National Planning policy Framework and Planning reform needs to create opportunity for designing pleasant places to live and work in.

Planning for Living Places; Prince's Foundation ask for rethink on Planning Laws and say that The National Planning Policy Framework needs more work to address this.

We agree.

Let's make places nice to live in, say the Prince's Trust.

We couldn't agree more. So, what do people want? What is sustainability really about? What do we all need?

One answer is;

"More Parks, more and larger community spaces linked to tree lined streets. These are all part of the big picture. Let's shape places that reflect local landscape character and build places that are not only good to work in, but also to live in, for future generations to enjoy; " Charmaine Noel (Landvision white paper; Planning Places for Real People.)

Sustainability is about creating places that are pleasant to be in and to walk through and above all, to live in. These places will have more community spirit if they have mature and new trees, mature native hedges and bird song, well planted and maintained gardens full of wildlife, bees and butterflies, shops and work places intermingled. In short, if they are nice places to be in.

Landscape design can help to create relaxing places which are quieter than pre existing streets and car parks. Streets and residential areas that are planned at a human scale. More character added. People want to live in these small close knit pleasant communities. So let's go back to basics and build what people want and need.

Replacing brown field sites with skilfully designed beautiful places; careful design that takes account of people's needs.

Prince Charles set up the Prince's Trust to promote more traditional and environmentally sustainable building techniques. This includes comment on planning laws and the qualities that people look for in new homes. So, some tweeking is required then?

Yes, if the plans to transform society into a “big society” are to be given a boost. If we want more people to cycle and walk, to live their lives sustainably and locally, we need to plan and design at the human scale. So, what do we mean by at the human scale?

The old fashioned streets of villages such as the High Street Chilham in Kent are a good example of the human, small scale we need to look at emulating. Why is this a good scale to work at? Because the scale is small, the feeling is intimate and cosy and people want to live in a place like this - with well maintained gardens in front garden space - not seas of cars. In new designs, cars located elsewhere, ideally in parking areas separated by planting buffers. Places which encourage us to get out of our cars and walk again.

Character kept and added through design. Beauty breathed into design. Colour, interest and seasonal changes in plants and leaf forms visible for children to see everyday. Wildlife present in city centres as well as in the suburbs. Sustainability is building the big picture - not just building materials but planning for whole living places.

Cyclists and pedestrians put first in village centres; speed limits in villages reduced to re create sense of place and respect for people who choose to walk. Lets start again, from where we want to be and design from this starting point.

The Prince's Trust recommend “community capital”; that communities are designed for a sustainable lifestyle. If this involves reducing car parking spaces in cities where there is public transport and improving public transport- then let's do this.

If places are to be truly sustainable then history and cultural associations with place are important.They are starting points for sensitive design. Parks, community spaces, tree lined streets are all part of the big picture.

Let's strive to shape places that best reflect local landscape character and build places that are not only good to work in, but also to live in, for future generations to enjoy.

For bespoke landscape design and ecology advice for your project you can visit our website; www.landvision.co.uk or contact charmaine@landvision.co.uk for help and advice.

Attenuation of Water, ecological design and sustainable development by Landvision uk

Water is perhaps the most vital resource for man and the rest of the natural world. This philosophy is the basis of much of our design work; from landscape design for domestic housing schemes, to health and welfare facilities and residential area upgrades, parks and open space provision, interpretation centres, retail stores and many other sites. We strive to understand the character of place and have written a blog on landscape character; we express this in all our designs.

For more than 15 years, Landvision has been a leader in the ecological design movement; we have pioneered sustainable development initiatives, green technologies and monitored them to ensure constant improvement. Each design element works hard to bring multiple benefits. This ecological design innovation adds great value whilst saving our clients time and money. So, our diverse professional mix of team members can help you with your latest project.

Specialties; Landscape Ecology, landscape Architecture, Arboriculture, Planning, Ecosystem Science, Sustainable Site Design, Low Impact Development, Innovative Rain Water Harvesting & Management, Ecological Design Services, Green Roofs, Woodland management, Sustainable development.

To find out more, contact us; www.landvision.co.uk or

email; charmaine @landvision.co.uk

Wildlife law changes advice from Landvision Statutory Instrument 2010/490 - the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations, 2010 in April 2011

The Conservation (Natural Habitats &c) Regulations 1994,were replaced by Statutory Instrument 2010/490 - the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations, 2010 in April 2011...so what do we advise you about this?

