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THE ISSUES AND THEIR RESOLUTION
Ma’am, if it pleases you. I would like to present a possible
resolution to a substantial part of the Cumbrian situation. As you
are in no doubt aware Ma’am, in the wake of the recent disasters
that have hit the agricultural community in Cumbria, there is an
absolute need for the revitalisation of the Upper Eden Valley’s
economy; indeed the economy of the whole of Cumbria needs drastic
attention. The mines are closed, the shipbuilding has gone, BSE and
Foot and Mouth, along with government support for the mass
destruction of the livestock and the hill barns, has engendered the
lingering death of the hill farmer, and for the businesses that
service the agricultural industry, and therefore fatally endangering
the viability of the district’s economy as a whole. There are no
large manufactories, no main harbours, no international airports and
no oil refineries. There is Sellafield and how long is that going to
survive? So what assets are left to support the whole of the
Cumbrian community? Only one, and that is its scenic beauty.
However, you cannot eat the sky, you cannot use a mountain peak to
shelter you from the storm, you only have its beauty.
The Prime Minister, Ma’am, has already expressed part of the
resolution to the overall situation, where he has suggested that the
Pennies be transformed into a national park. This in itself is a
good idea - it’s instrumentation a little more difficult, due to the
myopic dyslexia of the MoD: - who, wherever they go in this country,
constantly misread the words, ‘National Park’ as ‘Gunnery Range’. To
circumvent this, and an even greater disaster befalling the Upper
Eden Valley, along with all the hardships it will engender, will
require that a package of new ideas to succeed. I have taken the
liberty, Ma’am, to listed below for your review, a few of this
writer’s contributions, which, if they were to be implemented, could
seed a vital and necessary change to the benefit of the whole
community, and a very soft impact on the scenic beauty of the area.
---o0o---
The Prime Minister, Ma’am; has further outlined his vision of the
future for Cumbria, as one of servicing the tourist and the holiday
industries, that are associated with the National Parks and the
AONBs of the district. In line with this, and in an attempt to
increase the viability of the tourist industry, the British
Government, Ma’am, via the Secretary of State for the Environment,
Transport and the Regions - has seen fit to approve the Cumbria
extension of the Pennine Bridleway; as approved in 1995, by the
Countryside Commission, the route will go through the villages of
Milburn, Dufton, Warcop, Murton and the town of Appleby, among
others, but not if the Army get their way, as they have totally
contradictory idea’s.
Unfortunately, Ma’am, here is the major ‘clash point’, where the
Government’s ideals for the country as a whole, clash directly with
the MoD’s narrow intention to limit, if not forbid any access to the
Fell’s, and the land around the villages, mentioned in the
Governments plans. This is because, the proposed route will pass
through large areas of countryside directly affected by the MoD
excessive land demands, which is for the land belonging to the
Warcop practice area, and its surrounds to have no public access at
all. These demands are not helped by the MoD’s excessively accretive
and restrictive attitude to large parts of Cumbria in general [2%
and growing]. Clearly, Ma’am, these two visions are in direct
conflict.
Although the argument put forward by the MoD is understood, they
themselves must understand, that an ever-expanding heavy artillery
range, in the heart of a tourist resort, is decidedly, not the
answer to the Cumbrian economic situation, and although the national
defence needs are not deigned. It is foolish of them to think that,
by closing a proposed National Park area to visitors, and
discouraging the only surviving growth industry [tourism] with chain
link fences, barbed wire and the constant sound of gunfire, would be
helping the Prime Minister to fulfil his suggestions for the
district, or boost the local economy, let alone the morale of the
local residents, who are in danger of being dispossessed of their
homes, by the empire building ambitions, of a few very misdirected
military bureaucrats. Fiscally speaking, Ma’am, the Army’s presence
in Cumbria is not the same as it might be in say Aldershot, or
Catterick; in reality its contribution to the regions economy is
slight - and that is being extremely charitable. However the
possible need of a rifle range at Warcop has been accepted, and
assimilated into the overall plan in its most economic form, one
that is designed to benefit both the military and the civilian
population, alike.
