group of women walkers in the summer sunshine, pausing by a pond, with lush greenery

For a thriving countryside that benefits everyone

Join us

We are Hertfordshire's countryside charity

We work across the county to stand up for our countryside and green spaces.

What we care about

We want to connect people to the countryside, wherever they live.

Our areas of work

three women from three generations looking at a hedge in the countryside

Get involved

Love the countryside? Want to help us make it even better? Find out how.

Discover our countryside

Want to know about things to see and do in the countryside near you? We can help.

Walks and places to visit

CPRE Hertfordshire

Food security: East of England has lost the most farmland to development

Food security is at risk with high quality cropland lost to development

Latest raw sewage figures: what’s in Hertfordshire’s waterways?

2021 saw a staggering number of sewage spills into our canals and rivers

CPRE Hertfordshire

long range view over green grassy fields, woodlands and distant hills with a blue sky and puffy white clouds overhead

Our concerns about the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill

Continued lack of clarity for local planning authorities and communities

Make a donation

Awards and events

Awards

CPRE Hertfordshire

Nominations are now in for our 2022 CPRE Hertfordshire Awards

Events

CPRE Hertfordshire

Our summer walk

Events

CPRE Hertfordshire

Interesting and informative talks about the Hertfordshire countryside

Children's Art Competition

CPRE Hertfordshire

2021 Children’s Art Competition – Results

A few of our walks

Whippendell and Harrocks Woods, the Grand Union Canal and Cassiobury Park

Beautiful woodlands and open parkland accessible from the Metropolitan Line

Bencroft and Wormley Woods

This walk takes in part of Hertfordshire’s only National Nature Reserve

Aston and Hooks Cross

A four mile walk southeast of Stevenage, with bluebells in the springtime.

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Birds need water every day. In hot and dry weather, water in puddles, small ponds and streams may have dried up, so put out water for birds if you can. There’s more about garden wildlife here https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/discover-our-countryside-2/countryside-close-to-home/

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Our 2021 Children’s Art Competition enables us to celebrate Hertfordshire’s green spaces through the eyes of a younger generation. We asked them to think about nature to produce a piece of artwork, which captures the colour of nature.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDh1EDPpcN0

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It’s June and summer has arrived: a great time to get out and explore Hertfordshire’s beautiful countryside. We have nearly 40 walking routes, mostly circular and between 3 and 7 miles, for you to discover here: https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/discover-our-countryside-2/walks/

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#VolunteersWeek. Our amazing volunteers have been with us on average for nearly 10 years, now that's dedication! If you'd like to be part of our friendly team, please get in touch for a chat. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/

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Also receiving awards are Colin Adsley @CPRENorthumber1 Margaret Cockbill @CPRE_NEY Dr Kate Fielden @CPREWilts David Hook @CPRENorfolk Terry Over @CPREHerts and Andrew Powles #CPRE Northamptonshire 👏👏👏

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Are you involved with an organisation which is looking for interesting and informative talks about Hertfordshire’s countryside? Visit our website to find out more about the topics we offer, in person or online via Zoom. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/events/talks/

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It’s not too late to submit a nomination to our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards, for a group or individual doing great work to protect or enhance our county’s environment. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/

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Every penny of profit helps fund our work to promote and protect the Hertfordshire countryside for everyone's benefit. Buy our bags and other merchandise online at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/merchandise/

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We would love to receive nominations for our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards in our category ‘Made in Herts’. This might involve local food, crafts or artists inspired by rural themes.
https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/

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We would love to receive a nomination to our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards for a group or individual doing great work to protect or enhance our county’s environment. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/

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Marsh marigolds are flowering now in shallow water and marshy places. Also known as king cups, they are usually in flower from March to May. Find more spring wild flowers here https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/discover-our-countryside-2/countryside-close-to-home/

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Early butterflies like this peacock are out and about on warmer sunny days, looking for nectar-rich flowers or just warming themselves in the sun. Discover more spring wildlife here https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/discover-our-countryside-2/countryside-close-to-home/

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Do you know a group, facility or venue which promotes rural life and ensures that a community can thrive? We would love to receive a nomination for our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/

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It’s Spring! We are now selling local walks guidebooks on our website at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/merchandise/
Each book sale helps fund our charity, please buy your copy online from us today, and also check out our other items. #Hertfordshire

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Bright yellow lesser celandines are now in flower in the countryside and green spaces. They open wide when it’s sunny and provide pollen, vital food for early flying insects including bees. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/discover-our-countryside-2/countryside-close-to-home/

#WildFlowers

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Can you nominate a project connecting people with the countryside and their local green spaces, like the Ver Valley Society’s Walks, recipient of one of our Awards in 2013. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/

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Our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards are back, celebrating people engaged in activities to enhance and protect the Hertfordshire countryside and its rural communities. Find out more at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/

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In spring male blackbirds begin their melodious song as the sun rises, seeming to get louder every day! They sing to defend their territories and attract a mate. Discover more spring wildlife here https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/discover-our-countryside-2/countryside-close-to-home/

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Happy International Women's Day to women everywhere who campaign on behalf of the countryside, nature, and local green spaces - we salute you! (Photo credit Mark Shields) #InternationalWomensDay

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It’s World Book Day and we’re grateful to Elena Mannion, locally-based author of The Happy Hedgerow, for donating copies of her acclaimed children’s book to help with our fundraising. Buy your copy on our website at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/merchandise/ #WorldBookDay

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Birds need water every day for drinking and bathing. In hot and dry weather, natural supplies of water in puddles, small ponds and streams may have dried up, so put out water for birds if you can.

You don’t need a purpose-made bird bath. Any shallow container will be suitable, as long as birds can perch on the edge or stand on the ground and reach the water. Remember to refill the container often and keep it clean. Birds also use water to help keep their feathers in good condition, so may be spotted standing in water and splashing it about to reach their feathers.

Jays are the most colourful members of the crow family, but they are also shy and quite difficult to see. When flying they display a patch of white behind their wings. Jays live in woods, and in parks and gardens. In autumn they love to bury acorns in grassy areas to eat later: the ones they forget to retrieve sometimes grow into oak trees. Their call is a short harsh-sounding cry.

#BirdWatching #BirdSpotting #LoveTheOutdoors #LoveNature #Wildlife #WildlifeAtWork #WildlifePhotography #NatureAtWork #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #hertfordshire #EcoFriendly #Jays #LearnAboutNature

Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

We've published our analysis of the government's draft legislation. We believe that weaknesses and omissions in the Bill could mean even greater uncertainty for local planning authorities and communities, leading to even more damaging speculative development proposals in the Hertfordshire countryside.
This will now inform the next phase of our
campaign to protect the countryside for everyone. Read our summary note
at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-concerns-about-the-levelling-up-and-regeneration-bill/
#RegenerationBill #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #EcoFriendly #CommunityCare #CommunitySpirit #CountrysideLife #CountrysideLiving #LandscapePhotography

Wandon End Solar - have your say in the developer's consultation!

