THE MERSEY FOREST

Here you can explore a hierarchical representation of the objectives of The Mersey Forest. Click the plus signs to expand the elements.

Vision: TMF is both a concept and an area within which all will work in partnership to transform the landscape through woodland planting and the creation of associated habitats to produce long term sustainable benefits for the economy, people and wildlife

Goal: As a concept The Mersey Forest will provide opportunities for organisations and individuals to work together to deliver the common vision captured in The Mersey Forest Plan

Purpose: By ensuring that partnerships are equitable, individuals and organisations participating in TMF projects and initiatives will have opportunities for capacity growth

Output: Opportunities for partners to increase skills and knowledge in community forest related work will have been provided

Activity: Attend external training, seminars, conferences, shows
Activity: Develop and update website, produce leaflets, press releases regarding teaching of the Forest
Activity: Disseminate best practice - case studies, reports and publications (eg CCI Pack, Brownfield land report, WRAP Project)
Activity: Disseminate information through shows and displays using practical, hands-on elements
Activity: Link into in-service training for teachers (INSET)
Activity: Ongoing advice to communities and other partners through meetings and telephone calls
Activity: Partners mentored to deliver The Forest (two way process)
Activity: Set up talks for community groups, individuals, businesses, landowners, timber based (ad hoc talks)
Activity: Training for partner organisations to deliver TMF objectves in community development, timber processing and utilisation, fund raising, nature conservation, social inclusion, environmental education, nature conservation, public relations etc

Output: The capacity of community groups to manage and own local resources will be increased through community driven projects, CCI, NWCWS, REACT, Newlands, Holistic School Grounds Development

Activity: Develop and implement group capacity building plans and site management plans
Activity: Develop and implement group communication, PR and marketing strategies through web sites, network days, newsletters
Activity: Disseminate best practice to and between groups
Activity: Draw down on funds from all possible sources for community group projects
Activity: Ensure that contacts are made between user groups and service providers
Activity: Implement site improvement works
Activity: Involve communities in the preparation of management plans on TMF sites
Activity: Provide training to community groups on woodland, habitat and group management

Purpose: Create a focal point for the Forest Plan, a repository and source of information and additional resources to be utilised by the partners

Output: A dedicated team is in place, based in TMF Offices, planning, facilitating, coordinating, resourcing and managing projects and initiatives

Activity: Financial systems in place and managed
Activity: Manage the team and resources from TMF offices ensuring that there are adequate skills and competances to support Forest Plan objectives
Activity: Mangement monitoring systems in place and maintained
Activity: Office structure and systems set up and maintained
Activity: Run regular team building events to maintain TMF values and principles
Activity: Run regular team meetings to ensure planning and coordination

Output: Partner organisations will be providing core funding to enable the Team to function

Activity: Activate and maintain partnership agreements and draw down on funding

Output: TMF has in place an equitable system of governance which directs, monitors the implementation and development of the Forest Plan

Activity: Partners generate project monitoring information
Activity: Produce annual business plan
Activity: Run action groups to deliver specific work areas on a quarterly basis
Activity: Run Forest Trust meetings (MF Trust, CFNW)
Activity: Run Steering and Working groups run on a quarterly basis

Purpose: Partner organisations will jointly support projects and initiatives by providing resources to ensure that they can be progressed

Output: External sponsorship will have been secured for projects and initiatives

Activity: Apply to trusts and private companies for funds e.g. UU, INEOS

Output: Partners will have secured resources for projects that help to deliver the Forest Plan

Activity: Raise funds each year from private sorces and from HLF, Landfill, EU and generate voluntary and inkind support

Purpose: The partners will work together to promote and market the concept of TMF to ensure a consistent approach strengthening its identity and encouraging political support for the Forest Plan

Output: The partnership will be promoting the forest using a consistent approach to delivering a TMF identity, including the use of signage, logos, published materials and publicity

Activity: Communities actively promote the Forest (indicators - group newsletters, use of promotional items etc)
Activity: Generate joint partnership TMF press releases
Activity: Partner organisations include information about TMF in newsletters and include links on websites
Activity: Partners (including communities) put on talks about TMF
Activity: Produce a TMF newsletter
Activity: Standardise logos and signage across TMF and develop a house style
Activity: Train communities in promotion techniques