We must not lose sight of the fact that Cumbria, is one of the most
financially depressed areas in Britain, albeit the house prices
might indicate otherwise, but non-locals, looking for a second home
and being prepared to pay ‘Home Counties’ prices for the privilege
of living, part time, in Cumbria, are inflating these prices and
distort the true image of the situation. A typical instance of this,
can be demonstrated by the asking price of £168,000,00, for a miners
cottage in the village of Dufton, whereas just over twenty years
ago, a complete farm, just half a kilometre from the village, sold
for £8,000,00. The average house price, for the lower end of the
Cumbrian housing market has increased by over ‘one third’ in five
years, to reach over £60.000,00, for a very modest terraced house in
Penrith, and the new developments that are being built in Penrith
seem set to break the £100,000,00 barrier with ease, selling for
£130,000,00 to £250,000,00. Ma’am, the boom in housing market does
little to comfort the local agricultural population, who on a farm
workers wages, would have to work far more hours a week, than the
week actually holds, in order to afford a mortgage and so a fair
proportion of the resident population are jobless, homeless and
futureless. Ma’am, I have laid out below, for your review, an
attempt to remedy a part of this.
THE WARCOP TRAINING AREA
PROPOSAL OF CHANGE
Proposal: - Due to the continuing and growing economic hardship,
experienced by the Upper Eden valley communities, it is proposed
that:
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That the Warcop Training Area in Cumbria and its surrounds,
containing the Lune Forest, a (proposed) SSSI, be removed from the
control of the MoD and given over to the control of the registered
charity, ‘Deep Forest Green’ and the Ancient and Honourable House of
Doves.
-
The site would then be divided into two sections. Section ‘One’: -
the High Fells of Roman, Hilton, Warcop, Musgrave, Mickle, Cronkley,
Holwick, Harter and Helbeck along with the Lune Forest and Moor and
Crossthwaite Common be converted to an extensive wildlife park, in
compliance with the present Government suggestions for the future of
the Pennines.
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Section ‘Two’, on the much smaller Eden Valley section of the Low
Fells range, an Earth Resources University to be established in its
stead. The growth of the support industries, associated with such an
enterprise, and its ancillaries would bring a lasting and beneficial
change in the local communities living conditions. The income from
such an enterprise would greatly improve the local economy, and
provide the local population with a greater variety of viable job
opportunities.
What we hope to do is create large, purpose built protected areas,
similar to a safari park, where the endangered animals, native to
the Pennines, would be allowed to range freely. This would allow
controlled access to the animals, but also provide ideal conditions
for breeding. We are proud of our native animals and this would
showcase them in a non-intrusive manner. We would then be able to
show local species of fauna and flora in their natural environment
and provide high-grade facilities for both visitors and
professionals alike.
The highly endangered species, specific to the North, that concern
us here, include the White Park Cattle Bos taurus, (64 individuals
remaining, MAFF records an effective breeding population of 35), the
white form of Cervus elaphus otherwise known as the Royal White Hart
(24+ individuals remaining), The Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix and the
highly endangered Fell Pony, (2,000 remaining, making them as rare
as tigers) whose numbers are threatened by a ‘genetically’
transferred immune system disorder, due to a decrease in the local
availability of a healthy stud. The animals would be allowed to roam
freely, un-caged and breed in their natural habitat, but have a
degree of stewardship, available to maintain optimum comfort for the
animals. However, the poor quality of the local grazing, would
require, that a very large areas of Fells to be put aside for the
comfort of these animals, and to guarantee a stress-less existence
for the breeding herds. This would obviously require that no high
explosives should be going off, as sudden shocks could be life
threatening to all wildlife here.
In addition to these, the Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), the
Scottish Wild Cat (Felix silvestris silvestris), the Capercaillie
(Tetrao urogallus), and the Golden Eagle and Osprey have all been
seen in the area, but obviously not too close to the gunnery range,
as guns and wild life are not convivial. Logically we would like to
encorage these rarities, and offer them a peaceful sanctuary.