The Conservation (Natural Habitats &c) Regulations 1994, replaced by Statutory Instrument 2010/490 - the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations, 2010 in April 2011, have been recently drawn up to protect our wildlife. They now add to the EU Habitats Directive in England and Wales and incorporate all the changes since the old 1994 Regulations, including;

• Major changes to European Protected Species (EPS) licences and licensing

• Many changes to marine conservation laws.

• So, seek advice from Landvision, reputable and scientifically qualified ecological consultants and do have all recommended surveys completed before you start work on site.

So, what exactly is the bill proposing?

Changes to laws on poaching and game and on deer management and shooting. Also, changes on non-native species and snaring with amendments to the law on protected species and SSSIs, (Sites of Special Scientific Interest.)” Different parties will vary on how they react to the degrees of protection for wildlife and the way these affect the countryside and the people in it.

So, will localism help?

At present, planners make informed decisions on a case by case basis; if this process is “streamlined” there is a danger that the baby will be thrown out with the proverbial bath water.

Professor Colin Reid, of the School of Law at the University of Dundee, said about the 2011 amendments ; “this is an important Bill for many people involved in land management and conservation. Proposals for a Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill include far-reaching changes for deer management and shooting, snaring, game and poaching laws, licensing for protected species and sites of special scientific interest.”

The environment, which has been a cornerstone of planning law for more than 60 years, will really only truly be able to continue to be protected if development is concentrated in brown field sites and is spread fairly so each town shares development and it is not just in a few major towns and cities. Only in this way, will large, soul less developments not be required and new development will still be contained at a human scale. So, let's bring back the heart to communities, by leaving the heart in planning and by understanding why the environment needs protection.

You can read the latest wildlife bills on line;

• In the meantime; ask for advice from a reputable and scientifically qualified ecological consultant and have all recommended surveys completed before you start work on site.

• Tel Charmaine or Ian at Landvision on (01892) 782200 or visit www.landvision.co.uk

• http://www.landvision.co.uk/ecology.html

How to look after Common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Bee orchid Ophrys apifera and Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis Pyramidalis. Here's how!

How to look after Common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii ), Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) and Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis Pyramidalis); Here's how to manage your meadow or woodlands so that orchids thrive and spread, safeguarding them for future generations to enjoy! Here's also how to create a wildflower meadow and how to create more suitable conditions for Bee orchids, Pyramidal orchids and Common spotted orchids now, creating the conditions they require..

When and where are these orchids found?

Now is a great time to view orchids like Common spotted (Dactylorhiza fuchsii ), Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) and Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis Pyramidalis) look for them in your local grasslands, woods and meadows. They all flower in June and July; so they are out at the moment in south east England. We are lucky to have numerous sites in East Sussex and Kent where orchids thrive and are protected by careful management and plans drawn up by ecology and landscape planning experts at Landvision. These three orchids require management to maintain their populations; they are splendid examples of our native wildflowers and orchids attract visitors and walkers to the county to see them growing in the wild, in woods, grasslands and meadows.

What conditions do these three orchids require?

The Common spotted orchid is an orchid of damp grassland and open woodlands. It is found on woodland edges, along the edges of woodland paths and in glades, where higher light levels and a certain amount of moisture create the conditions that it needs. It has a beautiful pale pink tall flower spike and flowers in June and July. The grassland it is located in will need management and the woodlands need specific management too, to create optimal conditions for these orchids to thrive and spread.

The Bee orchid, which resembles a bee landing on a pink flower is very striking. It can be found on calcareous soils of south facing slopes. This is an orchid of post industrial landscapes, old quarries, gravel and sand pits as well as chalk pits being amongst its favoured habitats. Bee orchids are also located on sand dunes, golf course roughs and on limestone, in old quarries and other disturbed low fertility soils. The bee orchid is associated with an open sward, with no vigorous grasses. It is an example of mimicry as it mimics an insect feeding on a flower. So, this is an orchid the flowers of which mimic its insect pollinators. British bee orchids are self-pollinated.

The Pyramidal orchid has a striking, deep purple triangular shaped spike flower; found on dry open grassland, generally on south facing sunny slopes , on calcareous soils of low fertility. The pyramidal orchid requires an open sward, closely grazed; so grazing of grasses by rabbits and other mammals help this orchid to thrive.

Light disturbance and a certain amount of light trampling is associated with many of our wild grassland orchids. Hence their location on golf roughs (light trampling) and sand dunes, where recreational activities lead to some disturbance, can be a pre requisite of these species for their dispersal and growth and establishment. Orchid seed is very light and is tiny, so the creation of bare patches of low fertility ground by trampling near the present orchids aids the establishment of new seeds. Conversely, if the turf is dominated by vigorous grasses or too long, and there is no disturbance by trampling, the orchids cannot spread their seed so easily.