Output: The partnership will be working to influence key decision makers at local, regional and national levels to raise the profile of the TMF

Activity: Develop networking among partners and the promote TMF to key decision makers
Activity: Employ a marketing company to promote TMF in line with the current agenda
Activity: Ensure that key decision makers are taken on site visits to demonstrate TMF case studies and examples
Activity: Generate opportunities for photocalls to publicise TMF work
Activity: Generate regional and national press releases, articles, journals targeting specific key decision makers
Activity: Invite MPs to visit TMF sites
Activity: Keep members of TMF Steering and Working Groups informed through regular newsletters
Activity: Link into national community forest public relations group (Programme Profile group)
Activity: Play a key role in the development and implementation of the Regional Forestry framework working with FC and the other CFs to deliver it
Activity: Promote TMF objectives in initiatives e.g. Capital of Culture, The Northern Way, Green Infrastructure, Health Agenda
Activity: Regularly Meet with key decision makers in NWRA, NWDA, CoAg, FC, DEFRA, GONW
Activity: Represent TMF on steering and special groups
Activity: Support high profile events e.g. Millionth Tree events
Activity: Work with national CF director on the future of CF funding

Output: The partnership will have developed mechanisms to deliver and promote Green Infrastructure Plans, UFAPs and delivery of health benefits through links with LSPs, health organisations and education departments

Activity: Develop a national advocacy programme to incorporate health into community forests, deliver demonstration projects (e.g. REACT), promote in publications
Activity: Develop Landscape Ecology Model and publish to support Green Infrastructure work
Activity: Develop UFAP for St Helens, form template and make applicable for other LA.s
Activity: Green Infrastructure terms understood by partnership (through documentation and meetings) and Green Infrastructure plans written to deliver the Forest, seminars to promote, fund raising, develop case study examples
Activity: Use existing research to write bids for resources and influence potential funders, collate anecdotal information on health benefits
Activity: Write TMF plan elements into LSP community plans, deliver quantitative feedback to LSPs on key tasks e.g. metres of new footpath created

Goal: Sustainable economic benefits will be realised through the creation and management of TMF resources to assist in the process of generating and safeguarding jobs, markets and assets

Purpose: Give the public and private sectors confidence in the long term prospects and to provide a base for investment

Output: Jobs have been sustained by providing an outstanding environment as a comparative economic advantage over competitor areas

Activity: Support job fairs to help open up opportunities for trainees and employers
Activity: Support the development of area-based strategic plans e.g. UFAP, TELP

Output: The environment has been improved to increase the value of properties and businesses and encourage inward investment

Activity: Develop training events for owners and developers
Activity: Draw down Objective 1 funds for landowners to generate improvements
Activity: Draw down on Forestry Commission woodland schemes to generate improvements
Activity: Facilitate adoption of TMF sites within the Newlands project to help change landscape
Activity: Facilitate application for Section 106 projects on key sites
Activity: Facilitate improvements on school grounds
Activity: Generate a marketing strategy to promote specific areas within TMF
Activity: Market and support opportunities for corporate days, companies working on sites e.g. Risley Moss
Activity: Promote green infrastructure initiatives
Activity: Support community groups in the management of their sites
Activity: Support Regional Parks initiatives
Activity: Support the development of PBRS as a tool to guide improvements on brownfield land
Activity: Utilise appropriate DEFRA schemes to support environmental improvements
Activity: Work with developers on specific projects
Activity: Work with New Approaches programme to improve access routes

Purpose: Increase the economic viability of existing woodland assets through the development of infrastructure and by building the capacity of the sector

Output: A source of local timber for wood users, particularly local authorities has been developed

Activity: Draw down on Objective 1 funds to help develop local timber sources
Activity: Promote Ecolots as a forum for buying timber
Activity: Promote local wood to end users
Activity: Support research and development on supply and demand for local timber

Output: A supply of timber and other woodland products has been established and a market outlet developed

Activity: Draw down on Objective 1 funding to develop markets and supply chains
Activity: Encourage LA.s to adopt policies to utilise local timber
Activity: Encourage production from CCI woodlands and link with markets
Activity: Promote Ecolots as a forum for selling timber
Activity: Support project development with suppliers
Activity: Support research and development on supply and demand of timber products