We're dismayed by the proposal for an industrial-scale solar farm on 85 hectares of countryside within the Green Belt in North Herts. Situated between Wandon End, Tea Green, Darley and Breachwood Green, the site is also within the area being considered for inclusion in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty due to its special character. There are at least 6 public rights of way crossing the site, much-loved by local residents and visiting walkers. In fact, one of our own walking routes goes through the site, chosen for its exceptional scenic landscape and long views. We want solar energy production on rooftops, not on productive agricultural land in a protected designated landscape like this one. Read more on our website which also contains a link to the developer's consultation which runs to 30th June. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/wandon-end-solar-another-industrial-scale-solar-farm-in-our-countryside/ (Photo from August 2018 shows part of the proposed solar farm site)

#HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #NorthHerts #ProtectOurCountryside #SolarFarm #LoveTheOutdoors #LocalCommunity #CommunitySpirit #Nature

Sunday 26 June - Still a few places remaining!

Please come along on our midsummer walk in the beautiful Green Belt countryside near Welwyn. It's a 7 mile circular route, and the walk provides an opportunity to meet and talk informally with members of our land use planning team, as well as get some exercise. Our walk is free but we ask that participants register in advance. Further details are on our website.

#WalkHertfordshire #Walking #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #ThursdayVibes #LearnAboutNature #EnjoyNature #ExperienceNature #NatureFun #NatureAtWork #LoveTheOutdoors #OutdoorLife #GetOutdoors

Sarratt - closing date for comments 18 June!

We're horrified by planning applications 22/0601/OUT and 22/0602/OUT, which are speculative mass-building proposals for 87 dwellings in rural Sarratt. We believe there are no very special circumstances, as required by national planning policy, that would justify the Council granting permission for these damaging proposals in the Green Belt and in the setting of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can read our strong objection at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/resources/church-lane-sarratt/ We encourage everyone to submit your comments on the Three Rivers District planning portal at https://www.threerivers.gov.uk/egcl-page/search-for-a-planning-application

Photo shows a portion of the beautiful open countryside threatened by this development.

#Sarratt #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #GreenBelt #ProtectOurCountryside #EcoFriendly #CountrysideLife #ExperienceNature #BeautifulView

Walking, cycling, taking the bus, driving, flying - transport is a big
part of everyday life for most of us.

Here at CPRE Hertfordshire we deal with a lot of issues around land use planning and transport provision,
and could really use a hand with these. We're currently seeking new volunteers who could focus on transport and/or aviation related issues.
If you have an interest in cleaner, greener transport and would like to find out more about volunteering, please get in touch at office@cpreherts.org.uk or see our website.

#CleanerAir #ClearSkies #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #LocalCommunity #CommunityCare #Transport #RuralLife #RuralLiving #Relaxinnature #Nature

It’s June and summer has arrived: a great time to get out and explore Hertfordshire’s beautiful countryside. We have nearly 40 walking routes, mostly circular and between 3 and 7 miles, for you on our website.

Our walks are located all over the county. When the weather is clear and sunny, aim high and enjoy some lovely views. We recommend the following: Tring Park and Hastoe, in the far west of Hertfordshire, which visits the highest point in the county, at 803 feet (244 metres). At the end of the walk there’s a fine view across the rooftops of Tring towards the line of the Chilterns scarp ending in Ivinghoe Beacon. Or you might explore the countryside between Wallington and Clothall, near Baldock, where our walk features another ridge walk following the line of the ancient Icknield Way, from where there are far-reaching views to the north and north-west.

In Hertsmere our Shenley and Radlett walk, inside the M25, includes spectacular views in several directions from different points. The walk starts and finishes at Shenley Park, run by the Shenley Park Trust, where you can visit the apple orchard, the wildflower meadow and the walled garden, and enjoy refreshments at the Cafe in the Orchard. Our walk from Standon in East Hertfordshire heads south to explore the peaceful valley of the river Rib, and at one point climbs to the ridge on the western side of the valley to reach a viewpoint and seat (pictured).
#WelwynGardenCity #Hertfordshire #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #walkhertfordshire #TimeToWalk #Walking #NatureAtWork #nature_lovers #LearnAboutNature #lovetheoutdoors #enjoynature #experiencenature #CountrysideLife #CommunityCare

#VolunteersWeek. Did you know? Our amazing CPRE Hertfordshire volunteers have been with us on average for nearly 10 years, and counting. Now that's dedication! If you'd like to be part of our friendly team, please take a look at the current vacancies on our website, or just get in touch for a chat to see how you might be able to help.

#Sunset #Volunteering
#HertfordshireLife
#HertsLife #Hertfordshire #StAlbans #LearnAboutNature #LoveTheOutdoors #CommunityCare #CommunitySpirit #EcoFriendly #NatureAtWork

It’s not too late to submit a nomination to our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards, for a group or individual doing great work to protect or enhance our county’s environment.

https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/ The closing date is 31st May 2022.

Nominations could be volunteer-based projects, community groups, individuals or small businesses. They might be campaigning against proposals which will damage the countryside or restrict public access. They could be litter picking groups or projects enhancing places and biodiversity, including wildlife sites and river management. They might involve community orchards, bird or bat box schemes, climate change action or sustainable farming. Groups and individuals may be helping people of all ages to enjoy new skills and interests.
In 2019 the Awards recognised the Batford Springs Volunteers (pictured) who aim to keep the River Lea chalk stream and banks clear for the enjoyment of the local community. Our judges said: ‘This is an outstanding example of community involvement working to improve and enhance the area’. We also recognised the Rivers Heritage Site & Orchard for the work done by volunteers to rescue an abandoned site and restore it to the community.

#Hertfordshire #HertsBusiness #CommunityCare #HertsLife #CPRE #CountrysideLife #SupportLocal #SupportOthers #EcoFriendly #ExperienceNature #LearnAboutNature #lovetheoutdoors #OutdoorLife

How to stand out from the crowd?
By toting around your stuff in our sturdy cotton tote bags! Groceries, garden tools, books and magazines, maybe even a Jubilee Trifle, whatever it is you need to carry around, our bags are both useful and beautiful. And every penny of profit helps fund our work to promote and protect the Hertfordshire countryside for everyone's benefit.

Buy our bags and other merchandise online at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/merchandise/

#CPRE #Tote #ToteBag #Merchandise #Relaxinnature #Nature #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #CommunitySpirit #CountrysideLife #Countryside #fundraising

We would love to receive nominations for our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards in our new category ‘Made in Herts’.

