Building the Links for Rockingham Forest
Thoroughsale Wood, Corby
The recent lottery-funded project
Building the Links for Rockingham Forest , a project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, aimed to encourage nature recovery and engage local communities with the natural and cultural heritage of Rockingham Forest. It commenced in August 2022 and concluded in December 2024.
Led by the Nene Rivers Trust and volunteers from Rockingham Forest Vision, the project partnership included ten organisations across the natural environment sector.
These were:
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North Northamptonshire Council,
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Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants,
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Royal Forestry Society,
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East Mercia Rivers Trust,
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Hazel Woodland Products,
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Northamptonshire Biodiversity Records Centre,
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Butterfly Conservation,
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Natural England,
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Forestry England.
Events for the public
The project provided a wide range of activities for the public, as well as opportunities to volunteer. These included:
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guided walks organised by the Wildlife Trust and Rockingham Forest Vision,
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workshops on finding and identifying day-flying moths by Butterfly Conservation,
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demonstrations of coppicing and charcoal making by Hazel Woodland Products,
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two bioblitz events delivered by Northants Biodiversity Records Centre,
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two family fun days especially for families in Corby,
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a seasonal after-school nature club for Home Start families,
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a creative competition for people to express what Rockingham Forest means to them,
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workshops by local artists in partnership with the University of Northampton’s Heritage Impact Accelerator programme.
Training courses and workshops
Training was provided as follows:
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66 places on accredited courses (including LANTRA courses),
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volunteer Tree Wardens studied a Tree Biology module,
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volunteer River Wardens received habitat training,
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four Introduction to Forestry day-courses were run by the Royal Forestry Society,
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eight teaching assistants trained as Forest School Leaders, leading to Forest School establishment in schools and in the Homestart family centre,
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the Royal Forestry Society ran eight Teaching Trees sessions with 5 local schools,
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a workshop was run explaining how to set up a tree nursery,
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project staff and partners received training in evaluation methods.
New posts
Four new posts were created.
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Sophie van den Bergh, the Project Officer (funded by the NHLF grant) worked closely with local communities and partners.
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Dr Corinne Muir, the Senior Project Officer (funded by Nene River Trust from reserves) managed the project, working part time.
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Paul Humphries, a Forestry Roots trainee, completed a one-year placement as Parks and Woodland Ranger for Corby Parks and Woodlands.
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Hannah Dunstan, a Woodland Ranger, was appointed by North Northants Council to support the project‘s Tree Wardens (using an additional grant).
Project numbers
By the end of 2024, over 90 events had taken place. Total visitor numbers for Building the Links had reached 5,884, exceeding the target set of 1,500. Volunteers had contributed a total of 4,956 hours to the project.
Six Parish Nature Recovery Plans had been completed with a further six in development, following a successful programme of community engagement with over 22 parishes and Friends Groups.
A Community Grants scheme awarded over £24,000 in small grants with an additional £10,000 being made available to communities for projects.
Five newsletters have been sent to a mailing list of 150 people.
On Rockingham Forest Vision’s website, 39 members of the forest community have written content for over 100 webpages, including 33 personal blog articles.
The project partners' involvement
Nene Rivers Trust
NRT, formerly known as River Nene Regional Park, was the lead partner on the Building the Links for Rockingham Forest project, and has a long track record of delivering community-based environmental projects in the Nene catchment. They employed a Project Officer for two years to co-ordinate project delivery and support the partners, as well as providing a part-time Senior Project Officer to oversee the work. They also administered the project and chaired the steering group.
North Northants Council
NNC expandinged volunteering opportunities through their Corby Woodland Project. In particular they ran a variety of training courses for volunteers in the network of Friends Groups operating in the six woodland areas that they manage in Corby. They had a RFS 'Forestry Roots' trainee, hosted two Kickstart placements working with their team of Woodland Rangers, and offered training for teaching assistants to lead Forest School activities. Their guided walk programme was expanded for families and special groups.
Wildlife Trust BCN
Rockingham Forest is one of the Trust’s Living Landscapes. Alongside managing rsix main reserves, they encouraged wildlife training and recording through short day courses for local people and a "bioblitz" with a focus on Rockingham Forest wildlife and habitats.
They also ran seasonal guided walks for families around the Corby area, expandied their dormouse monitoring into new areas and supported the development of Parish Nature Recovery Plans.
East Mercia Rivers Trust
The River Welland forms the northern border of the RFV area, and EMRT (formerly the Welland Rivers Trust) is an environmental charity dedicated to improving the river. Their goal is to reconnect people with the natural and cultural heritage of their rivers and they run a citizen science scheme for those who wish to become River Wardens. The Building the Links Project enabled them to recruit 20 more River Wardens and to provide them with training and equipment.
Hazel Woodland Products
Living and working in Rawhaw Wood near Pipewell, Hugh Ross and Carolyn Church produce a range of natural products using coppiced hazel, continuing the traditional management that goes back over 400 years.
They ran a series of guided walks to explain their way of working and the sustainable lifestyle that is still possible today. In addition they provided training courses for those wishing to gain skills in traditional coppicing and charcoal burning.
Royal Forestry Society
The RFS expanded its existing Teaching Trees programme for children from Corby's schools, with subsidised coach travel for targeted schools.
A full-time RFS ‘Forestry Roots’ trainee was employed for 1 year and placed with North Northamptonshire Council Woodland Ranger Team.
The RFS also provided introductory training in woodland management for landowners and managers.
Butterfly Conservation
BC have had a strong connection with Rockingham Forest, not least through the successful re-introduction of the Chequered Skipper butterfly as part of the former Back from the Brink project.
Their work on butterflies throughout the forest continues, but the Building the Links project enabled them also to help people understand and appreciate the many day-time-flying moths that can be found here.
Natural England
Easton Hornstocks and Collyweston Woods are National Nature Reserves managed by Natural England and are normally only open to permit holders. Access was allowed to these woods during special events without negatively impacting their important habitats. The aim was also to recruit and train new volunteers to work there. They also supported Parish Nature Recovery Plans for parishes wholly or partially in the project area.
Forestry England
FE were very pleased to be supporting this project to link people to the habitats and wildlife of Rockingham Forest by making the woodlands and property that they manage available for events of all sorts including training, guided walks and educational visits.
They hosted the project in the Top Lodge offices at Fineshade by making office and meeting space available, and worked closely with the project officer who was based there.