Welcome to the Friends of the Downs Web site
There has been a problem with this 'home' page that we are trying to resolve where much of the news and a welcome from the Chairman, Robert Westlake, has been accidentally deleted. Other pages are still complete so please take the time to have a look around.
We apologise for this and hope the situation will be rectified a.s.a.p.

Urban Commons Futures: In-Common Sites
Dear All,
Do you visit The Downs? Whether you are a dog walker, a nature enthusiast, a cycling commuter or a family who enjoys time out of doors, we want to find out why Clifton and Durdham Downs are important to you. We have designed a participatory mapping project, In-Common Sites that will allow you to explore The Downs and to record your observations of its use, unique habitat and cultural value. The project will involve familiar and creative activities, from walking, observing your surroundings and taking photos to map-making, storytelling or creating a short animation. Through a series of open-ended questions and playful tasks, you will be able to share your experiences of what it means to have access to a large open green space within the city.
In-Common Sites is part of a broader research project called Wastes and Strays that explores the past, present and future of English urban commons. The project is taking place across four cities - Bristol, Brighton, Norwich and Newcastle-upon-Tyne and participants will be able to find out more about the history and current status of urban commons in these areas. We will be launching In-Common Sites on Thursday 17 June, when we will email participants the first creative task. However, you can sign up to join the project at any time up until 1 Oct 2021. There are eight creative tasks, which will be sent out one at a time every couple of weeks. Participants will complete the tasks in their own time and are asked to share their findings with us. The images, stories and observations participants contribute will be included in a set of common field guides and will help to build a picture of the value of public green spaces in our cities.
To participate, you can register by filling in the form on this link https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfh8EtMk9dkKE.../viewform or email Siobhan aturbancommonsfutures@port.ac.uk for further details.

More ‘Hairy Conservationists’ arrive in Avon Gorge
 
Visitors are being urged to play their part in preserving Avon Gorge’s wildlife after the arrival of four rare-breed goats boosted a conservation project to save the site’s rare plants and habitats.
Gorge users have been asked to stay on the main paths, keep their dogs under control or away from the area and avoid approaching or attempting to feed the quartet of Bagot goats that have now joined the herd in the area of the gorge known as the Gully.
Joining two older Kashmir goats already in place, the herd are making a vital contribution to the eco-system in the Gully, with their nibbling of invasive scrub and bramble allowing the opportunity for rare plants to flourish instead.
The Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project - a partnership of organisations including Bristol City Council, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Natural England, University of Bristol, the Society of Merchant Venturers, the Downs Committee, Bristol Zoological Society, the National Trust and Forestry - are behind the initiative to restore wildflower-rich grasslands in the Avon Gorge.
The year-old Bagot goats arrived earlier this month from the Bristol-based ‘Street Goat’ project, which also runs herd conservation projects with the city council and South Gloucestershire authorities in other areas of the city.
The herd are monitored and cared for every day by Bristol City Council’s Downs team, and at weekends by volunteers from the Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge, with Bristol Zoo Gardens also offering additional veterinary advice and care if required.
But the public are also being encouraged to play their part by giving the goats a wide berth to avoid erosion and damage to their habitat
Bristol City Council’s Downs supervisor, Ben Skuse, said: “The new goats have settled in very well. From the moment they arrived, they began eating the invasive scrub. The brown and white Bagots are smaller than the all-white Kashmir goats but they are only one year old so they will grow a little bigger, with their horns growing longer and thicker too.
“We understand that they look very cute but they have a vital conservation job to do, so please don’t approach them or feed them. It is also important to keep dogs on leads or preferably don’t take dogs into the enclosure at all. They have plenty of natural food and if you feed them they may become sick.
“The more scrub and bramble they eat, the more space they make for rare plants like the Bristol onion and Bristol rock-cress to flourish so we are asking any visitors to stay on the main paths throughout the Gully and not to stray up and down the steep slopes, which causes erosion and will disturb the goats and other wildlife.”
Becky Belfin, Bristol City Council Nature Conservation Officer, said: “The Avon Gorge is an internationally-important Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC). In fact, it’s one of the top three botanical sites in England - home to over 30 kinds of nationally rare and scarce plants, and rare animals that depend on them.
“Most of the rare plants grow together, in a habitat known as limestone grassland. Over hundreds of years these grasslands were grazed, keeping them open and largely free from trees. Grazing stopped in the 1920s and without nibbling mouths trees and scrub began to grow up, shading out most of the grassland and killing of the majority of the rare plants.”
Chris Westcott, from Natural England, said: “In June 2011, our six Kashmir goats arrived from the Great Orme. The browsing of these primitive, feral goats has helped open the area up, giving rare plants like the Bristol onion and Bristol rock-cress, a chance to thrive and spread once again.
“Unfortunately, in recent years we lost two of our original goats due to dog attacks and two to old age. So have been looking for more animals to help with progressing the good habitat restoration work and this is where our new Bagot goats come in.”
Later in the year, the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project will be running guided walks so that people can find out more about the goats and the special wildlife that they are helping to protect.  Details will be published on www.avongorge.org.uk and www.facebook.com/facebook.

