Parks, leisure and the arts Irk Valley Conservation Management

Conservation management for community use

Why manage a site for the community and conservation?
The aim of the Irk Valley Project is to give nature a helping hand in the hope that sensitive and sustainable environmental management, of a site, will provide a sound ecological base which nature can build on.

What is an Ecological base?
The "ecology of a site" means all the individual components that together make a green space. This could be the grass, trees, soil, water body, wildlife, invertebrates and any other natural presence on the site. The development and management approach is to assess what already exists on the site and use those elements to build on, filling out the ecological circle of life, allowing everything to go full circle, as would happen in nature.

Enabling the community full access to a quality green space
The Irk Valley Project does focus heavily of boosting the ecological life cycle of a site whilst concentrating just as much on encouraging the local community to use the site as an area to:

  1. Go for a walk,
  2. Sit and enjoy nature,
  3. Allow children to play in a natural environment.

This is achieved by some very simple but effective environmental management approaches.

Grass-land sites where the grass meets the path.
The path edges are cut in the growing season enabling a clear line-of-sight and footpath is cut through the grass enabling a clear way through.

Vegetation.
Vegetation along foot-path edges and over hanging branches are cut back, throughout and prior to the growing season, again to enable clear lines-of-sight thus enabling the user to feel safe walking in the environment.

Meadows.
Where there are large areas of meadow land which individuals like to walk through, a footpath can be cut through and maintained throughout the growing season.

Developments.
All developments take into account the community use. Where possible and safe, footpaths, drainage, dipping platforms and many other items will be considered and installed if appropriate. This will allow the community access to an increased volume of green space in their local area.

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