Visit https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/ to find out more. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

Nominations could be volunteer-based projects, community groups, individuals or small businesses. We want to recognise excellence in sustainable farming and local foods, products using local materials, or traditional craftspeople and artists, in particular working in rural areas or with rural themes.
Our photo shows the range of flour milled by our 2017 Business Award recipient Redbournbury Watermill and Bakery. Flour produced from locally-grown grain at the mill is sold to visitors (see the mill’s website for opening times) and used in the on-site bakery. Products from the mill are sold at local outlets, and the breadmaking courses held in the bakery are also popular. The mill works at weekends and also houses a small museum.

#NominateNow #HertsBusiness #Hertfordshire #SmallBusiness #LocalBusiness #SupportLocal #HertsLife #EnjoyNature #CPRE #CountrysideLife #CommunitySpirit

Remember to vote in the local elections on 5th May!

Our countryside manifesto for Hertfordshire calls on all candidates to help protect and enhance the countryside and uphold commitments to protect the Green Belt, local green spaces and our county's rare chalk streams; to support nature-based solutions to the climate emergency; to support a comprehensive and reliable bus network; and to improve fly tipping control and litter clearance. Read our full manifesto at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-manifesto-for-hertfordshire-local-elections-may-2022/

#Sunset #LetsVote #RememberToVote #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #EcoFriendly #GreenBelt #LocalCommunity #CommunitySpirit #CountrysideLife #SupportLocal #EnjoyNature #ProtectOurCountryside #CPRE #LocalElections

We would love to receive a nomination to our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards for a group or individual doing great work to protect or enhance our county’s environment. Nominations could be volunteer-based projects, community groups, individuals or small businesses. They might be campaigning against proposals which will damage the countryside or restrict public access. They could be litter picking groups or projects enhancing places and biodiversity, including wildlife sites and river management. They might involve community orchards, bird or bat box schemes, climate change action or sustainable farming. Groups and individuals may be helping people of all ages to enjoy new skills and interests.

In 2019 the Awards recognised the Rivers Heritage Site & Orchard near Sawbridgeworth for the work done by volunteers to rescue the abandoned site and restore it to the community. Our photo shows one of the group’s Apple Day celebrations. The site can be reached from several public or permissive footpaths from Sawbridgeworth or High Wych. It is currently used by many local people for walking and peaceful enjoyment.

#Awards
#HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #EnjoyNature #StAlbans #Hatfield #Harpenden #Luton #Hitchin #Stevenage #Knebworth #CPRE

Bluebells!

Among the delights of Hertfordshire in the springtime are the
carpets of bluebells in our woodlands. Read more about bluebells, including some good locations for seeing them, on our website at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/bluebells/

And why not send greetings to family and friends on our Spring Bluebells notecards -
every penny of profit helps fund our work to protect the countryside for
everyone https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/merchandise/

#Bluebells #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #bluebellseason #bluebellwoods #DiscoverHerts #lovetheoutdoors #Nature #NatureFun #explorenature #ExploreTheOutdoors

Marsh marigolds are plants of waterside places, which are also found in wet meadows and wet woodland. The botanical name, Caltha palustris, gives a clue to their habitat, as palustris means swampy or marshy in Latin. The plant is also commonly known as king cup. Caltha comes from the Greek, kalathos, meaning a cup. The plant is a member of the buttercup family. This flower has no petals: what look like petals are actually the sepals which cover the bud as it is forming. In some flowers the sepals are inconspicuous and papery, but in this species they give the plant its beautiful and regal appearance.

Why are many spring flowers yellow? At this time of year flowers are still quite scarce and so the yellow colour makes them easy to spot. Early flowering plants with good supplies of nectar are very valuable, as they support early bees, butterflies and other insects at a time when there are relatively few flowers around. Other yellow wild flowers which you might find flowering now in Hertfordshire’s countryside and green spaces, and in gardens, include celandine, dandelion and primrose.

Discover more about these spring flowers on our website.

#Wildflowers #wildflowersofinstagram #enjoynature #Nature #NatureAtWork #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #EcoFriendly #LearnAboutNature #ExperienceNature #localcommunity #lovetheoutdoors #outdoors #explorenature #LoveTheOutdoors

Village halls and shops are often at the heart of rural communities and take time, effort and resources to be successful. Volunteer-run libraries, clubs and choirs, fairs and festivals, playgrounds and green spaces, and transport schemes, all bring people together and help to alleviate loneliness and isolation. Do you know a group, facility, event or venue which promotes rural life and ensures that a community can thrive? We would love to receive a nomination for our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards. Visit our website for more information. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

Wigginton Village Shop and Café, an Award recipient in 2019, is a thriving community hub, specialising in locally-sourced produce. The café serves delicious food to local people and to visitors from further away who visit the area to walk or cycle, or just enjoy the café and buy some local produce. To find out all the details of the Awards, including how to make a nomination, visit our website. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

#Herts #Hertfordshire #Community #SupportLocal #SupportSmallBusiness #Awards #HertsBusiness #EcoFriendly #EnjoyNature #NatureAtWork #LocalCommunity #MondayVibes #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife

Local walks guidebooks! Now that it's Spring and the countryside is bursting into leaf, why not get out and walk a section of one of the Long Distance Footpaths in Hertfordshire? Even better, buy the guidebook from us and help support our charity, protecting the countryside for everyone. We are now selling guidebooks to The Hertfordshire Way and The Lea Valley Walk on our website. Each book sale helps fund our ongoing work, please buy your copy online from us today, and also check out our other items

#WalkHertfordshire #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #localcommunity #SupportLocal #EnjoyNature #Nature #Walking #Hike #experiencenature #ExperienceNature #WednesdayWisdom

Luton Airport expansion - have your say before the 4th April deadline!

We strongly oppose the environmentally damaging proposal to expand Luton Airport. And we have posted our draft response on our website for use by local residents to help in formulating your own response. We think the proposal flies in the face of the climate emergency and the Government's levelling up agenda. If the expansion goes ahead, it will cause an increase in harmful greenhouse gas emissions, an increase in private car use and congestion on local roads leading to the airport, an increase in noise and air pollution over a wide area of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, the loss of nearby countryside and green space, and harm to the Chilterns AONB. We will be finalising our submittal before the deadline, but meanwhile you can read our draft response on our website.

#Luton #LutonAirport #LutonCommunity #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #LocalCommunity #PlanningPermission #Befordshire #Chilterns

Our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards are back for 2022.