Light levels and moisture levels need to be right for each species too. The orchids of open, dry, sunny slopes, such as Pyramidal orchid and Bee orchid would not be found in damp or shady woods. Conversely, Common spotted orchids favour moist grassland and could not withstand the dryness of a south facing, thin calcareous soils on rocky slopes, such as on old quarries and golf course roughs which the Bee and Pyramidal orchids require.

The main requirement for all orchid species however, is very low soil fertility. The right amount of moisture and presence of the orchid's associated fungus in organic matter in the soil is also essential. These factors, together with low fertility and fungal associations of orchid species, are all essential if you are aiming to create species diverse grassland which contains species like orchids in the long term. Help and advice are available from Charmaine and Ian at Landvision.

To determine what soil fertility you have, we will need to take a soil sample and find out what nutrient levels are present in your soil. If the soil fertility is already low, this is good news. However, we will still need to manage appropriately by removing grass cuttings to keep the soil fertility low, so that rank grasses do not smother the finer herbs and species like orchid, which require an open sward; that is, a sward that has bare patches and is not densely covered with vigorous grass and species that would out compete the orchids. If you persist and get the management right; the rewards are great.

If you need help and advice or have any queries for us, you can ring Landvision. We can help advise you now on how to create a wildflower meadow and how to create more suitable conditions for Bee orchids, Pyramidal orchids and Common spotted orchids, amongst other native wildflowers. Tel Charmaine and Ian at Landvision on; 01892 782200 or email us at; charmaine@landvision.co.uk or ian@landvision.co.uk

Old veteran oak trees and unusual deadwood insects.

Veteran oak trees and unusual deadwood insects.

At Chatsworth, the old park has been made an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) on account of its very old trees or veteran trees' richness of insect and lichen (and fungi) life. So, why are these old trees, especially old oak and lime, so important?

The SSSI status is based on the richness of the insect life found on the old oak trees. Using an index of ecological continuity, the site is in the top 50 for the UK. In addition, lowland and southern sites like Chatsworth are even more important, as they are far richer in insect life, being located in generally warmer areas.

Many highly localised species benefit from the continuity that historic woodlands offer. South west facing trees for example, are the most attractive to insects as they are warm and more hospitable. Part of the forest at Chatsworth is called Greater Sherwood with sites loosely connected to the real Sherwood Forest itself. There are some spectacular looking insects, which Roger Key (of Natural England) has identified. These include;

Net-winged beetle – a scarlet and black beetle which is one of the Sherwood specialities.

Tanbark beetle - a large scarlet and metallic blue longhorn beetle, in thick oak bark.

Longhorn beetle – highly ornate, patterned, large longhorn beetle.

Cobweb beetle - this has very fuzzy larva which are covered in little tufty bristles, to keep spiders at bay.

The important ecological niches for all these deadwood beetles are almost all associated with old oak trees (and one is associated with old lime trees.) For instance, fungal heart decay in very old oak trees provides a variety of wood mould of various consistencies. This provides an ecological niche which is highly specialised and which allows a number of unusual insect species to thrive. The thick, loose bark of old oaks is another very important habitat for insect species.

So, not only are old oak trees beautiful but their role as insect host to unusual insect species is also vital. This is why we need to try to keep all our old oak trees safe and to preserve them for future generations to enjoy. Planting new tree species of oak and also hawthorn as a nectar source for saproxylic invertebrates (insects), adjacent to and near to existing veteran oak tree woods is important. This will give continuity to veteran oak tree habitats, for future generations to enjoy.

How to select inspiring Specimen trees for maximum autumn colour and winter interest aswell as wildlife and amenity value, especially for urban areas.

How to select exciting trees for great interest in urban settings; want to know which are the best Specimen trees for all year round colour? Here's how.

Firstly, look at the site. Is it sunny? Is it sheltered? If it is in a wind corridor, a street where the wind blows through, in winter this will be very cold and exposed. Conversely, a sunny sheltered courtyard may allow you to plant a more tender tree, such as an Olive tree or Magnolia grandiflora.

What are the site restrictions and what characteristics do you want from the tree?

Trees with interesting bark can contribute so much in winter. For instance, Betula utilis jacquemontii, with its snowy white bark. Prunus serrula- with its shiny mahogany bark- these two trees are exceptional in urban parks.

