Our October meeting opened with an interesting and informative presentation by Sue Palmer and Paula Curran entitled Footpaths and Rights of Way (and how to maintain them). Both Sue and Paula are local Parish Path Inspectors that undertake periodic inspections on behalf of WSCC. Their duties include walking the footpaths etc and noting their condition with special emphasis on overhanging vegetation, animal and bird habitats, gates and fences and adequate signage to ensure the public are aware of potential dangers. The inspections take place on a 9 month cycle to ensure all paths are viewed in each season over a 3 year period. A Working Party is then established by the WSCC Access Ranger to undertake any required repairs. Ed Miller delivered an update on local planning issues. He advised us that the storage area application for Hangleton Nurseries has been withdrawn. An application for development on a limited scale at the Bluebird Café and Ferring Country Centre and also an application for a development of 2 houses in existing back gardens in Ferring Lane have all been submitted. Ed emphasised that the requirement under the Neighbourhood Plan to build 50 new dwellings in Ferring over the next 15 years was set by Arun DC. Tricia Hall concluded the meeting by giving an update on bird sightings in the area and commented on how the wildflower beds in the village are still thriving. She said that there had been sightings of Stonechats, Grey Wagtails, Little Egrets, Snipe, a Wheatear, Gold Finches and Brent Geese in the area.

At their latest meeting at Ferring Village Hall, over 50 members of Ferring Conservation Group heard from Fran Southgate of the Sussex Wildlife Trust. As well as working for the Trust, she is also the Ecological Advisor to the Arun and Rother Connections project, and this was the subject of her talk – “Building the ARC – Water and Wetlands in the Arun Valley”.

This is a Heritage Lottery funded project, and its main aim is to promote a rich and thriving river system where wildlife flourishes and where people value and enjoy the landscape, natural and cultural heritage. It covers an area of some 77,000 hectares of West Sussex roughly from Horsham across to Petersfield and down to Littlehampton, with a whole variety of habitats including acid heathland, chalk downland, plus areas of clay and shingle. Otters are one of the flagship species of the project as these are good indicators of the health of the rivers, and are starting to colonise the area, having been extinct here since the 50s and 60s. Some other vital species are Water Voles (making good progress) and the very rare Black Poplar trees, which need damp conditions.

The project includes many opportunities for people to get involved including guided walks, practical work days and training, plus there is also some funding available to local groups for practical projects.

To round off the meeting, Group Vice Chairman Ed Miller gave an update on planning matters, and highlighted the progress of the Ferring Neighbourhood Plan which will be going to referendum in the village on December 10th, and the Group is fully supporting a “yes” vote.