Can you nominate a project connecting people with the countryside and their local green spaces? One of the very first recipients of an Award back in 2013 perfectly illustrates this theme. The Ver Valley Society's nine walks in and around the river, available online or as printed leaflets, help people to explore the beautiful rolling countryside of the river valley. The photo shows stepping stones across the Ver downstream of Redbournbury Mill, on Walk 4, the Redbournbury Walk (a footbridge is also available).

To find out all the details of the Awards, including how to make a nomination, visit our website. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

#NominateNow #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #Stevenage #Hertford #StAlbans #Nature #NatureAtWork #EnjoyNature #Harpenden #Redbourne #VerValley #EcoFriendly #ExperienceNature #HertfordshireLife #GreenBelt #ProtectOurCountryside #CountrysideLife #LocalCommunity

Our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards are back for 2022. We want to recognise and celebrate inspirational people engaged in activities which enhance and protect the Hertfordshire countryside and its rural communities. Nominees might be volunteer-based projects or events, community groups, individuals or small businesses.

Our photo shows volunteers for a previous Award recipient, the Ver Valley Society Action Group, clearing river debris.

To find out all the details, including how to make a nomination, visit our website. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

#VerValley #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #CPRE #RuralLife #ProtectOurCountryside #RuralLiving #CommunitySpirit #CountrysideLife #Nominate #Nature #HertsBusiness

In spring male blackbirds begin their melodious song as the sun rises, seeming to get louder every day! They sing to defend their territories and attract a mate. Their song is usually the first to be heard in the dawn chorus, and continues intermittently all day. As the days lengthen there’s often another long spell of singing in the evening, usually from a favourite high branch or rooftop.

Blackbirds belong to the thrush family and the females, which are brown with spots and streaks on their breasts, more closely resemble the colouring of their cousins, which include song and mistle thrushes. Young blackbirds are very speckled. Find out more about spring wildlife in the Countryside Close to Home features on our website

#Blackbirds #BirdWatching #BirdWatch #Blackbird #LoveTheOutdoors #CPRE #LoveNature #NatureLovers #WildlifeAtWork #WildlifeOfInstagram #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #Wildlife #NatureAtWork #SupportLocal #EnjoyNature

Another victory for our countryside – protection for the Ashridge Estate and Tring Woodlands

We are pleased to read that the recently published ecological report on the Chilterns Beechwood’s Special Area of Conservation (SAC) reveals that more action is need to protect this area which is under increasing visitor pressure from the borough and surrounding areas.

As a result of this report Dacorum Borough Council are now working with Natural England, Hertfordshire County Council, neighbouring authorities and the National Trust, who care for Ashridge Estate, to develop an interim mitigation strategy.

Until the mitigation strategy is in place, Dacorum Borough Council is legally required to put a temporary moratorium on granting any planning permissions that will result in an increase in resident numbers (houses) within a 12.5 km zone around Ashridge.

You can read more about this report and its implications at http://www.dacorum.gov.uk/home/planning-development/planning-strategic-planning/new-single-local-plan/chilterns-beechwoods-special-area-of-conservation

We very much welcome this news and will continue to monitor the development of the mitigation strategy.

#CPRE #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #PlanningPermission #LoveTheOutdoors #CommunitySpirit #Community #LocalCommunity #LoveTheOutdoors #LoveNature #TuesdayThoughts #ExperienceNature

👉Did you know? 👈

Since 2012, designated Local Green Spaces have the same protection as Green Belt and AONBs.

CPRE has released new research into Local Green Spaces. This is a designation for small parcels of land, such as a football field or
recreation ground, a community orchard, or a field popular with
dog-walkers. The designation affords protection from development for these small areas that are so highly valued by the local community.
There are over 6500 designated Local Green Spaces across England but only 77 in Hertfordshire, so we're calling on all local authorities to include these designated spaces in their Local Plans.
Read more at
https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/new-research-on-local-green-spaces-and-a-call-for-greater-take-up-in-herts/

#DogWalking #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #GreenBelt #GreenSpace #Aonb #EcoFriendly #EnjoyNature #NatureAtWork #NatureLovers #Cpre #LoveTheOutdoors #OutdoorLife #LocalCommunity #LocalPlan #Nature

Happy International Women's Day to women everywhere who campaign on behalf of the countryside, nature, and local green spaces - we salute you!
(Photo credit Mark Shields)

#InternationalWomensDay #HappyInternationalWomensDay #SupportLocal #CPRE #LoveTheOutdoors #LoveNature #EcoFriendly #OutdoorLife #ExperienceNature #SupportOthers #WomenInBusiness #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #Relaxinnature

World Book Day - The Happy Hedgerow

To celebrate World Book Day, we’re delighted to launch online book sales as a part of our CPRE Hertfordshire fundraising efforts. And how better to start than with locally-based author Elena Mannion’s superb children’s book The Happy Hedgerow. Elena has kindly donated copies of her book to help with our fundraising, for which we are very grateful. The Happy Hedgerow is a perfect read-aloud story with a strong conservation theme. The beautiful illustrations by Erin Brown vividly depict many of the species found in and around hedges and the colours of the changing seasons. The book is a high quality hardcover and makes the perfect gift for young children or grandchildren. Please support our charity by buying your copy on our website

#Hedgerow #WorldBookDay #HedgerowHeroes #CPRE #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #LoveTheOutdoors #LoveNature #Nature #NatureFun #OutdoorLife

Primroses are flowering now in gardens and the countryside. One of the earliest spring flowers to appear, their yellow blooms brighten up even the darkest days. According to the Met Office, spring starts on March 1st and ends on 31st May. More traditionally, the first day of spring is March 20th, the spring equinox. On this day we have equal hours of daylight and darkness.

Primroses provide nectar to early-flying butterflies and other insects. From a single plant introduced into our volunteer’s front garden in the shade of deciduous shrubs, there are now dozens of plants, and new seedlings pop up every year. Digging up any plant in the wild without the landowner’s permission is illegal, but primroses like many other plants can easily be grown from seed, and plants can usually be bought at plant sales and nurseries, or online.

Discover more about spring flowers on our website.

#Primroses #Wildflowers #CPRE #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #HertfordshireLife #EnjoyNature #NatureAtWork #NatureFun #nature_lovers #naturephotography #ExperienceNature #lovetheoutdoors #localcommunity

The earliest blossom of the year is appearing in our hedgerows. This is cherry plum, not a native species but now widespread. It resembles blackthorn but its white flowers appear much earlier. It is native in south-east Europe and often comes into flower just as winter is drawing to a close in late February. The tiny green leaves are also beginning to unfurl. Birds love to eat the flower buds and if you are lucky you might see bullfinches enjoying this feast. Visit our website for more information and photos of garden wildlife

#CherryPlum #HedgerowHeroes #Hedgerows #EnjoyNature #WildflowersOfInstagram #CPRE #Morehedges #SaveTheGreenBelt #GreenBelt #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #NatureAtWork #Nature #ExperienceNature #Flowers

A star-filled sky is one of the most magical sights in the natural world. But light pollution means that many of us can’t see the stars, especially if you live in a town or city. To celebrate the wonder of our night sky, join CPRE's #StarCount - a cosmic census of our view of the stars.