Output: Business assistance has been provided for businesses in the timber supply chain

Activity: Develop service level agreements within the supply chain
Activity: Devlop "sign posting" to make the supply chain links
Activity: Provide business advice

Output: Improved management of woodland and increased use of raw materials is leading to an increase in the number of jobs in woodland industries

Activity: Draw down funds for woodland management e.g. Objective 1, EWGS, WRAP, DEFRA schemes
Activity: Run training events for managers and contractors
Activity: Support the development of utilisation projects on site
Activity: Support the marketing of products to increase turnover

Output: Opportunities for the development of leisure related, woodland-based businesses have been capitalised upon

Activity: Draw down on Objective 1 funding to develop leisure industry
Activity: Encourage tourism organisations to utilise TMF sites
Activity: Ensure that regional park strategies incorporate opportunities for the leisure industry
Activity: Link into Capital of Culture opportunities

Output: The timber using sector will have been developed

Activity: Develop links with training establishments
Activity: Objective 1 funds drawn down to stimulate the timber using sector
Activity: Support the development of projects within the timber sector

Output: The use of local labour is encouraged in schemes by maintaining a directory of local contractors that can undertake the broad range of activities encompassed within TMF

Activity: Develop and maintain TMF contacts database (Tonto)
Activity: Develop Enhanced Referal scheme to encourage best practice in supplying contractor details
Activity: Support research and development that increases productivity

Output: Timber recycling opportunities have been developed

Activity: Market recycling opportunities
Activity: Support networking opportunities within the industry
Activity: Support research and development on recycling

Purpose: Increase the opportunities for tourism within the area

Output: Regional tourism marketing organisations feature TMF and associated sites in their promotional literature

Activity: Ensure that tourism agencies include TMF sites in literature and displays
Activity: Market TMF through tourism outlets
Activity: Support networking among tourist organisations

Goal: The creation and management of TMF resources will generate sustainable social benefits through the facilitation of peoples involvement in health, leisure and environmental activities

Purpose: Generate a high level of community commitment to the concept of TMF and involvement in its implementation

Output: Actively consult communities on the development and implementation of TMF projects and initiatives

Activity: Ensure that the Newlands project includes stakeholder consultation
Activity: Involve communities in the preparation of site management plans
Activity: Partner organisations carry out consultation on newly acquired sites

Output: People are attending educational events within TMF

Activity: Develop specialist education events e.g. Landlife
Activity: Run accredited training courses e.g. BTCV
Activity: Run environmental education events through ranger service e.g. Operation Eden
Activity: Run funding and project training events e.g. EWGS, timber certification, biomass, Objective 1, Green Infrastructure
Activity: Run project specific education e.g. Junior Rangers in the CCI education programme
Activity: Run project specific training for Woodland Wildflower, Bluebell Recovery Project and other campaigns
Activity: Run training events for Business in the Community and community service volunteers

Output: People are being actively informed through all forms of media about opportunities to participate in TMF activities

Activity: Advertise events through television, radio, journals and newspapers
Activity: Develop displays and banners for use in events and public spaces
Activity: Ensure that distribution outlets - ranger centres, National Wildflower Centre - have updated leaflets and displays
Activity: Ensure that there are press releases on events
Activity: Keep information updated on website
Activity: Produce leaflets and distribute through appropriate outlets
Activity: Publish articles in specialist journals
Activity: Use contacts database to send out information in the mail
Activity: Utilise networking events to advertise events
Activity: Utilise talks and shows to publicise activities

Output: People are being encouraged to use and enjoy community forest sites

Activity: Attract people onto sites through campaigns e.g. Forest Fever
Activity: Consult with stakeholders on site development - Northwich Community Woodlands, Capital Modernisation Fund, Newlands
Activity: Improve quality of sites including safety standards
Activity: Provide information through websites and leaflets and include access maps
Activity: Set up events to introduce people to sites and highlight selling points
Activity: Undertake user surveys to discover and understand the use of sites - Forest Fever
Activity: Work with hard to reach groups (e.g. REACT) - Health walks and activities, Special Needs days, Business in the Community days, events tailored to groups