The exceptional uniqueness of the area, with its natural bounty of
diversity, has given us a unique blend of heather moor, blanket
mire, and acidic grassland, which would be hard to replace. Where on
the high ground, you can find the extremes of a thick
Calluneto-Eriophoetum-Sphagnum blanket bog, (which is a very
uncommon European habitat), in close proximity to one of the
Westmorland limestone pavements with its many species of
calcium-enriched flushes, which go together in producing a most
varied combination of Arctic, Alpine and Continental plant
communities to be found anywhere in the world. Within these
communities rarities thrive, where they have become extinct
elsewhere, such as the extremely rare, Spring Gentian (Gentiana
verna), and the Yellow Marsh Saxifrage (Saxifraga aizoides), and
many more, whose environment is not only scarce, but also frail.
It is within the mandate for Deep Forest Green to make all efforts
to protect this natural environment, according to the guidelines,
laid down for a SSSI, and to replace the natural fauna and flora,
where it has been damaged or is absent, especially where the natural
mix of woodland species has been clear felled, for industrial
reasons. This would include the replanting of extensive tree cover
and the cultivation of windbreaks where needed.
As mentioned above, the remaining area of the Warcop Range that lies
at the foot of the Pennine Uplift, and adjacent to the A66, should
be removed from the control of the MoD and should be given over to
the establishment of an ‘Earth Resources University’, whose mandate,
apart from an educational one, would be in research for viable
answers to pressing environmental problems.
It is further proposed; that part of the site be used specifically
as a veterinary study, breeding and recovery area for endangered
native species, so that viable numbers of certified fit animals
might be released back into the wild, and for those stocks to be
maintained in good health.
It is further proposed; that in response to the Governments
cancellation of certain specialist pre-university Earth Science
courses, substantial resources should be invested in the
establishment of College of Geological Studies, as a major
contribution by the Earth Resources University - to the academic
world of the United Kingdom. In an effort to redress the imbalance
that resent government changes have made and to help maintain the
high standard in Geological studies we once had, for this and the
other areas mentioned, we do need extensive accommodation for our
growing library, laboratory, equipment and collections, as well as
the accommodation that our teaching staff and students would need.
(See explanatory note)
RIFLE RANGE
-
That the 600-metre infantry rifle range and its ancillaries, would
be retained and maintained to the correct MoD standards, and be made
available to the MoD on a leaseback contract arrangement.
The rifle range and some of the appropriate ancillary installations,
should be retained and maintained to Military standards, for use by
the Military, as and when they require the use of it. The range will
be run on a leaseback system. By the term ‘appropriate ancillary
installations’; means that some of the range stores, control points
and watchtowers, as well as the use of range office facilities,
parade ground, parking facilities, and suitable accommodation for
visiting regiments, would be retained and kept in good order. It has
been further suggested, that the Managing Body of the ‘Earth
Resources University’ fulfil the domestic side of the visiting
regiments accommodation, and items such as food and bedding be
supplied by the Managing Body, as and when they are needed, being
part of the leaseback agreement.
In addition, it is proposed that at some future point, and should
there prove to be sufficient demand or need; the Managing Body might
extend the six hundred metre rifle range facilities, to include a
sixteen hundred-metre range. This additional facility could replace
some of the facilities that were once supplied by the Bisley range,
and such an addition could also service our nations Olympic sporting
representative’s needs.
An additional proposal has been added to the above, which is, that
parts of the communication equipment and installation should be
retained and be left in situ, such as the radio masts and ancillary
equipment [if any]. This would include the Helipad [if existing] and
its control tower, which could act as a base for both the military’s
use and that of the emergency services, thus increasing the range of
the mountain rescue, air ambulance and other essential services to
this isolated region.