Just look to the sky on a clear night between 26 February – 6 March and count the number of stars you can see within the four corners of the Orion constellation. You can count the stars in Orion’s belt, but don’t include the corner stars. You don’t need a telescope or any equipment to take part.

Find out how to take part: https://www.cpre.org.uk/starcount

#CPRE #LookToTheSkies #SkyWatcher #Stars #NightSky #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #HertsMums #lovetheoutdoors #OutdoorLife #AppreciateNature

Redbourn, have your say! Deadline 5 March - Green Belt land at Gaddesden Lane.

Planning application 5/2021/3631 proposes a large-scale speculative development of 300 dwellings on this greenfield site within the Green Belt. This is contrary to national policy, which states "the fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence."
This proposal is also contrary to repeated, recent Government pledges to protect the Green Belt from development. On 23 November the Minister for Housing said "It is a manifesto commitment on which the Government were elected, to protect
the Green Belt and associated countryside for future generations."

You can submit your comments by searching for application 5/2021/3631 on the St Albans City & District planning
portal https://planningapplications.stalbans.gov.uk/planning

We will shortly be submitting our own robust objection and wil post our response on our website.

Photo shows a portion of the proposed development site, February 2022.

#GreenBelt #Planning #Countryside #CPRE #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #lovetheoutdoors #localcommunity #GreenBelt

It’s National Nest Box week. You might have room to put up a box – now is the ideal time. Then later in the year you could be rewarded with a sight like this blue tit fledgling. Visit https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/discover-our-countryside-2/countryside-close-to-home/ for more information and photos of garden wildlife.

St Valentine’s Day is also sometimes known as the birds’ wedding day, when birds start to pair up and look for nesting sites. By using nest boxes we can provide nest sites for birds in areas where they might otherwise struggle to find suitable cavities. https://www.bto.org/how-you-can-help/providing-birds/putting-nest-boxes-birds

#NationalNestBoxWeek #NestBoxWeek #EcoFriendly #BeKind #FeedTheBirds #BirdWatching #birdspotting #enjoynature #cpre #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #lovetheoutdoors #Nature #NatureAtWork #nature_lovers #experiencenature #valentinesday

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Birds need water every day for drinking and bathing. In hot and dry weather, natural supplies of water in puddles, small ponds and streams may have dried up, so put out water for birds if you can.

You don’t need a purpose-made bird bath. Any shallow container will be suitable, as long as birds can perch on the edge or stand on the ground and reach the water. Remember to refill the container often and keep it clean. Birds also use water to help keep their feathers in good condition, so may be spotted standing in water and splashing it about to reach their feathers.

Jays are the most colourful members of the crow family, but they are also shy and quite difficult to see. When flying they display a patch of white behind their wings. Jays live in woods, and in parks and gardens. In autumn they love to bury acorns in grassy areas to eat later: the ones they forget to retrieve sometimes grow into oak trees. Their call is a short harsh-sounding cry.

#BirdWatching #BirdSpotting #LoveTheOutdoors #LoveNature #Wildlife #WildlifeAtWork #WildlifePhotography #NatureAtWork #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #hertfordshire #EcoFriendly #Jays #LearnAboutNature

Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

We've published our analysis of the government's draft legislation. We believe that weaknesses and omissions in the Bill could mean even greater uncertainty for local planning authorities and communities, leading to even more damaging speculative development proposals in the Hertfordshire countryside.
This will now inform the next phase of our
campaign to protect the countryside for everyone. Read our summary note
at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-concerns-about-the-levelling-up-and-regeneration-bill/
#RegenerationBill #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #EcoFriendly #CommunityCare #CommunitySpirit #CountrysideLife #CountrysideLiving #LandscapePhotography

Wandon End Solar - have your say in the developer's consultation!

We're dismayed by the proposal for an industrial-scale solar farm on 85 hectares of countryside within the Green Belt in North Herts. Situated between Wandon End, Tea Green, Darley and Breachwood Green, the site is also within the area being considered for inclusion in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty due to its special character. There are at least 6 public rights of way crossing the site, much-loved by local residents and visiting walkers. In fact, one of our own walking routes goes through the site, chosen for its exceptional scenic landscape and long views. We want solar energy production on rooftops, not on productive agricultural land in a protected designated landscape like this one. Read more on our website which also contains a link to the developer's consultation which runs to 30th June. https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/wandon-end-solar-another-industrial-scale-solar-farm-in-our-countryside/ (Photo from August 2018 shows part of the proposed solar farm site)

#HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #NorthHerts #ProtectOurCountryside #SolarFarm #LoveTheOutdoors #LocalCommunity #CommunitySpirit #Nature

Sunday 26 June - Still a few places remaining!

Please come along on our midsummer walk in the beautiful Green Belt countryside near Welwyn. It's a 7 mile circular route, and the walk provides an opportunity to meet and talk informally with members of our land use planning team, as well as get some exercise. Our walk is free but we ask that participants register in advance. Further details are on our website.

#WalkHertfordshire #Walking #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #ThursdayVibes #LearnAboutNature #EnjoyNature #ExperienceNature #NatureFun #NatureAtWork #LoveTheOutdoors #OutdoorLife #GetOutdoors

Sarratt - closing date for comments 18 June!

We're horrified by planning applications 22/0601/OUT and 22/0602/OUT, which are speculative mass-building proposals for 87 dwellings in rural Sarratt. We believe there are no very special circumstances, as required by national planning policy, that would justify the Council granting permission for these damaging proposals in the Green Belt and in the setting of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can read our strong objection at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/resources/church-lane-sarratt/ We encourage everyone to submit your comments on the Three Rivers District planning portal at https://www.threerivers.gov.uk/egcl-page/search-for-a-planning-application

Photo shows a portion of the beautiful open countryside threatened by this development.

#Sarratt #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #GreenBelt #ProtectOurCountryside #EcoFriendly #CountrysideLife #ExperienceNature #BeautifulView

Walking, cycling, taking the bus, driving, flying - transport is a big
part of everyday life for most of us.

Here at CPRE Hertfordshire we deal with a lot of issues around land use planning and transport provision,
and could really use a hand with these. We're currently seeking new volunteers who could focus on transport and/or aviation related issues.
If you have an interest in cleaner, greener transport and would like to find out more about volunteering, please get in touch at office@cpreherts.org.uk or see our website.

