Thanks to a series of training sessions organised by Our Green Space, community groups throughout Cumbria are set to take control of their local green spaces, village greens and common land.

In total, 24 groups took advantage of the training that covered a range of skills, including wildlife, heritage and culture.

Managing open spaces can seem daunting to local communities and these sessions provided a framework for groups to look at what is important on each site and how to protect and improve it.

Ten training sessions were held in different parts of the county looking at a range of issues. The theme at Dufton Village was how to protect and restore village greens, especially where there is pressure from cars parking. Others looked at special wildlife needs, such as natterjack toads at the Millom Ironworks Local Nature Reserve.

Many groups went on to prepare management plans for their sites. In Braithwaite, fifteen people attended the outdoor session looking at how to manage the common areas to benefit wildlife. The local school has since done a wildflower survey and children identified 62 different wild plants including meadow species such as cuckoo flower, orange hawk weed and ox-eye daisy.

At Bolton near Appleby, a group is looking at transforming a memorial field - currently grazed by sheep - to a community resource combining recreation, wildlife and education. Another group at Hincaster is developing a trailway - a route for use by people of all abilities. Following the training session, the group feels confident that they have the skills to write a management plan which is needed to accompany the bids they are preparing for funding for the scheme.

‘Our Green Space' is a Cumbria-wide project managed by Friends of the Lake District in partnership with Action with Communities in Cumbria (ACT). The project, funded by HLF aims to inform and equip local communities with the skills to enable them to protect and manage their local village greens and green spaces better.

Shirley Muir who delivered the sessions said, "I have been inspired by the number of individuals and groups throughout Cumbria who are battling - sometimes without a lot of support and guidance - to protect and improve their local green spaces. It has been rewarding to be able to help them."

Management plans can play an important part in deciding and consulting on how a piece of communal land is managed and they are often a requirement for funding bids. Management plans are key tools in protecting open spaces but they are often seen as complex and daunting by local communities who may feel that they are not expert enough to write them. The sessions de-mystified the process and enabled community groups to set objectives and actions for their local green spaces.

To access a template for a management plan or for more information on managing community green spaces visit the Our Green Space website: www.ourgreenspace.org.uk Or contact project officer Carol Douglas This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it