Litcham
Common Management Committee
Report for
Litcham Parish Annual Meeting held on 21st April 2008
Litcham
Common is a Local Nature Reserve and the Committee’s primary
responsibility is to manage it as such, particularly taking account of
the site’s importance as an area of lowland heathland. At the
same time, consideration needs to be given to maintaining a diversity
of wildlife habitats, as well as taking account of the common’s
importance to the people of Litcham and surrounding villages for
recreational purposes.
The
members of the committee include representatives of Norfolk County
Council (Sarah Cureton), Lexham Hall Estate (Neil Foster), Litcham
Parish Council (Mike Oldfield), Litcham Common Conservation Group (Tim
Angell), and also three residents of Litcham (John Jones, John Mitchell
and Joyce Green).
Work carried out over the past year includes:
•
Selective scrub and tree clearance to stop heathland plants
(particularly heather) from being shaded out, and to provide sheltered
but sunny wildlife habitats amongst the gorse.
• Replacing dilapidated benches with new ones.
• Mowing areas of bracken, and also the main paths.
Funding
for the work is provided by Norfolk County Council; grants are also
received under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Some of the work is
carried out by volunteers.
The
major focus over the past few months has continued to be the project to
reintroduce grazing on the common, using Dartmoor ponies. Four ponies
have been purchased and at the moment are being looked after by the
Norfolk Wildlife Trust at Grimston Warren nature reserve. They will be
brought to Litcham once the north-west half of the common has been made
stock proof. This work is scheduled to take place in the second half of
May, so the ponies should arrive at Litcham in early June.
The
progress of the grazing proposals has been reported on an ongoing basis
in ‘Church & Village’ magazine and also on the Parish
Council website. The Management Committee is grateful for the feedback
received and also to the members of the public who have volunteered to
help look after the ponies once they arrive.
The
Management Committee is keen to include the local community in the
grazing project as much as possible and is pleased that Litcham Primary
School has shown an interest. Anyone else who would like to help, or
has questions or comments, is asked to speak to a member of the
Management Committee.
Finally,
the proposals to install cattle grids on the Litcham to Dunham road are
still on hold, awaiting a decision from Norfolk County Council
Highways. However, the Management Committee notes that cattle grids are
the preferred option for both Litcham Parish Council and The Open
Spaces Society and so will continue to pursue this as a long term
objective, provided Highways give the go ahead.
Tim Angell