HOUSING
Surplus housing: - any housing units that are not required by the
workers and representatives of Deep Forest Green, or others
associated with the running of the Earth Resources University, could
be made available to the local council, for the accommodation of
local rural workers in housing need. Before any property is offered
to any tenant, the local Council should be approached to establish
whether the property is of the requisite standard for habitation,
and has been brought up to the recommended national standard. Then
to register the said property at a fair rent.
BUSINESS PARK
-
That the tank service and repair workshop buildings, which are
surplus to the immediate requirements of the University or other,
should be converted into small business areas, containing start up
units for new enterprises to help and encourage the establishment of
new small businesses in the Upper Eden Valley.
SHOW GROUND
-
The lack of suitable show ground facilities to service the Upper
Eden Valley and the surrounding district, has been noted. Therefore
a suggestion was put to us, as to whether we would consider
installing a show ground with an eventing circuit as a permanent
feature, much on the, ‘Hickstead’ example.
We considered the suggestion and agreed that there were areas, where
the damage to the environment caused by the military’s use of heavy
equipment, was so extensive: - that it would be almost impossible to
restore these areas to anything near their natural condition. Given
this and the fact that we are considering a number of other related
projects, where we could improve the recreational facilities
available to the people in the Eden Valley, then such a suggestion
was deemed welcome, as it harmonises with what we are trying to do
for the people of Cumbria.
FARMING
The use of the farmland, that at present, is part of the Warcop
Training Area and its surrounds, and where practical, shall be
retained in its present usage and form. The contracts held by local
individuals for grazing rights on the Warcop Training Area, or farms
that they might rent from the MoD, both within and without the
Warcop Training Area, apart from the change of ownership from MoD
too Deep Forest Green, should continue unchallenged, with minor
mutual agreements, unless there are good reasons to do otherwise.
Such as the presence on that land of military contamination, which
would render the use of that land for agricultural purposes
dangerous.
A variety of management agreements would be made, to encourage
tenant farmers to maintain traditional hay making and Northern
Farming Practices. Farmers would be involved in varying degrees with
the site management agreements, and agri-environment schemes. It is
hoped that, with the removal of the difficulties, created by the MoD
for the farmer over traditional ‘Rights of Common’; that a pattern
of traditional farming might once more be established. Other small
adjustment to both the running of the wildlife sanctuary, and the
needs of the tenant farmer could be adjusted by mutual consent.
Other issues, such as the mingling of stock and the possible
temporary closure of areas whilst they are being guaranteed cleared
of ordnance; have to be accepted by both sides, if proven a
necessity.
The income from the rents received from the farms, associated with
the Warcop Training Area and those lying within the surrounding
safety zone, will be used in part, to maintain the running of the
wildlife park and its ancillaries.
FIELD SPORTS
The contractual rights of the ‘Local Hunts’ are to be respected, in
as much as they do not hunt in areas that are inhabited by protected
species, as this would make a mockery of the basis of rare animal
conservation.
The shooting and fishing rights would have to be renegotiated, as
these are seen as part of the estates income, helping to give
financial independence to the wildlife park.
It is understood that there are areas of bio – chemical - radiation
contamination, as well as unexploded ordinance. It is fully intended
to enact a professional and thorough clearance programme, designed
to remove all traces of redundant military ordnance wherever
possible. On the subject of contamination, the risk will be
professionally assessed, calculated and the appropriate action
taken.
It is also understood and agreed that in times of war, certain
additional calls might be made on the Warcop site for military
purposes.
Written this 23rd day of August 2002
by your most humble and obedient subject.
Richard Anthony von Hymir de Dufton
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COLLEGE OF GEOLOGICAL STUDIES
Ma’am, I am sure that you have appreciated the stunningly beautiful
landscape of the Eden Valley; it is the result of an equally
stunning geology. The power of the Lake District’s mountains is
accentuated by the more subtle strength of the Pennine uplift, and
it has a truly amazing geology lying just under the surface. Ma’am,
nowhere in the whole of Britain, is more geologically important than
the Pennine uplift, it is Britain’s star attraction, it is totally
unique in this country, and so rare that it is known as a world
grade ‘A’ site for geological studies.