#CleanerAir #ClearSkies #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #LocalCommunity #CommunityCare #Transport #RuralLife #RuralLiving #Relaxinnature #Nature

It’s June and summer has arrived: a great time to get out and explore Hertfordshire’s beautiful countryside. We have nearly 40 walking routes, mostly circular and between 3 and 7 miles, for you on our website.

Our walks are located all over the county. When the weather is clear and sunny, aim high and enjoy some lovely views. We recommend the following: Tring Park and Hastoe, in the far west of Hertfordshire, which visits the highest point in the county, at 803 feet (244 metres). At the end of the walk there’s a fine view across the rooftops of Tring towards the line of the Chilterns scarp ending in Ivinghoe Beacon. Or you might explore the countryside between Wallington and Clothall, near Baldock, where our walk features another ridge walk following the line of the ancient Icknield Way, from where there are far-reaching views to the north and north-west.

In Hertsmere our Shenley and Radlett walk, inside the M25, includes spectacular views in several directions from different points. The walk starts and finishes at Shenley Park, run by the Shenley Park Trust, where you can visit the apple orchard, the wildflower meadow and the walled garden, and enjoy refreshments at the Cafe in the Orchard. Our walk from Standon in East Hertfordshire heads south to explore the peaceful valley of the river Rib, and at one point climbs to the ridge on the western side of the valley to reach a viewpoint and seat (pictured).
#WelwynGardenCity #Hertfordshire #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #walkhertfordshire #TimeToWalk #Walking #NatureAtWork #nature_lovers #LearnAboutNature #lovetheoutdoors #enjoynature #experiencenature #CountrysideLife #CommunityCare

#VolunteersWeek. Did you know? Our amazing CPRE Hertfordshire volunteers have been with us on average for nearly 10 years, and counting. Now that's dedication! If you'd like to be part of our friendly team, please take a look at the current vacancies on our website, or just get in touch for a chat to see how you might be able to help.

#Sunset #Volunteering
#HertfordshireLife
#HertsLife #Hertfordshire #StAlbans #LearnAboutNature #LoveTheOutdoors #CommunityCare #CommunitySpirit #EcoFriendly #NatureAtWork

It’s not too late to submit a nomination to our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards, for a group or individual doing great work to protect or enhance our county’s environment.

https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/ The closing date is 31st May 2022.

Nominations could be volunteer-based projects, community groups, individuals or small businesses. They might be campaigning against proposals which will damage the countryside or restrict public access. They could be litter picking groups or projects enhancing places and biodiversity, including wildlife sites and river management. They might involve community orchards, bird or bat box schemes, climate change action or sustainable farming. Groups and individuals may be helping people of all ages to enjoy new skills and interests.
In 2019 the Awards recognised the Batford Springs Volunteers (pictured) who aim to keep the River Lea chalk stream and banks clear for the enjoyment of the local community. Our judges said: ‘This is an outstanding example of community involvement working to improve and enhance the area’. We also recognised the Rivers Heritage Site & Orchard for the work done by volunteers to rescue an abandoned site and restore it to the community.

#Hertfordshire #HertsBusiness #CommunityCare #HertsLife #CPRE #CountrysideLife #SupportLocal #SupportOthers #EcoFriendly #ExperienceNature #LearnAboutNature #lovetheoutdoors #OutdoorLife

How to stand out from the crowd?
By toting around your stuff in our sturdy cotton tote bags! Groceries, garden tools, books and magazines, maybe even a Jubilee Trifle, whatever it is you need to carry around, our bags are both useful and beautiful. And every penny of profit helps fund our work to promote and protect the Hertfordshire countryside for everyone's benefit.

Buy our bags and other merchandise online at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/merchandise/

#CPRE #Tote #ToteBag #Merchandise #Relaxinnature #Nature #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #CommunitySpirit #CountrysideLife #Countryside #fundraising

We would love to receive nominations for our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards in our new category ‘Made in Herts’.

Visit https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-cpre-hertfordshire-awards-are-back-for-2022-and-how-to-enter/ to find out more. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

Nominations could be volunteer-based projects, community groups, individuals or small businesses. We want to recognise excellence in sustainable farming and local foods, products using local materials, or traditional craftspeople and artists, in particular working in rural areas or with rural themes.
Our photo shows the range of flour milled by our 2017 Business Award recipient Redbournbury Watermill and Bakery. Flour produced from locally-grown grain at the mill is sold to visitors (see the mill’s website for opening times) and used in the on-site bakery. Products from the mill are sold at local outlets, and the breadmaking courses held in the bakery are also popular. The mill works at weekends and also houses a small museum.

#NominateNow #HertsBusiness #Hertfordshire #SmallBusiness #LocalBusiness #SupportLocal #HertsLife #EnjoyNature #CPRE #CountrysideLife #CommunitySpirit

Remember to vote in the local elections on 5th May!

Our countryside manifesto for Hertfordshire calls on all candidates to help protect and enhance the countryside and uphold commitments to protect the Green Belt, local green spaces and our county's rare chalk streams; to support nature-based solutions to the climate emergency; to support a comprehensive and reliable bus network; and to improve fly tipping control and litter clearance. Read our full manifesto at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/our-manifesto-for-hertfordshire-local-elections-may-2022/

#Sunset #LetsVote #RememberToVote #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #EcoFriendly #GreenBelt #LocalCommunity #CommunitySpirit #CountrysideLife #SupportLocal #EnjoyNature #ProtectOurCountryside #CPRE #LocalElections

We would love to receive a nomination to our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards for a group or individual doing great work to protect or enhance our county’s environment. Nominations could be volunteer-based projects, community groups, individuals or small businesses. They might be campaigning against proposals which will damage the countryside or restrict public access. They could be litter picking groups or projects enhancing places and biodiversity, including wildlife sites and river management. They might involve community orchards, bird or bat box schemes, climate change action or sustainable farming. Groups and individuals may be helping people of all ages to enjoy new skills and interests.

In 2019 the Awards recognised the Rivers Heritage Site & Orchard near Sawbridgeworth for the work done by volunteers to rescue the abandoned site and restore it to the community. Our photo shows one of the group’s Apple Day celebrations. The site can be reached from several public or permissive footpaths from Sawbridgeworth or High Wych. It is currently used by many local people for walking and peaceful enjoyment.

#Awards
#HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #EnjoyNature #StAlbans #Hatfield #Harpenden #Luton #Hitchin #Stevenage #Knebworth #CPRE

Bluebells!

