Transcript Historical Minute Book 1977 to 1993 - Ashdown Forest

Mr. D. Harvey, Nature Conservancy Council
Mr. I. Deans, County Ecologist
Mr. Denver, County Forestry
The Superintendent
Mr. Millmore
The Head Ranger
Ranger Linton
After a wide ranging discussion the Committee carried out an extensive tour of some of the more obvious problem
areas of the Forest.
It was generally agreed that it was necessary to draw up a priority list of work that needed to be done for the
conservation of heather, wet heath and the maintenance of views from car parks etc. It was considered that with the
manpower and resources available and likely to be available only those areas which were most vulnerable could be
controlled, and that an inevitable result, short of extensive fires or a fundamental change in circumstances, would
be that the balance between woodland and open heathland would change in favour of woodland.
It was decided that priority should be given to the preparation of a list of short term remedial work, indicating the
degree of urgency of each task. The Superintendent stated that he would allocate Ranger Linton to this task as his
main duty for, the next three months. He would be assisted and advised by Mr. Millmore.
The Committee agreed to meet again at the end of September to consider Ranger Linton's report and to make any
recommendations to the Conservators they felt to be necessary.
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF CONSERVATORS OF ASHDOWN FOREST AT HOLY
TRINITY CHURCH HALL, FOREST ROW, ON WEDNESDAY 25th. JULY 1979 at 2.30 P.M.
PRESENT: Mrs. C.M. Maudsley, Brigadier L.M. Scott (in the Chair) Messrs. J. Gent, R.J. Glover, L.C. Hardy, D.
Kavanagh, F. Kennard, J.A.A.S. Logan, A. J. Miller, A.L.H. White, G.H. Wills.
The Chairman opened the Meeting by welcoming the lone member of the public attending the first open Meeting
of the Conservators. He advised the Board that Miss Willard could not be present as she had been in hospital and
was still unwell. The Superintendent informed the Conservators that he had written to Miss Willard on their behalf
wishing her a speedy recovery.
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Miss B. Willard, The Hon. C.A.S. Grimston, Messrs. LG. Edwardes-Jones, E. W. Ellison, M.G. Taylor.
2. MINUTES
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 23rd May 1979 were approved, subject to the following amendment, and
signed by the Chairman.
Item 4(a) General Purposes Committee: Please add Mrs. C.M. Maudsley. The Clerk apologised to Mrs. Maudsley
for this omission.
3. MATTERS ARISING
a) Horse Riding. At the meeting on 23rd. May it had been agreed that certain wet areas of fire rides be the subject
of ditching, grading and reseeding. The Superintendent and the Rangers had now looked closely at these areas and
felt that it might be possible to solve the problem by extensive draining without grading and reseeding. It was,
therefore, suggested that the experimental work be postponed for one year and that the drainage work be carried
out and the situation reassessed in a year’s time. This was agreed.
b) Fires. Following a fire at Mardens Hill which destroyed approximately four acres (reported to the Board on 23rd
May) the Police had prosecuted the person responsible and he had been fined £20.
c) Purchase of Land. The Superintendent reported that it was now definite that a grant would not be forthcoming
from the Countryside Commission in the foreseeable future. The Superintendent had, therefore, written to Lord