It was the extreme uniqueness of the area that allowed the
Universities of the United Kingdom and the world, to use it for two
hundred years or more as a superb teaching model, in fact in a
much-reduced way, (in teaching manuals only) it still is used as
such, but nowadays there one big negative aspect, we are no longer
allowed to use it the way we were once did. The reason for this is
not hard to guess, it’s the Army again and its restrictive practices
of forbidding access to certain key areas, and that is exactly where
they have chosen to place their gunnery targets. The Army should be
constantly reminded, that they do not own the Pennines; they
commandeered them for war use only, and conveniently forgot to give
them back to the people.
Ma’am, there is nowhere in the whole of your realm that is more
important to the earth sciences, than that singular range of hills.
This is the reason I have taken the liberty of including with this
plea, a section of the geological map of the area. I do apologise
for the fact that it is a copy, but the original map is now rather
scarce, as the demand for it has fallen since the MoD closed most of
the site to the world, making the production of the map less
commercial. The map itself is un-usual in as much as it is the only
map to be produced in the whole of the UK, that covers a singular
specific geological outcrop, and unlike all the other maps that
follow the reference pattern of the grid system; this one is laid
out on the oblique, and follows the line of the Fells.
As you can see Ma’am, that the map, apart from looking like a rather
active painting from the sixties, reflects quite accurately an area
that is geologically speaking both very active and complete. There
are over two hundred different stratographic outcrops of rock
represented there, which cover an enormous time scale of more than
250,000,000, years, and date back to the Ordovician period from
500,000,000, years ago, all within an afternoons stroll. Some of
these rock are so rare that they are found nowhere else in the
world, the Murton Slate Formations being one, Keisley Limestone
another and the Dufton Shale being a third, which is 400m thick.
There are literally dozens of rocks that are specific to this unique
locality. We have Granites, Marbles, Limestone’s, Coals, Slates,
Sandstone, Tuffs, Rhyolites, Basalts and who knows what else. But it
isn’t just rocks that are so specific there are the minerals to
think of, even these are rare, and the mines there although closed
could still produce mineral specimens that are in high demand
internationally, the rare pink Fluorite is found there, and
Briangyoungite which is known only from the Pennines, Alstonite is
also unique to the Pennines, as are the water clear crystals of
Barites from the Dufton mine, or is the strikingly clear yellow
Fluorite from Hilton mine, and we have ore deposits that are so
varied that they cover iron, lead, silver, mercury, barites,
fluorspar, gold, copper and manganese. Ma’am, there are so many more
items of geological interest that this plea would take on the form
of a catalogue rather than a plea.
However, before I end this section I should mention the varied and
explicit evidence of Glaciations. Here, in one small area, we have a
set of perfectly preserved glacial anomalies, the perfectly shaped
High Cup Beck Valley being the most notable, as are the drumlins at
its foot, and the sinkholes, pingos and scree slopes, they are all
there as is everything else, and all so convenient to one another.
Ma’am, with all due respects, we need this land to work for the
betterment of the nation, not for its batter-ment.
Ma’am, the reason that we have concentrated on founding the College
Of Geological Studies is this. It is a hard, expensive and a
difficult thing to give a new university to the people, we realise
this, we also realise that a university is composed of a group of
colleges and schools. It is easier for us to build our Earth
Resources University school by school, than it is to go in cold and
raise the money and then build. The latter course has little to
offer, as by the time we have raised all the money we need to build,
‘A’, the cost of living has gone up, and the financial target has
become like goal posts receding into the distance. ‘B’, the subject
profile would have changed along with the worlds needs. Therefore,
we have concluded that it was preferable to build the university
school by school, and by starting small we would be able to adapt at
a very basic level to the changing circumstances, than to try to
make gigantic leaps in order to catch up.
