Partners
Much of the work of Cheshire Wildlife Trust is done in partnership with a range of other organisations in the region. By forging partnerships we can pool resources and benefit from each others strengths and experience. Here are some of the partners we work with.
Cheshire region Biodiversity Partnership (CrBP)
Purpose:
The CrBP (some 40+ organisations now) and its steering group of 12 are responsible for the delivery of the Cheshire region Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) known as the Countdown Programme. This involves supporting LBAP Action Groups for habitats and species, setting targets, using indicators to monitor progress, producing an annual update as a CD-Rom and hosting an annual conference for practitioners.
CWT involvement:
Member of Steering Group, co-funder and administrator of two LBAP Coordinator post.
Contact details:
www.cheshire-biodiversity.org.uk
England Biodiversity Group (EBG)
Purpose:
To deliver the objectives of the England Biodiversity Strategy (EBS) ‘Working with the Grain of Nature’ published in 2002. This feeds up to the UK biodiversity reporting process which in turn contributes to the global picture through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and ultimately to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).
CWT involvement:
As vice-chair of the Local and Regional Strategy Implementation Group (LARSIG), the Trust’s Director attends EBS meetings as deputy.
Contact details:
www.defra.gov.uk www.ukbap.org.uk
Chester Zoo
Purpose:
Chester Zoo has a strong mission that contributes to biodiversity conservation and to locally important species such as harvest mouse, barn owl and sand lizard. The collaborative relationship between the zoo and CWT has produced much supportive nature conservation activity in the establishment of the native species programme, ecological audits of the zoo land and participation in a number of LBAP Action Groups by zoo staff who now lead the black poplar BAP. The proposed Regional Biodiversity Park is an exciting prospect in which the participation of CWT is being welcomed.
CWT involvement:
The Trust’s Director has assisted in the proposed establishment of the Chester Zoo Biodiversity Park. His continued involvement as an elected Member of Council of the North of England Zoological Society was renewed at the 2003 AGM after an initial six year period and he contributes to the NEZS Scientific Committee in this capacity.
Contact details:
www.chesterzoo.org
Cheshire Local Strategic Partnership (LSP)
Purpose:
This multi-sector stakeholder partnership of around 70 organisations (including the health and learning sectors, fire and police services and local government) is delivering the Community Strategy required of all local authorities by the Local Government Act 2000. The Cheshire Community Strategy is one of seven in the county and, in addition to the six Cheshire districts, the other areas of the Trust’s territory are at various stages of producing theirs. These are important documents as they must include reference to biodiversity and the environment and cross cut these themes with the socio-economic agenda.
CWT involvement:
The Trust’s Director has been elected Vice-Chair of the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP).
Contact details:
www.thecheshirepartnership.org.uk
England Biodiversity Strategy – Local and Regional Strategy Implementation Group (LARSIG)
Purpose:
To deliver the objectives of the EBS relating to local and regional biodiversity issues, specifically Chapter 9 and Appendix 6. Particular areas of work include the integration of biodiversity into Community Strategies and the establishment and monitoring of biological indicators, as well as the important delivery mechanism of Local Biodiversity Action Plans.
CWT involvement:
The Trusts Director represents The Wildlife Trusts on this national group.
Contact details:
www.defra.gov.uk www.ukbap.org.uk
rECOrd
Purpose:
The biodiversity information system for Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and Wirral and the England Pilot Local Record Centre for the National Biodiversity Network, is operational and functioning from offices at Chester Zoo. It provides an important focal point for the collection of, and access to, biological records for the area and facilitates a useful networking opportunity for those interested in biological recording.
CWT involvement:
CWT remains a prominent partner in this initiative having assisted in securing start-up grants, contributing partnership funding annually, providing payroll service and signing one of the first service level agreements (SLA). The Trust’s Director is a non-Executive Director of the record Board, as is the Trust’s Conservation Committee Chairman.
Contact details:
www.record-lrc.co.uk
North West Biodiversity Forum (NWBF)
Purpose:
A gathering of 20 or so organisations from the statutory, public, voluntary and private sectors which meet to debate and influence the increasingly important discussions around biodiversity in the north west region.
CWT involvement:
The Trust's Director represents the North West Wildlife Trusts on this body
Contact details:
Will Williams (Chair) c/o English Nature NW Team, Pier House, Wallgate, Wigan, Lancashire, WN3 4AL www.biodiversitynw.org.uk
Regenerating Natural Assets (RNA)
Purpose:
Originally set up as a group to determine the Economic and Regenerative Value of the Natural Environment (ERVNE) in the north west, it has developed a portfolio of 39 projects which are being developed into regional programmes by its successor steering group, RNA. This group is supported by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) and is playing an important role in the integration of biodiversity into the Regional Economic Strategy.
CWT involvement:
The Trust's Director has a place on the steering group and has chaired a workshop to develop the project portfolio.
Contact details:
Mark Atherton, c/o North West Development Agency, Renaissance House, PO Box 37, Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1XB
Frodsham Forward Environment Group
Purpose:
Frodsham Forward is an exciting new initiative to further all the interests of the area around Frodsham, Helsby and Kingsley. The environment group has been set up to ensure that the environmental theme is covered and fed into the overall action programme. A database of known ecological knowledge is being put together by local members of the group in order to establish a baseline from which to move forward.
CWT involvement:
Conservation Officer Elizabeth Barratt represents the Trust on this new group.
Contact details:
Anne Boyd, Frodsham Forward Co-ordinator. www.frodshamforward.org.uk
Northern Trusts
Purpose:
This grouping brings together the Wildlife Trusts in the northern region of England on a quarterly basis. Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, North Merseyside and Manchester, Northumberland, Sheffield and Yorkshire Trusts meet to provide representation on governance for the Wildlife Trusts Partnership at their national quarterly Partnership Forum meetings and to discuss matters of regional importance.
CWT involvement:
The Chairman and the Director attend to represent the Cheshire Wildlife Trust interests within the governance structure of The Wildlife Trust Partnership and to share experiences with fellow Trusts in the movement.
Contact details:
The Director for more information
Sustainable Cheshire Forum
Purpose:
Set up originally after the World Summit in 1992 to deliver Cheshire's Agenda 21 process, eight task groups continue to meet to deliver their themed action programmes in the short, medium and long term to the year 2020. The task groups are Air, Land, Water, Wildlife, Transport, Energy, Waste and Eco-Audit. The SCF's role in being the mechanism by which the Cheshire Partnership's environmental targets are monitored is now confirmed. The SCF Action Plan has been published and contains the work programmes for each of the topic groups.
CWT involvement:
The Trust's Director was elected as Chair of the SCF on 15 th April 2002.
Contact details:
Michele Burrow, c/o Cheshire County Council, Backford Hall, Chester. www.sustainablecheshire.org.uk
Mersey Forest
Purpose:
This long-standing initiative has involved CWT in its partnership for many years, promoting community forest principle in derelict land regeneration and on unproductive agricultural land while retaining any significant nature conservation interest. The Mersey Forest Nature Conservation Action Group meets quarterly to further progress on the Mersey Forest Biodiversity Action Plan.
CWT involvement:
The Trust's Director chairs the Mersey Forest Nature Conservation Action Group and is a member of the Mersey Forest in Vale Royal Steering Group and its Northwich Community Woodlands sub-group.
Contact details:
Paul Nolan, Director, Mersey Forest Team, Risley Moss Visitor Centre, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 6GX. www.merseyforest.org.uk
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