Purpose: Green the areas surrounding businesses and housing complexes to improve quality of life

Output: Business parks and industrial zones will have been provided advice on landscaping with trees and woodlands

Activity: Draw down on Objective 1 funding for landscaping business land
Activity: Participate in development action groups e.g. Planning and Urban Tree Group Meeting - distribute brochures
Activity: Support developments through NWCWS, WRAP, Newlands and REVIVE

Output: CCI will focus on woodlands adjacent to housing estates with high deprivation indices

Activity: CCI groups encourage school involvement in their woods
Activity: CCI groups producing information packs for their woods
Activity: Focus CCI efforts on Littlewood, Millwood, Clinkham, Penny/Whiston Wood, Whitby Park and Murdishaw and consider expansion to other areas - e.g. Syders Grove

Purpose: Provide opportunities to increase skills and capacity for participants in TMF

Output: Jobs in the leisure industry developed in and around the Community Forest have been created

Activity: Employ project staff - REACT Project Officer, NWCWS officer, CCI Co-ordinator
Activity: Generate work for community artists, entertainers, craftspeople
Activity: Local Authorities employ site managers - community rangers
Activity: Not for profit contractors taking on staff - BTCV, Groundwork, Landlife
Activity: Recruit and deploy CMF team
Activity: Support commercial contractors setting up within TMF area eg Spot Hire - provide business support, Objective 1 grants, business planning support
Activity: Support the creation of jobs in the leisure industry

Output: Training programmes have been developed to address the skills gap and personal development whilst providing routes for people to gain employment

Activity: Co-ordinate training across the partnership
Activity: Run training for contractors
Activity: Run training for teachers
Activity: Run training for the partner organisations to do "TMF activities"
Activity: Run vocational training for special needs groups e.g. Norley Nursery, Landlife
Activity: Support New Deal and ILM training initiatives
Activity: Support vocational training provided externally to the partnership

Purpose: Raise awareness about and improve access to woodlands and associated habitats for health, leisure and environmental education

Output: A network of wooded routeways within and between TMF sites will have been developed to provide for recreation and off-road access to workplaces and shops

Activity: Acquire land with the view to opening up access
Activity: Draw down on available grants for access works
Activity: Participate in Access Action Group
Activity: Participate in transport planning boards and partnerships
Activity: Promote access onto community sites through Newlands, CMF
Activity: Promote site to the public through all available media

Output: Develop TMF within schools to improve quality of life and provide an educational resource

Activity: Develop and distribute information packs
Activity: Draw down on funds for school grounds development - small grants, INEOS, Cory, Objective 1
Activity: Encourage communities to assist schools through Business in the Community, task days and volunteer days
Activity: Provide advice to schools
Activity: Provide networking training for schools
Activity: Publicise school grounds development as best practice case studies, through press coverage using photocalls and articles

Output: Good information about the community forestry sites and facilities will be widely available

Activity: Distribute information through publicity on events and sites to outlets

Output: Greenspace will have been provided close to where people live and work, especially in areas of high deprivation

Activity: Develop greenspace sites and improve access
Activity: Support tree and wildflower planting iniatives on all greenspace sites

Output: Opportunities for involvement in artistic, cultural and educational events are widely available

Activity: Develop and exhibit displays and material for talks
Activity: Run campaigns e.g. National Tree Week, Bluebell Recovery,Woodland Wildflowers, Tree for All, Forest Fever Fortnight
Activity: Run education and practical training days
Activity: Set up and run events with artistic, cultural and educational themes

Output: Opportunities to participate in sport, recreation and health activities will have increased

Activity: Advertise activities through Forest Fever Fortnight
Activity: Encourage healthy walking, Green Gym, Allotments projects and cycling initiatives across the LAs through projects such as REACT
Activity: Publicise events and sites through appropriate outlets
Activity: Support the development of orienteering opportunities on appropriate sites
Activity: Utilise all opportunities to raise awareness of activities

Output: Schools will have been encouraged to use TMF resources beyond the school environment