Judge Rules in Favour of Downs Campaigners
The Downs for People group led by Susan Carter have won an out of court settlement against the Downs committee and the City Council. The Downs for People case related to a challenge against the zoo being allowed to park cars on the Downs for the next twenty years.
The outcome of the order means that the Downs committee will no longer be able to use the Downs for car parking for non-Downs events. The order was approved and signed by the Hon Mr Justice Henshaw on Wednesday 12 May.
The order permits the zoo to continue using the Ladies Mile site and the main North car park until they leave the Clifton site.
The Friends of the Downs are delighted that this saga has finally been resolved but disappointed that it needed a court case to bring about a solution. The legal costs to bring and defend the case will undoubtably have a bearing on the Downs finances.

Chair’s Report Spring 2021
Welcome to the spring edition of the Newsletter. Hopefully we can now look forward to a spring and summer with a bit more optimism. The roll out of the vaccine offers promise of freedom from the tedium of successive lock downs. Cases still remain obstinately high but everything seems to be on track for
a return to enjoying long anticipated social activities with family and friends. Spring has sprung and although winter has its devotees there’s something to be said for spring with its new life and warmer weather.
It has been a long and hard-fought battle to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control and the Downs has played its part in helping us all get through it. Citizens have been able to enjoy regular exercise, fresh air and relief from the mental strain of coping with the virus. Never have our public open spaces been more important to the physical and mental wellbeing of our citizens.
Numbers of winter visitors have never been so high with estimates suggesting an increase of 50% and on some fine days as high as 75%. This as you would expect has had an impact on the Downs. The Downs team have battled throughout the winter to stay on top of increased litter and rubbish left behind by inconsiderate visitors. In addition, FOD+AG volunteers have throughout the winter months removed unprecedented amounts of rubbish from some of the less accessible areas of the Downs.
In normal winters the Downs has had a chance to recover from the impact of busy summer months. The popularity of the Downs and major events do have a bearing on ground conditions. If you have walked around Circular Road recently you can’t fail to notice that the jogging trails or desire lines have become wider and wider as runners and walkers look to avoid the muddy areas and maintain safe distancing from gasping harriers. The good news is that the Downs are resilient, most damaged areas will recover naturally, other parts will need a little TLC from the Downs team.
In March FOD+AG held its first Zoom talk. Dr. Yealand Kalfayan presented to an invited audience of 95 a fascinating talk on the subject of Butterflies. The presentation was warmly received by those attending as Yealand described Butterflies both local and from farther afield and how to set about finding and photographing these
appealing insects.
FOD+AG Newsletter 2 Spring 2021
We were hoping to roll out remote meetings to the full membership but for the moment due to technical reasons we are unable to do so. Hopefully as the burden of lock-down is eased we will be able to meet again in person. My own view is that although remote meetings have allowed us to stay in contact with loved ones and for business to continue the process does little for social interaction and meetings can become stilted and somewhat subdued.
One of the key drivers from the FOD+AG Action Plan was to increase our membership. In particular to reach out to a wider audience and to a more diverse demographic. I am delighted to report that FOD+AG has been steadily growing over the past couple of years, but there is one section of the population that we are failing to attract and that is our younger citizens. If we are to grow as an organisation it is imperative that we look to redress this imbalance. It is important that the legacy of the Downs is protected and for those who follow us to recognise the part they might play in ensuring that legacy is safeguarded.
