SUSTAINABILITY

THE SANCTUARY AWARDS
eNvIrONMeNTAL PrOjecT AWArD Winner
Senne Environmental Working Group
The environmental Working Group
– Nature and Military in the Senne
Training Area (Germany) has recently
celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Its
aim is to conserve the variety of
habitats within the training area and
protect the rich diversity of wildlife
and rare species that live in the Senne.
The working group was formed
in the 1980s when there was very
limited information on nature in the
Senne and the initiative sparked an
era of close cooperation between
environmentalists, the british Army,
local and federal authorities that
allowed for a systematic mapping of
habitats and wildlife never achieved
before. This essential base line work
helped underpin what is now a well
managed area for wildlife; it saw the
introduction of conservation grazing
by a rare-breed sheep flock and
became an innovative blueprint for
similar projects here in the UK.
volunteer specialists, such as
botanists and ornithologists,
dedicate their time and expertise
to monitoring and advising the
group on measures to conser ve and
enhance nature on the site.
The Senne biological Station organises
ten educational excursions to the
training area each year in the form of
guided nature walks and bus tours.
An exhibition in the local town earlier
this year highlighted the nature of
the Senne and gave much credit to
the co-operative effort between the
british and Germans for the high quality
management of the estate.
The group has not only looked af ter
the nature of the Senne but also
rare breed sheep on Senne © M Laabs
successfully cultivated many positive
relationships through collaborative
working, not only with the military
in Senne but with government,
external organisations and volunteer
specialists. Read more on page 42.
eNvIrONMeNTAL PrOjecT AWArD runner up
Elstead Common Bridleway Improvement Project
an important firebreak, had become
increasingly prone to flooding over
recent years making it impassable by
foot, horse and vehicle. This presented
significant challenges for military
training, public access and access for
emergency vehicles needing to attend
heath fires.
The Award board was greatly impressed
with the innovation and best practise
demonstrated through the use of a
traditional, low cost and low impact
technique to improve the bridleway.
Shallow swales created along bridleway © Landmarc
elstead common in Surrey, in the
South east region of the National
Training estate is an important training
feature for many soldiers and is also a
popular location for walkers, cyclists
and horse riders. Not only that, the
common is part of a designated site
known for its important wet and
dr y heath habitats. Unfor tunately a
section of bridleway, which is also
The joint benefits to biodiversity,
flood relief and access are highly
commendable. The project has
enabled a wide range of users,
adequate access to the area, whilst
ensuring no negative impacts on the
SSSI; this has clearly been achieved
through strong collaborative working.
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Sanctuary 43 • 2014