IPROW's Beyond (the) Waymark

Introducing Emma Peters who joins our presenter team to bring you more episodes on all topics Definitive Map and legal, referred to fondly by one of our Directors as The Dark Side (as opposed to The Outside). Emma sets the scene for future episodes on the Definitive Map (Def Map or DMS) as the foundation of all rights of way work from modification orders to replacing a bridge. The views of speaker...

There are many invasive species which rights of way and access workers are likely to find in their work. Minds usually go to flora species like Himalayan Balsam, rhododendron, cherry laurel but in this episode marking National Invasive Species week 11 May – 17 May, we talk about three fauna species, how they may affect use of and maintenance of public rights of way and access land, and what to do...

Vegetation management on rights of way at appropriate times to accommodate wildlife is a challenge, increasingly so as global heating extends nesting periods and affects migration patterns. Field workers are used to considering birds when planning work, but what about other species? This episode's guest is Charlotte Rimmer who discusses the dormouse, its hibernation, the effect of climate cha...

Most IPROW members being local authority officers, they naturally consider public rights of way and access from that viewpoint but it is important to also be aware of the view of users and landholders. In this episode, we talk to the manager of a small mixed estate, with both arable and livestock farming, conservation areas and a shoot, about what public access means for the landholder (someone wh...

chapter at 39:42 The Definitive Map and Statement is the statutory record of public rights of way -- footpaths, bridleway, restricted byways and byways open to all traffic -- which is conclusive evidence of the rights marked on it, without prejudice to those not yet shown. That apparent contradiction arises from recognition that the process of preparing the Map, begun in 1949, was flawed, resultin...

James Nevitt & Spencer George of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (D.I.O.) of Ministry of Defence (M.O.D.) talk about their Respect the Range  campaign, aiming to raise public awareness of how the MOD training estate is used and what the public need to know and consider in planning their route or using the land. Towards the end of the episode, there is a request for ideas for the CSF Pr...

Last episode we were talking about planning and development, and as a sequel, here we talk about provision of SANGs -- Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space -- with Stephen Jenkinson, and including dog-walking by design. Stephen started in public access as a rights of way officer and moved to countryside access, specialising in dogs and how public access can be managed to include dog-walking. A...

Every rights of way officer comes in contact with the planning system, from consultations on Local Plans or Local Transport Plans to the effect of building development on rights of way. Developments range from a workshop or house extension to a new quarry, 3,000 houses or a distribution centre. Understanding the system and how it works can be beneficial to ensuring intervention for public access i...

Many organisations rely heavily on volunteers, from mountain rescue to a high street shop, and the rights of way and access sector is no different. Equally, volunteer opportunities may be welcomed by people who gain considerable satisfaction from their unpaid role. In rights of way and access, we need to think broadly to make the most of potential volunteers. The obvious is the practical maintenan...

Asking rights of way workers how they came into their current roles could provide as many different answers as there are people, and the majority have fallen into it by accident! In this episode, we talk to Charlotte Ditchburn, whose career covers a unique range, with a number of moves. The difficulties of her early career  will be familiar to many listeners – how do you gain experience when all j...

Apprenticeships have changed enormously in their history and no longer only the remit of manual trades, they've even reached the rights of way and access world and can be a great asset to both employers and employees as a path for in depth training while working. In this episode, we talk to LANTRA about the background to modern apprenticeship, Sparsholt College about their provision of traini...

Trees are natural accompaniments to public rights of way, mostly alongside them and managed by their owner, usually the adjacent landholder. Sometimes they obstruct by low branches encroaching on the height or width of the right of way 'corridor', particularly a problem on bridleways and byways where the extra height for equestrians has not been accommodated. Branches or trees may fall a...

The field of public rights of way and access is much broader than is generally assumed and the podcast will meet people in a wide variety of interesting roles. In this episode, member Dr Tom Breen, a landscape historian, joins us to talk about In All Our Footsteps, which explores how rights of way were recorded following Parliament’s requirement to do so in 1949, and the importance of rights of wa...

Glass or fibre reinforced plastic has been around a while, with cautious consideration for use in ROW furniture. Early experiences in the 90s had finger posts bowing in the sun, and bridge deck boards springing from their fixings. