Ouse Washes LP: Understanding Audience and Access

Rachael BrownCommunity Development Manager

What we needed to know.....

Knowledge

Schemeaudience

Values

Access

New opportunities

Barriers

Baseline data

Parish consultations: discussion groups (Denver, Welney, Manea, Sutton, Earith, Over, Mepal)and onlinesurveys (allParishes in LParea)

Stakeholder and other relevant organisations: online surveys

Market Town consultations: face to face surveys (March, Chatteris, Ely, St Ives, Downham Market,)

Visitor consultations: face to face surveys (Denver Sluice Complex; RSPB Fen Drayton; Hermitage Lock, Earith)

Desk top data gathering

182 responses

24 responses

121 responses

47 responses

7 surveys

How we found this out.....

Is it Scotland?

Knowledge

Mixed understanding of the function and heritage of the Washes

Confusion about the role of larger agencies

Very localised concerns

Identified themes: knowledge and values

Values

The landscape is not considered to be conventionally attractive

There are current users and stakeholder organisations who place a high value on it and who express concerns about maintaining the balance of use

Tendency to apathy about the countryside in more deprived communities

‘’I Love it all. The Flatness with the beautiful sky-scapes. The history. The waterways.’’

‘’Frankly, I'm not keen on the local landscape. I'm a hilly, foresty type of person so take every opportunity to escape to more congenial venues’’

‘’Its all about a sustainable balance - many of these are inter-related and impact on each other. Concentrate on things that have multiple benefits and not single issues.’’

Identified themes: access and engagement

Local, informal access

Information and promotion

Improved facilities

Organised events

Walking and cycling routes

People who are

uninspired by the

landscape

Identified audiences

Young people

and families

&

Incomers and new

communities

Farmers and landowners

Heritage supporters

Deprived communities

Migrant communities

Visitors

One last question.......

Do you agree?