The trick is what do we need to do to make us as an organisation more appealing to a younger audience. The obvious route is social media and we are working to update and refresh all our media platforms.
One thing we could consider is creating a youth wing to bring fresh ideas and to get involved. We know young people are keen volunteers so there is a resource to tap into. We just have to find the way.
If members have ideas of their own or wish to comment on the proposal please feel free to get back to us.
The first phase of Bristol Zoos redevelopment of the Clifton site will be a planning application for the West Cark Park located in College Road. The application will include a proposal to develop the West Car Park with a 4.5 storey apartment block and 2 storey mews houses on the western part of the site, 65 dwellings in all. There will be only 45 car parking spaces but ‘plentiful cycle parking’. Whilst this proposal is not directly a concern to FOD+AG architecturally there are other obvious implications; particularly in respect of the allocated car parking provision.
FOD+AG Newsletter 3 Spring 2021
65 dwellings with only 45 parking spaces suggests there could be a problem. It is understood that the College Road site will not be eligible for the Residents Parking Scheme so where would any additional vehicles be accommodated? The obvious answer is to look to securing additional spaces near-by and that can only lead you to one conclusion, the North Car Park and this is where we would have an interest. Members will be aware that the North Car Park falls within the remit of the Downs committee who may well be encouraged to consider another lease arrangement. Any release of land for car parking will also impact on the next phase of the development, the main zoo site.
FOD+AG remains opposed to any part of the Downs being used to provide permanent car parking spaces.
You can read more about the proposal at https://bristolzoo.org.uk/latest- zoo-news/bzs-opens-consultation-on-development-of-its-west-car-park
If you have been out and about around the top of the Whiteladies Road area recently then you may well have noticed the splendid display of spring bulbs. These were the bulbs planted late last year by FOD+AG volunteers. The display ensures all year-round interest as we look forward to the summer months when the herbaceous planting scheme will be in full flower.
The Downs Committee met on March 22nd The main items from the agenda were Finance where it was reported that loss of events income due to Covid-19 has had a serious impact but the shortfall would be met from previous underspends. Next year would be critical in terms of income generation. {Please see separate item} The Downs supervisor reported vastly increased visitor numbers this winter with all the attendant problems previously described. Significant scrub clearance had been undertaken to contain encroachment and maintain open grassland habitat. The supervi- sor explained that some areas of previously mown grassland would be left unmown to improve biodiversity. The new wildflower beds at Christchurch Green would not be seeded until the Autumn. Downs football would restart for approximately six weeks without dressing room provision. Events officer reported schedule of events for 2021. {See separate item}
FOD+AG Newsletter 4 Spring 2021
Your FOD+AG committee are pleased to have been able to return to hard copy for this Newsletter, but a member has asked the question. “Why not continue with the electronic version and save the cost of printing” This is a pertinent question that needs consideration. What do you the members of FOD+AG feel about discontinuing printed versions of the Newsletter and distributing just an electronic version? Your feedback is important and will be considered by the committee.
If you would like to comment and feel that we should retain the printed version of the Newsletter or you would prefer an electronic version then please respond directly to the chair at robertjwestlake@gmail.com
I will finish much where I started with a message of hope, hope that we will all have come through this most difficult of times relatively unscathed. Hope that we will soon have had our vaccines and can enjoy all that we hold dear. Hope that just maybe, Covid will give us all a chance to reboot and remind us of the fragility of life and the need to spend our precious time more carefully.
Stay Safe & Well
Robert Westlake