Good autumn colour is important for a street tree. What better than the leaves of clear, bright yellow falling from an Acer campestre for children to scrunch through in autumn? If there is room for the tree's roots and for its crown, this is a lovely tree and superb for wildlife too. If space is more limited, try fastgiate (upright) hornbeam, its leaves turn a yellow/brown in autumn, or fastigiate beech, for cheerful bright orange autumn leaves.

If you prefer red autumn colour, choose trees with bright scarlet leaves; these are numerous and the scope is wide, if space allows. Choose from Quercus rubra if there is plenty of room or even a Liquidambar styraciflua. If space is restricted there are some pyramidal forms of Liquidambar. Both these specimen trees have fabulous autumn colour- scarlet leaves and stunning interest from October onwards. They make superb urban trees and can transform an urban street in autumn. It is best if there are soft landscaped beds for the trees' roots to develop.

Above all, try not to restrict yourself to planting tiny trees with small crowns (such as Malus or Sorbus) unless space is really tight. These trees are more suited to a small garden and generally have a more limited impact on street amenity than larger trees.

Do not plant trees closer than 3 metres from your house and always bear in mind services runs, so that tree roots do not restrict affect services.

On sites where there is a medium amount of space, you can think about using more native trees to attract wildlife, Prunus avium (Wild gean) makes a lovely large tree, with clouds of snowy, white blossom and fabulous red and orange autumn leaves. The white beam, is a smaller tree but just as attractive to wildlife and produces silvery leaves and in winter bright red berries for birds and wildlife. Plant Sorbus aria or use another native, hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) where space allows width to attract the birds and provide food for them in winter.

For urban gardens, Prunus or ornamental cherry, have white and pink blossom, in single and double flowered forms, from weeping to fastigiate. If space allows you can choose a round crown for maximum shade and interest. Useful trees are Prunus Ama-no-gawa (a very narrow,fastigiate cherry tree) for very limited space in even the smallest garden.

Finally, look at using the maximum size and best shape of of tree for each site, as this will contribute the most to your neighborhood. In maturity these trees will provide more foliage, blossom and increased wildlife interest if they are native, supporting birds and mammals all year round. If you are generous about tree size and spread, the ultimate rewards will be to your whole community; the street's “end users”, not only you but the inhabitants of the urban space around each tree, the visitors who will enjoy the spectacle of a Specimen tree bringing lots of autumn colour and winter interest, all year round.

This is the right time of year to obtain and plant bare root trees; from Nov- March. See our other tree blog for how to plant your new tree and all the details.

For more ideas, see our portfolio of trees and designs at www.landvision.co.uk. You can ring us to arrange a visit to our landscapes or email;charmaine@landvision.co.uk Happy tree planting in the New Year!

Photo The Dow Gardens Archive, Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org

What is Green Infrastructure? (GI) How GI understanding can help you and your local community to combat climate change.

What exactly is Green Infrastructure (GI)? How will it help climate change and biodiversity protection? Can the idea of the Big Society take this forward?

Green infrastructure (GI) works at all spatial scales from micro to macro. Big Society ideas and the idea of local community involvement in GI means that new GI can be planned, delivered and managed at the local level.
Despite the change of government, the increasing awareness and understanding of GI has not been lost. Defra’s “An invitation to shape the nature of England”, highlights importance of GI and need for planning and delivery of GI.
GI and allied political changes identified by The Landscape Institute include;
“The revocation of Regional Spatial Strategies
The establishment of Local Enterprise Partnerships
The creation of new designations to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities
The Big Society and local agendas.
The reduction of the budget deficit”
(Based on The Landscape Institute's latest article on GI.)
For general inquiries on Green Infrastructure and how Landvision can help you and your community email;charmaine@landvision.co.uk

Landvision and The Landscape Institute both fully recognise many far reaching benefits of Green Infrastructure.
These include GI as a way of tackling;
Climate change adaptation and mitigation
Water management improvements and flood alleviation schemes.
Biodiversity enhancement and BAPs(Biodiversity Action Plans)
Crime, safety and antisocial behaviour reduction.
Employment and training opportunities.
Well being and general health
Economic investment in local communities.
Beauty/pride of and increased sense of place in local areas.
Good design, robust, fit for purpose landscape design.

A leaflet will be published in January 2011 by the Landscape Institute urging local communities to become involved.

Green Infrastructure queries; to find out how Landvision can help you & your local community with Green Infrastructure; visit; wwww.landvision.co.uk or email, charmaine@landvision.co.uk