Transcript Historical Minute Book 1977 to 1993 - Ashdown Forest

The Government Job Creation Scheme had provided much needed additional manpower, and a team of men and
boys had been employed on cutting and tidying with considerable effect. As a fire precaution and road safety
measure, gorse and scrub had been cut back along the verges.
A large amount of work had gone into the preparation of a draft Management Plan. The final plan will take at least
2 years to produce, and opportunity would be taken to amend as we went along, taking into account the views of all
parties, including commoners.
Mr. Balfour-Smith paid tribute to the Friends of Ashdown Forest, who had presented an Information Caravan,
together with a gift of maps of the forest. Various leaflets are now being produced. He also thanked the Clerk and
the Rangers for their hard devoted work throughout the year. He then mentioned the sad death of Mr. Oliver.
6. UNDERGROUND RESERVOIR NEAR GREENWOOD GATE CLUMP
Mr Foster outlined the plan to build an underground reservoir at the for Crowborough. Water would be piped from
Horsted Keynes through a pipeline under the forest, and the feed from the reservoir would be by gravity. On
completion of the works, which were expected to take 12 months from the time of commencement, all that would
show on the surface was a mound approximately 1 metre above the present surface level. This would be permitted
to grow natural vegetation, and there would be full access over it. There would be an access track from the highway
and some 4 manholes for access to the tank. Many questions were asked by the commoners which were frankly
answered by Mr. Inns and Mr. Foster. Some commoners expressed concern, others accepted that an adequate water
supply for Crowborough was in the public interest, and that the long term disturbance to the forest would be
minimal.
7. HEATHLAND VEGETATION CONTROL EXPERIMENT
The Clerk reported that a request had been received from the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology for them to conduct a
Heathland Vegetation Control experiment on the forest. The Conservators wished to sound the opinions of the
commoners on this proposal before coming to a decision.
Mr. Wells outlined the proposals. The experiment would run for five years. It could entail temporary enclosure of
40-50 acres of forest. The proposed site was to the east of Priory Mead. This area was ecologically suited to the
experiment, being a mixture of all types of heathland vegetation, and one that was little used by the public. The
experimental management would consist of cutting grazing and control of bracken by ASULAM. The results of the
experiment should be of great value to the Conservators in their future management of the forest and to other
authorities in the management of all areas of lowland heath in the county.
There was a very lively question and answer session in which Mr. Wells and Miss Bees gave fuller details. Objectors
to the experiment ranged from the interference with the exercise of rights of common, particularly from one
commoner who claimed that the experiment was to be carried out in the exact spot from which he gathered
estovers, from naturalists who regretted the aesthetic or ecological interference with this particular area to those
who considered that either enough was known on heathland management to render the experiment a waste of
public money and those who did not wish the forest managed at all. Many commoners welcomed the experiment as
a positive step towards the future which would be of value to both the Conservators and the commoners.
Opinion in the hall remained divided.
8. DISTRIBUTION OF AGENDA
Mr. Balfour-Smith reported that the Conservators had decided that they were not able to circulate agenda for
commoners’ AGM’s in future, unless there were items on the agenda which were of sufficient import that they
should be brought to the attention of all commoners, but that copies of the agenda would be available from the
Conservators Office and at the meeting.
There was considerable criticism of this from the meeting, and many suggestions were put forward as to possible
methods of financing the production and posting of agendas, and even of creating a Commoners’ Committee with
its own secretary.
The Clerk explained the Conservators duties as set out in Acts of Parliament. These consisted solely of calling a
meeting to elect Conservators. They had no further responsibility for the conduct of Commoners Meetings.