Monitoring and Evaluation
20.1 The Mersey Forest is a large-scale, long-term project and, in common with other such undertakings, it will require a suitable mechanism for monitoring its development and evaluating its performance against predetermined targets. An annual business plan provides details of budgets, achievements and targets.
Techniques for the evaluation of progress have been investigated as part of the process of producing this business plan; performance indicators against the following objectives have been developed:
- Public awareness and community participation.
- Woodland planting and management, and other land uses.
- Uptake of grants.
- Improvements to the area's landscape.
- Extensions to public access, both to woodland sites and recreational routes.
- Provision of recreational facilities and the extent of their use.
- The contribution that The Mersey Forest makes to the local economy, in terms of employment and investment.
Progress to date in creating non-woodland habitats