Activity: CCI groups bring school parties onto their sites to contribute to Shools Holistic Approach
Activity: CCI groups produce teaching packs for their woods
Activity: Develop funding applications for educational activities
Activity: Provide information to schools to show opportunities e.g. education packs to promote LNRs
Activity: Set up events on TMF sites for schools

Goal: The transformation of TMF will be brought about through the creation of a natural, well wooded landscape involving a range of site-based activities

Purpose: Bring more woodland into better management

Output: A visually exciting and functionally diverse environment will have been created

Activity: Incorporate TMF aspirations in LA and other planning frameworks
Activity: Tailor woodland management plans to the character of the landscape

Output: More woodland will have been managed in accordance with UKWAS and other appropriate standards

Activity: Incorporate UKWAS standards in all woodland management plans
Activity: Promote current woodland grant schemes to all landowners

Purpose: Improve the management of associated non-woodland habitat

Output: Advice on creating associated non-woodland habitat will have been provided

Activity: Produce fact sheets and distribute with advice and appropriate contact numbers

Purpose: Increase the area of woodland cover and other associated habitats

Output: Appropriate habitats will have been created in association with new development opportunities

Activity: Ensure local planning authorities achieve additional community forest benefits through planning frameworks
Activity: Review planning applications in order to secure Section 106 agreements, simple client obligations and SPG

Output: Key transport routes will have been greened

Activity: Build relationships between appropriate highway and LA.s
Activity: Consider existing transport routes for improvement where possible
Activity: Plant appropriate screens where feasible along all new transport routes in line with Forest Plan aspirations

Output: Landowners will have been encouraged to create areas of community woodland

Activity: Promote woodland grant schemes to landowners and recommend public access where appropriate

Output: More DUNL land will have been converted to community woodland

Activity: Seek funds for the remediation of available DUNL to high quality woodland cover and other appropriate habitats e.g. Newlands
Activity: Seek opportunities to support practical research on brownfield sites
Activity: Work with regeneration initiatives - CMF, Newlands, REVIVE

Output: Poorly functional farmland will have been converted to woodland and associated habitats

Activity: Woodland and agri-environmental schemes regularly promoted to the farming community through a variety of media

Purpose: Increase the quality and quantity of urban greenspace

Output: The provision of good quality urban greenspace will have been increased

Activity: Develop urban and street tree strategy
Activity: Draw down on funding e.g. Objective 1 and implement strategy

Purpose: New developments are woven into Green Infrastructure

Purpose: Protect existing areas of high quality landscape and features

Output: The quality of greenbelt and equivalent areas will have been retained and improved

Activity: Work with and lobby local authority planners on greenbelt issues and provide advice so that development contributes to TMF objectives

Goal: Through the creation and management of TMF resources, sustainable wildlife benefits will be realised by protecting and improving biodiversity

Purpose: Create and conserve habitats for protected species

Output: Incentives and advice on management practices are being provided to ensure rare and protected species thrive

Activity: Participate in and encourage TMF BAP group and Action Group and other BAP groups by providing advice and incentives on management to protect these species and habitats

Output: Landowners have been made aware of legal obligations with regard to protected species

Activity: Ensure fact sheets are available for all protected species and habitats

Purpose: Create habitat networks and linkages at a landscape scale

Output: A functional network approach is being utilised to allow appropriate linkages between habitats

Activity: Ensure that opportunities for creating networks of habitats are fully explored by working both within individual sites and with neighbouring landowners

Output: A landscape ecology approach has been developed and is used to deliver TMF

Activity: Establish landscape ecology plans for each local authority area in TMF

Purpose: Protect and improve existing woodland and associated habitat biodiversity

Output: Existing valued habitats and species are retained when sites are worked on

Activity: Consider the value of existing habitats on site before planning and implementing further site development

Output: Grant schemes promoted as a mechanism for delivering habitat improvements

Activity: Run seminars, mailouts and websites to highlight appropriate grant schemes

Output: Partners are working together to promote good practice to landowners

Activity: Identify local examples of best practice and promote them to practitioners

Output: TMF Biodiversity Action Plan has been developed and maintained

Activity: Continually update TMF BAP through the Nature Conservation Action Group

Output: Woodland and other habitats managed meet BAP requirements

Activity: Incorporate BAP targets for appropriate species and habitats in management plans