News from the Panel

6 August 2007

Advice from DEFRA 5th August 2007:

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD): Countryside access and recreation

The countryside is open

Despite the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on a farm in Surrey, the countryside remains open. There is no need for people to stop visiting the countryside and, at the present time, the only impacts on visitor attractions are those which result from the restrictions on animal movements and animal gatherings.

Approach

Working in partnership with all relevant organisations, our objective is to stamp out the current outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) through swift and decisive action that:

• minimises the impact on the rural economy, international trade and the wider public welfare; and
• provides due protection for the welfare of the animals concerned.

Our immediate response will:

• Reduce the risk of spread through culling out the Infected Premises (IP) and taking a vigorous policy on identifying and culling dangerous contacts; and
• Apply all available resources to investigation in the Protection and Surveillance Zones in order to identify and close all possible risk pathways.

Access to land

We have learnt the lessons of the experience of the 2001 outbreak and would not close down the countryside if it is not justified by the disease risk. Current veterinary advice is that outside a protection zone, the risk of rights of way users and other visitors to the countryside spreading disease is low. Access to the countryside and in particular to footpaths, may be restricted but only within the Protection Zones (PZ) (areas of minimum 3km around an infected premises) if it is felt too risky to keep them open. Footpaths on the infected premises are closed.

There is a clear principle that there should be a presumption in favour of maintaining public access. Thus, any decision to close land over which there is a public right of way, or where there is public open space or a right of access to open country, would only be taken only when it is clearly necessary to do so.

In the event of a disease outbreak, inspectors may have the power to prohibit entry on to any land within designated areas and, in some cases, a specific power to close rights of way. In cases where the power is used to prohibit entry to designated areas, this power would, incidentally, enable the prohibition of entry on to any public right of way or land to which the public have a right of access situated within the designated areas.

Richard White
Programme Manager
UK Services
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Direct Telephone Line: 01753 727 440
Fax: 01753 810666
Please visit our website: http:www.theaward.org

29 April 2007

Charging for Silver and Bronze ventures

Unfortunately due to circumstances beyonds its control, the panel has decided to charge for Bronze and Silver ventures which are assessed by panel members. The charge will be £20 for each Bronze expedition and £30 for each Silver expedition.

29 April 2007

Photographic Competition - £50 prize

The panel is running a photographic competition - all photos must be from the panel area - the top photo will replace the front photo of the site - other photos will be used. Give titles and where they were taken.

Photos must be sent to the webmaster and they will be judged at the end of the year.

12 March 2005

Use of software for "tracings" and "route cards"

The Panel will accept software produced "tracings" and "route cards" from the route planning software, Memory Map. This is the recomended Route Planning Tool for The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. See the Award site for detils on how to purchase this software and the discounts that can be obtained.

The details for doing this are set out in the Greens application page.

1 July 2004

"Wild" camping in the Brecon Beacons National Park

There has been some discussion recently about "wild" camping in the Brecon Beacons National Park. The Panel has now received a letter (dated 18 June 2004) from the National Park which states the following:

• "Camping away from designated sites is only allowed with the permission of the landowner or tenant. The National Park Authority does not grant permission for camping on any land that it owns. National Trust land is subject to additional by-laws prohibiting camping without prior permission - this is rarely granted. Areas of Common land make up a large part of the open hill, and permission would be needed from every Commoner before camping would be allowed"

• "Also camping is usually not allowed within water catchment areas as it can cause pollution of the water supply. This means that camping would not be allowed in many valleys within the National Park."

This effectively means that "wild" camping is not allowed in the National Park. On the other hand many farms in the National Park area offer camping which is almost "wild". Once you have worked out your route, talk or e-mail the relevant area co-ordinator for possible camp sites.

8 February 2004

Local weather on the web

The "Met Office" site has a web page predicting the weather for the Brecon Beacons National Park area. A link for this has been put on the weather page.

6 September 2003

Hatterall ridge (Offa's Dyke path)

It is the intention of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to protect the environment. Therefore to stop erosion on the Hatterall ridge (Offa's Dyke path), ventures should not use this ridge.

20 July 2003

Supervisor for hire!!!

Mike Wood is prepared to act as a Supervisor if a group is unable to find suitable person. See details.

8 June 2003

Induction of Assessors

Notes for assessors who have not completed their Induction Assessments are provided here.

Private Bridges

When planning a route, please ensure that any bridges are "public Rights of Way". One or two groups recently have used private bridges which has annoyed their owners.

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