Annual General Meeting (AGM) Newsletter
Our AGM is open for all our registered members to attend and will be held on Tuesday 30th April in the Conference Room at Woodend, Crescent, Scarborough at 6pm. Formal notification will be sent out to all our registered members. Subscribers to our Newsletter can register to be a member up to two weeks before the AGM and will be able to vote either in person or by Proxy.
After the formal part of the AGM we will have a presentation from Row Brow Field Archers. A new organisation we are looking to license to utilise an area of Row Brow that is little used.
Boardwalk Forge Valley
In partnership with Scarborough Borough Council and North York Moors National Park we have appointed, after competitive tender, Fairhurst’s, a Newcastle Upon Tyne based Design, Engineering and Landscape organisation. Fairhurst bring together the technical and environmental expertise required to ensure that the scheme respects the sensitivity of the Natural Nature Reserve and the proximity to the River Derwent. Planning permission and Environment Agency permits are now being sought.
RWCE in the News
Two of our local newspapers ran articles about RWCE this month. The Scarborough Review showcased the horse logging / timber extraction. The second, in the Scarborough News was about the current thinning work and a woodland users concerns over the numbers of trees being felled. In our response we explained the short term disruption was an inevitable consequence of our long term plans for a healthy, sustainable ancient woodland. The stands of Larch will eventually be replaced with native trees which will be replanted over the long term to avoid the problem we have now of all being planted at the same time. 
We would love to see any old photographs people may have of the woodlands before and after the Second World War to see how the woodland has changed. You can email them to admin@raincliffewoods.co.uk with any additional information you may have about the photographs and your experiences.
Thinning Programme 2018 – 2019
Our thinning work finishes this week and it has been a very successful programme after having to cancel the 17-18 thinning. All our income is re-invested into managing and maintaining the woodlands and the loss of income last year severely restricted what we could undertake.
Before Thinning After Thinning
At our AGM we will be able to provide an update on how much timber we have extracted, the cost to fell, transport and price paid for the timber delivered.
Already this year our income has enabled us to trial horse-logging and pay for a team with a chipper. Last week-ends chippings have been spread on to paths leading to woodland picnic tables.
The Middle Track has regraded from Green Gate to the Sawmill Yard and further work will be undertaken to improve the surface from Raincliffe Gate Car Park to the Sawmill Yard and where necessary we will purchase some hardcore to fill in any deeper ruts. News about areas we can invest in are detailed in our item on Volunteering.
Before Regrading After Regrading
Middle Track, Sawmill Yard after regrading.
Improving Access Throxenby Mere to Dog Bark Bend Moors to Sea Route
In our last Newsletter we reported on our ideas to improve access along Lady Edith’s Drive to Throxenby Mere. We are very pleased to report that at our meeting with Scarborough & Ryedale Community Cycling, Sustrans (Yorkshire), North York Moors NP Cycling Friendly Initiative, The Friends of the Old Railway (Scarborough) and Scarborough Borough Council the scheme was very well received and supported. With the Planning developments for housing close by our scheme has been registered for Section 106 money to support improvements to footpaths and cycle access.
At the same meeting we also walked a route from the Mere to the Dog Bark Bend car park track up to the Middle Road Track. The outline of the proposed route is marked in light blue on the map above. This route would provide a much safer and family-friendly access for cyclists in to Raincliffe Woods as well as walkers and wheelchair users. For the majority of this proposed route there is already an existing path and along a level route. The last section will have a steep climb up but we have already assessed an alternative gradual climb towards Dog Bark Bend for those who do not want to access the Middle Ride.
This scheme does not involve Highways and could be implemented through our volunteers. As the track is in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park their authorization would have to be sought before undertaking any work.
Volunteering
We held another successful Volunteer Day in Raincliffe Woods tackling the brash from the thinning work, filling in the tracks from the forest machinery and improving drainage around public footpaths. We will send out notifications about future volunteering days and these will be varied throughout the year. Our plans and ideas are listed below. If your organization would like to get involved or you know someone with the skills and knowledge to run some of the themed events please contact us either by phone 07871 306646 or email admin@raincliffewoods.co.uk
Restoration
Clearing brash and sorting and cutting for uses
Woodland floor
Tracks, trails and paths
Boundaries
Activity Themes
The support of volunteers is very much appreciated and we are looking to extend the opportunity to as many organisations, groups and individuals as possible. To make this possible we need your help to promote our ideas and ambitions for the woodland. Please share our Newsletter and also the link to our web site where the Newsletter is also posted as an online version (ie with web links)
Web Site Survey
Please complete our web site survey. We Want to know your ideas and views.