Ma’am, there is another reason why we are concentrating of
geological matters is this. Of resent years some really pressing
situations have developed in the field of higher education. The
present Government in their wisdom have seen fit to stop all support
for certain ‘Special’ subjects, and have concentrate their
investment, solely in teaching the three ‘R’s’. While this is not
illaudable in it’s short-term aim, it is wide of the mark in the
long term. For instance, it may be quite profitable to sell
University places to foreign students, and the revenue will bolster
the Universities coffers. However, if the UK student body is not
able to apply for University places, because they lack the correct
certification, on account that the Government have cancelled those
facilities in order to make a modest saving. This begs the question,
where do the Universities get their next generation of educators
from? It begs a further question, what will become of those subjects
if there is no one in higher education teaching them? Ma’am, I
submit that the answer is obvious.
This problem was brought to my attention a little while ago when I
had occasion to visit one of these colleges, so I asked the Senior
Lecturers and Masters what needed to be done. One Master made a
suggestion that caught my attention, because it was achievable
within our terms, and from this seed the idea behind the College of
Geological Studies was formed. It was from him that I learnt that
Geology was now no longer studied in our schools and colleges.
Admittedly the student body has a brief encounter with rocks, but it
doesn’t go much past rocks being the hard bits we stand on.
So to circumvent this educational glitch from widening into a
scandal, a suggestion was made that if the redundant geological
collections were gather in one central place, along with all the
maps and teaching aids. Subject specific lecturers, could be sent
out to visit schools and colleges, taking with them complete
educational kits of maps, samples, slides etc. This would enable the
schools and colleges to hire the specialist lecturers only for the
duration of the course, rather than have them as permanent member of
staff, thus making the saving that the government so dearly wants.
If we were able to augment the mobile teaching force with a
permanent collage to work from, situated in the best geological area
in the UK, then we could be an educational force to be reckoned
with.
This basic idea has been introduced into the educational world, and
has been well received and encouraged. So much so that Deep Forest
Green has a growing volume of mineral specimens, books, maps and
everything else needed to teach geology, all donated by schools and
collages who no longer can teach the subject, all we lack is the
base to work from. In fact my own home has become a repository of
geology, as have the homes of my co-workers.
EARTH RESOURCES UNIVERSITY
Ma’am, the registered charity ‘Deep Forest Green’, was created
initially to act as a forum, and to provide a work force dedicated
to solving environmental problems. In this role various members of
Deep Forest Green, have worked with different universities both here
and abroad. Deep Forest Green has been involved with environmental
reclamation and enhancement projects for a few years, but our main
forte is the seeking of viable, and commercially competent
solutions, to difficult environmental situations. To this end Deep
Forest Green have a number of research projects started, which have
been developed to the point, where the research and development
facilities available to them, are as present inadequate for the
completion of the projects, forcing the realisation that it is now
imperative that we establish a faculty that had both greater
capacity, and greater facilities. It was always in Deep Forest
Green’s mandate to establish a University that concentrated on Earth
Studies, and now would seem to be a good time to forward this
design.
Among the ideas we are currently developing, include quite a number
of different ways to generate power, as well as the fuel resources
they would need to make them as environmentally friendly, and as
independent as possible. Of the varied programmes under development
we include, high volume low cost hydrogen production, low cost low
volume hydroelectric generation for isolated communities, biomass
production and thermal electric generation.
We are also investigating new non-GM cool climate field crops, and
the development of cool climate bio fuel crops for poor quality
land. As from the start of this year, we initiated one of the most
recent and challenging developments, it is into ways of cleaning
land that has been contaminated with radioactive compounds. So far
we have developed a suite of three complimentary methods, designed
to deal with localised contamination, and we are getting a little
exited over the potential they offer, as the initial results look
promising.
Written this 23rd day of August 2002
by your most humble and obedient subject.
Richard Anthony von Hymir de Dufton
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GEOLOGICAL MAP
Geological Map is currently not available.
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AREA MAP
Area Map is currently not available
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