This edition is full of news items and features to keep you up to date with what's going on in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and European Geopark. From new LEADER funding opportunities, Alston kids go 'Eco' with art and a focus on water voles to making hay the old-fashioned way, landscapes of inspiration and a new whisky raising its glass to black grouse there is plenty to catch up on and find out about!
Contents
A letter from the Chairman (page 2) - Introduction to the edition by the new Chairman , Cllr Richard Turner.
Don't LAG behind taking new LEADER opportunities (page 3) - Exciting new funding to support ideas from communities and business to strengthen the rural economy and sense of belonging in the North Pennines.
Putting the 'Fizz' into 'Geophys'! (page 4) - Update on archaeological projects in the the AONB.
Plan will show the way ahead (page 5) - Highlights progress made on the production of the new Management Plan for the AONB (covering the period 2009-14).
Miners' bravery remembered a hundred years on (page 5) - A monument commemorating a pit disaster that killed three men and closed a mine has been given a facelift one hundred years on, thanks in part to funding from the North Pennines AONB partnership.
A lot has been done - and still lots to come! (pages 6-9) - Series of articles looking at the first year of the AONB Partnership's Living North Pennines project, funded by the HLF. Articles include: New leaflets tell walkers of Blanchland's past; Alston kids go 'Eco' with art; Magical year at Middleton; Your North Pennines Stories; 'Champion' new travel scheme; LEAP kicks off; Tree-mendous start for woodlands programme; and Focus on water voles.
Spotlight on Education (pages 10 & 11) - Four articles on an education theme: From Alston to Osnabruck! - pupils and teachers from Samuel King's School in Alston headed off to a European Geopark Youth Camp in Germany over the summer, thanks to a project organised through the AONB Partnership; Allenheads on Strike! - STRIKE!, a riotous promenade performance by Weardale-based media arts company Twisted Digits took Allendale Middle School on a journey back to the heyday of North Pennine lead mining; 'Oresome' art workshop - highlights a three-day art workshop at Killhope Museum; Heritage Trust looks to the future - the North Pennines Heritage Trust's Education Service takes stock.
Help for birds on the farm... and down in the woods (page 12) - Updates on two projects run by the RSPB: the Farmland Bird Initiative and the Lapwing Recovery Project and a 'heads-up' for a new grant scheme aimed at helping declining woodland bird species in the North East.
Hay - the old-fashioned way (page 13) - Reporting on a collaboration between Beamish Museum and the Henderson family at Carrs Farm Wolsingham to bring a team of working horses out to a traditionally managed upland hay meadow to make hay the old-fashioned way.
Sweet smell of success at hay time history event (page 13) - St John's Chapel was sweet with the smell of hay in June, as the venue for an exhibition celebrating hay meadows and their history.
Fifth geology festival really rocked (page 14) - Reviews the 2008 Northern Rocks Festival, being the fifth North Pennines festival of geology and landscape.
Future looks bright for eyebright (page 15) - Some highlights from the 2008 hay meadow survey in the North Pennines.
Traces from the past (page 15) - Local geologist Brian Young discusses trace fossils in the North Pennines.
No stone unturned in achieving walling dreams (page 16) - The story of Neil Harkness as he embarks on a career as a dry stone waller.
Blocked drains are great news! (page 16) - Update on progress made restoring our peatlands by the AONB Partnership's Peatscapes project.
Landscapes of Inspiration (page 17) - Feature on a new art holiday venture, Pennine Painting, based in the North Pennine village of Garrigill.
New publications (page 18) - Two new publications: Issac's Strange Gift - booklet giving insight into one of the great characters of the North Pennines; and Collecting Stones - inspired writings from a diverse good of people, based around Harehope Quarry, Frosterley.
Searching for Gold (page 18) - Introducing a project in Weardale called Semi Precious: Weardale's Industrial Migration Stories.
Sam prefers 'ruff' terrain (page 19) - Highlights the work of the voluntary Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team in the North Pennines.
North Pennines are tops for Tranquillity (page 19) - Durham and the North Pennines are top destinations for seekers of peace and tranquillity, according to research by CPRE.
New whisky raises its glass to black grouse (page 20) - Partnership between RSPB and the Famous Grouse whisky to support the conservation of this iconic North Pennines bird.
News in Brief (page 20) - Planning for Wildlife; Geology and landscape evening classes; top aware for museum; and Helen joins the Durham biodiversity team.
