. Volun-teers increasingly play a part in Forest management. EFCT’s Green Team which has been operating for over 30 years, has undertaken habitat management work where a’ light touch’ is required; using only hand tools and tackling sites where special species may be present and a more complex mosaic of management is required.

The nine members of the Green Team worked on 35 days on three main sites and provided 1,210 volunteer hours of support to the Forest. Two of the members re-ceived Volunteer Gold Awards from the City of London and leader Peter Adams received a Silver Award. Loughton Brook –More than several hundred metres along the Staples Brook from Baldwin’s Pond to Staples Pond were opened up. Scrub and dense trees had spread in the last 20 or so years and access along the valley had become very difficult, especially during the winter months. From late 2013, the team worked to thin the trees and shrubs up to just above the edge of the hill slopes.

The target was to create a dappled pattern of light and

shade without flooding the area with light and stimulating

the development of dense thickets as before.

Where small pockets of notable species of ground flora were

identified, such as common cow-wheat, efforts were made to

encourage and protect them.

Opening up the entrance to the Visitor Centre at High Beach

The Friends of Epping Forest took over the Visitor Centre

operation on April 5, 2014, working on behalf of the City of

London. Dense vegetation had grown up on both sides of the

driveway to the Visitor and Field Centres, hiding views of the

Visitor Centre and making it difficult for visitors to access the

Centre.

On the north side of the driveway, the earlier grassland was

being lost as an amenity. Here most of the scrub was cleared

with a view to it being managed as grassland once again.

On the south side, the big old beech trees that once grew

here had nearly all died and a dense thicket prevented ac-

cess. The team created a new path through this area to allow

visitors to avoid walking on the road or through the adjacent

car park.

Jubilee Pond, Wanstead Flats – On this one day task, the

team spent their day in chest waders helping the Conserva-

tors plant marginal vegetation following the second re-lining

of this pond. It is hoped an increase in marginal plants will

improve the appearance and wildlife value of the pond.

Ensuring we are able to grow and develop as an organisation

During the year, we have maintained our services involving people in ‘hands on’ habitat management in the Forest. This work supports the conservation of the Forest and develops the personal, social and operational skills of the participants; largely young people and adults, particularly those with learning difficulties and other special educational needs.

Our development work to inform our future programme, work focus and role within the Epping Forest community has included:

Production of an Epping Forest Learning vision and strategic framework, working with the three other learning providers in the Forest (Epping Forest Field Centre, Suntrap Forest Education Centre and the City of London learning programme at the View.

Web research and meetings with other Trusts and organisations including the Royal Parks Foundation, Hull Heritage Service Sherwood Forest Trust and many others, helping us to inform our proposals for a new role and vision for the Trust

Working with the City of London on the future role for the Trust, visiting other like operations and gaining advice on process and outcomes of others’ activities. We are committed to developing our work with those for special needs, along with an increase in volunteering and outreach. We are also seeking to explore the feasibility of a natural history and historical resource centre. There volunteers could be supported to develop and support Forest surveying and research to better understand the value of Epping Forest and its future management needs.

The Scout leaders’ weekend in February attracted 26 leaders this year, who tackled the trees and scrub surrounding the Lake in Knighton Woods, Buckhurst Hill.

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The main Scout Project in August, run jointly by

Project Scout Active Support, City of London Epping

Forest and ourselves was in its 26th year. Our staff and

volunteers organised and led a number of the task

days.

More tree and scrub management work was carried

out along Jubilee Ride and at Long Running, the

former to open up Bury Wood for grazing and the latter

to restore the heathland.

Pond clearance work helped to create areas of open

water in Knighton Lake and the Scouts began

resurfacing the Easy Access Path at High Beach.

This path was one of the very early projects led by

EFCT, soit was good to help bring it back into ‘better

working order’.

Activities with Scouts

Annual Review 2014 Page 3

Overall, the leaders’ weekend contributed 260 hours (26 participants) of volunteer effort .

Scout Project contributed 440 hours by a total of 68 participants.

Page 4 Annual Review 2014

Grants and Donations

Epping Forest Centenary Trust relies on our Associate members, supporters, legacies, grant aid and donations to fund our work, along with help from volunteers and partners with whom we work. We are grateful to the City of London for provid-ing us with office accommodation, tool storage and occasional human resources advice. We are pleased to thank the earli-er legacy from Charles Knight, which supported work at Jubilee Pond.

Grants, donations and volunteer support

Epping Forest Centenary Trust

The Warren Lodge

Loughton, Essex, IG10 4RN

Phone: 020 8508 9061

Email: efct@btinternet.com Website: www.efct.info

Contact us:

Staff and Key Volunteers in 2014

David Miller Conservation Project Officer

Marian Haddad Trust Administrator

Volunteer Leaders

Peter Adams, Alan Bailey and Mike Hacker

Partners and Supporters in 2014 include:

Green Team – volunteers and members

Happy Loppers Group – volunteers and members

Little Heath School

Matching WI

PALS (Personal Assistants for Life)

Mr John Sirett

Mr David Weetch

Mr and Mrs R Allan

Mr Michael Davies

Project Scout Active Support

Looking to the Future

During 2015, the main focus will be the development and initiation of the next chapter for the Trust including:

- continuation of the current programme of leading habitat conservation work in Epping Forest for groups and indi-viduals, through part time staff and volunteers

- securing of grant aid/new funds for delivery of work in the Forest with groups including people with learning diffi-culties, focussing on the Easy Access trails, local communities and Forest project areas

- securing resources to develop our governance, fundraising strategy and business plan to grow the Trust, explor-ing working with partners, where appropriate

- the pursuit of activities commensurate with achieving the actions identified above

Happy

Loppers

2014