Among the delights of Hertfordshire in the springtime are the
carpets of bluebells in our woodlands. Read more about bluebells, including some good locations for seeing them, on our website at https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/bluebells/

And why not send greetings to family and friends on our Spring Bluebells notecards -
every penny of profit helps fund our work to protect the countryside for
everyone https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/get-involved/merchandise/

#Bluebells #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #bluebellseason #bluebellwoods #DiscoverHerts #lovetheoutdoors #Nature #NatureFun #explorenature #ExploreTheOutdoors

Marsh marigolds are plants of waterside places, which are also found in wet meadows and wet woodland. The botanical name, Caltha palustris, gives a clue to their habitat, as palustris means swampy or marshy in Latin. The plant is also commonly known as king cup. Caltha comes from the Greek, kalathos, meaning a cup. The plant is a member of the buttercup family. This flower has no petals: what look like petals are actually the sepals which cover the bud as it is forming. In some flowers the sepals are inconspicuous and papery, but in this species they give the plant its beautiful and regal appearance.

Why are many spring flowers yellow? At this time of year flowers are still quite scarce and so the yellow colour makes them easy to spot. Early flowering plants with good supplies of nectar are very valuable, as they support early bees, butterflies and other insects at a time when there are relatively few flowers around. Other yellow wild flowers which you might find flowering now in Hertfordshire’s countryside and green spaces, and in gardens, include celandine, dandelion and primrose.

Discover more about these spring flowers on our website.

#Wildflowers #wildflowersofinstagram #enjoynature #Nature #NatureAtWork #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #EcoFriendly #LearnAboutNature #ExperienceNature #localcommunity #lovetheoutdoors #outdoors #explorenature #LoveTheOutdoors

Village halls and shops are often at the heart of rural communities and take time, effort and resources to be successful. Volunteer-run libraries, clubs and choirs, fairs and festivals, playgrounds and green spaces, and transport schemes, all bring people together and help to alleviate loneliness and isolation. Do you know a group, facility, event or venue which promotes rural life and ensures that a community can thrive? We would love to receive a nomination for our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards. Visit our website for more information. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

Wigginton Village Shop and Café, an Award recipient in 2019, is a thriving community hub, specialising in locally-sourced produce. The café serves delicious food to local people and to visitors from further away who visit the area to walk or cycle, or just enjoy the café and buy some local produce. To find out all the details of the Awards, including how to make a nomination, visit our website. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

#Herts #Hertfordshire #Community #SupportLocal #SupportSmallBusiness #Awards #HertsBusiness #EcoFriendly #EnjoyNature #NatureAtWork #LocalCommunity #MondayVibes #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife

Local walks guidebooks! Now that it's Spring and the countryside is bursting into leaf, why not get out and walk a section of one of the Long Distance Footpaths in Hertfordshire? Even better, buy the guidebook from us and help support our charity, protecting the countryside for everyone. We are now selling guidebooks to The Hertfordshire Way and The Lea Valley Walk on our website. Each book sale helps fund our ongoing work, please buy your copy online from us today, and also check out our other items

#WalkHertfordshire #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #localcommunity #SupportLocal #EnjoyNature #Nature #Walking #Hike #experiencenature #ExperienceNature #WednesdayWisdom

Luton Airport expansion - have your say before the 4th April deadline!

We strongly oppose the environmentally damaging proposal to expand Luton Airport. And we have posted our draft response on our website for use by local residents to help in formulating your own response. We think the proposal flies in the face of the climate emergency and the Government's levelling up agenda. If the expansion goes ahead, it will cause an increase in harmful greenhouse gas emissions, an increase in private car use and congestion on local roads leading to the airport, an increase in noise and air pollution over a wide area of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, the loss of nearby countryside and green space, and harm to the Chilterns AONB. We will be finalising our submittal before the deadline, but meanwhile you can read our draft response on our website.

#Luton #LutonAirport #LutonCommunity #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #LocalCommunity #PlanningPermission #Befordshire #Chilterns

Our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards are back for 2022.

Can you nominate a project connecting people with the countryside and their local green spaces? One of the very first recipients of an Award back in 2013 perfectly illustrates this theme. The Ver Valley Society's nine walks in and around the river, available online or as printed leaflets, help people to explore the beautiful rolling countryside of the river valley. The photo shows stepping stones across the Ver downstream of Redbournbury Mill, on Walk 4, the Redbournbury Walk (a footbridge is also available).

To find out all the details of the Awards, including how to make a nomination, visit our website. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

#NominateNow #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #Stevenage #Hertford #StAlbans #Nature #NatureAtWork #EnjoyNature #Harpenden #Redbourne #VerValley #EcoFriendly #ExperienceNature #HertfordshireLife #GreenBelt #ProtectOurCountryside #CountrysideLife #LocalCommunity

Our CPRE Hertfordshire Awards are back for 2022. We want to recognise and celebrate inspirational people engaged in activities which enhance and protect the Hertfordshire countryside and its rural communities. Nominees might be volunteer-based projects or events, community groups, individuals or small businesses.

Our photo shows volunteers for a previous Award recipient, the Ver Valley Society Action Group, clearing river debris.

To find out all the details, including how to make a nomination, visit our website. The closing date is 31st May 2022.

#VerValley #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #CPRE #RuralLife #ProtectOurCountryside #RuralLiving #CommunitySpirit #CountrysideLife #Nominate #Nature #HertsBusiness

In spring male blackbirds begin their melodious song as the sun rises, seeming to get louder every day! They sing to defend their territories and attract a mate. Their song is usually the first to be heard in the dawn chorus, and continues intermittently all day. As the days lengthen there’s often another long spell of singing in the evening, usually from a favourite high branch or rooftop.

Blackbirds belong to the thrush family and the females, which are brown with spots and streaks on their breasts, more closely resemble the colouring of their cousins, which include song and mistle thrushes. Young blackbirds are very speckled. Find out more about spring wildlife in the Countryside Close to Home features on our website

#Blackbirds #BirdWatching #BirdWatch #Blackbird #LoveTheOutdoors #CPRE #LoveNature #NatureLovers #WildlifeAtWork #WildlifeOfInstagram #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #Wildlife #NatureAtWork #SupportLocal #EnjoyNature

Another victory for our countryside – protection for the Ashridge Estate and Tring Woodlands

We are pleased to read that the recently published ecological report on the Chilterns Beechwood’s Special Area of Conservation (SAC) reveals that more action is need to protect this area which is under increasing visitor pressure from the borough and surrounding areas.

As a result of this report Dacorum Borough Council are now working with Natural England, Hertfordshire County Council, neighbouring authorities and the National Trust, who care for Ashridge Estate, to develop an interim mitigation strategy.

Until the mitigation strategy is in place, Dacorum Borough Council is legally required to put a temporary moratorium on granting any planning permissions that will result in an increase in resident numbers (houses) within a 12.5 km zone around Ashridge.

You can read more about this report and its implications at http://www.dacorum.gov.uk/home/planning-development/planning-strategic-planning/new-single-local-plan/chilterns-beechwoods-special-area-of-conservation

We very much welcome this news and will continue to monitor the development of the mitigation strategy.

#CPRE #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #PlanningPermission #LoveTheOutdoors #CommunitySpirit #Community #LocalCommunity #LoveTheOutdoors #LoveNature #TuesdayThoughts #ExperienceNature

👉Did you know? 👈

Since 2012, designated Local Green Spaces have the same protection as Green Belt and AONBs.

CPRE has released new research into Local Green Spaces. This is a designation for small parcels of land, such as a football field or
recreation ground, a community orchard, or a field popular with
dog-walkers. The designation affords protection from development for these small areas that are so highly valued by the local community.
There are over 6500 designated Local Green Spaces across England but only 77 in Hertfordshire, so we're calling on all local authorities to include these designated spaces in their Local Plans.
Read more at
https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/new-research-on-local-green-spaces-and-a-call-for-greater-take-up-in-herts/

#DogWalking #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #GreenBelt #GreenSpace #Aonb #EcoFriendly #EnjoyNature #NatureAtWork #NatureLovers #Cpre #LoveTheOutdoors #OutdoorLife #LocalCommunity #LocalPlan #Nature

Happy International Women's Day to women everywhere who campaign on behalf of the countryside, nature, and local green spaces - we salute you!
(Photo credit Mark Shields)

#InternationalWomensDay #HappyInternationalWomensDay #SupportLocal #CPRE #LoveTheOutdoors #LoveNature #EcoFriendly #OutdoorLife #ExperienceNature #SupportOthers #WomenInBusiness #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #Relaxinnature

World Book Day - The Happy Hedgerow

To celebrate World Book Day, we’re delighted to launch online book sales as a part of our CPRE Hertfordshire fundraising efforts. And how better to start than with locally-based author Elena Mannion’s superb children’s book The Happy Hedgerow. Elena has kindly donated copies of her book to help with our fundraising, for which we are very grateful. The Happy Hedgerow is a perfect read-aloud story with a strong conservation theme. The beautiful illustrations by Erin Brown vividly depict many of the species found in and around hedges and the colours of the changing seasons. The book is a high quality hardcover and makes the perfect gift for young children or grandchildren. Please support our charity by buying your copy on our website

#Hedgerow #WorldBookDay #HedgerowHeroes #CPRE #HertfordshireLife #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #LoveTheOutdoors #LoveNature #Nature #NatureFun #OutdoorLife

Primroses are flowering now in gardens and the countryside. One of the earliest spring flowers to appear, their yellow blooms brighten up even the darkest days. According to the Met Office, spring starts on March 1st and ends on 31st May. More traditionally, the first day of spring is March 20th, the spring equinox. On this day we have equal hours of daylight and darkness.

Primroses provide nectar to early-flying butterflies and other insects. From a single plant introduced into our volunteer’s front garden in the shade of deciduous shrubs, there are now dozens of plants, and new seedlings pop up every year. Digging up any plant in the wild without the landowner’s permission is illegal, but primroses like many other plants can easily be grown from seed, and plants can usually be bought at plant sales and nurseries, or online.

Discover more about spring flowers on our website.

#Primroses #Wildflowers #CPRE #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #HertfordshireLife #EnjoyNature #NatureAtWork #NatureFun #nature_lovers #naturephotography #ExperienceNature #lovetheoutdoors #localcommunity

The earliest blossom of the year is appearing in our hedgerows. This is cherry plum, not a native species but now widespread. It resembles blackthorn but its white flowers appear much earlier. It is native in south-east Europe and often comes into flower just as winter is drawing to a close in late February. The tiny green leaves are also beginning to unfurl. Birds love to eat the flower buds and if you are lucky you might see bullfinches enjoying this feast. Visit our website for more information and photos of garden wildlife

#CherryPlum #HedgerowHeroes #Hedgerows #EnjoyNature #WildflowersOfInstagram #CPRE #Morehedges #SaveTheGreenBelt #GreenBelt #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #NatureAtWork #Nature #ExperienceNature #Flowers

A star-filled sky is one of the most magical sights in the natural world. But light pollution means that many of us can’t see the stars, especially if you live in a town or city. To celebrate the wonder of our night sky, join CPRE's #StarCount - a cosmic census of our view of the stars.

Just look to the sky on a clear night between 26 February – 6 March and count the number of stars you can see within the four corners of the Orion constellation. You can count the stars in Orion’s belt, but don’t include the corner stars. You don’t need a telescope or any equipment to take part.

Find out how to take part: https://www.cpre.org.uk/starcount

#CPRE #LookToTheSkies #SkyWatcher #Stars #NightSky #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #HertsMums #lovetheoutdoors #OutdoorLife #AppreciateNature

Redbourn, have your say! Deadline 5 March - Green Belt land at Gaddesden Lane.

Planning application 5/2021/3631 proposes a large-scale speculative development of 300 dwellings on this greenfield site within the Green Belt. This is contrary to national policy, which states "the fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence."
This proposal is also contrary to repeated, recent Government pledges to protect the Green Belt from development. On 23 November the Minister for Housing said "It is a manifesto commitment on which the Government were elected, to protect
the Green Belt and associated countryside for future generations."

You can submit your comments by searching for application 5/2021/3631 on the St Albans City & District planning
portal https://planningapplications.stalbans.gov.uk/planning

We will shortly be submitting our own robust objection and wil post our response on our website.

Photo shows a portion of the proposed development site, February 2022.

#GreenBelt #Planning #Countryside #CPRE #HertfordshireLife #Hertfordshire #HertsLife #lovetheoutdoors #localcommunity #GreenBelt

It’s National Nest Box week. You might have room to put up a box – now is the ideal time. Then later in the year you could be rewarded with a sight like this blue tit fledgling. Visit https://www.cpreherts.org.uk/discover-our-countryside-2/countryside-close-to-home/ for more information and photos of garden wildlife.

St Valentine’s Day is also sometimes known as the birds’ wedding day, when birds start to pair up and look for nesting sites. By using nest boxes we can provide nest sites for birds in areas where they might otherwise struggle to find suitable cavities. https://www.bto.org/how-you-can-help/providing-birds/putting-nest-boxes-birds

#NationalNestBoxWeek #NestBoxWeek #EcoFriendly #BeKind #FeedTheBirds #BirdWatching #birdspotting #enjoynature #cpre #HertsLife #Hertfordshire #lovetheoutdoors #Nature #NatureAtWork #nature_lovers #experiencenature #valentinesday

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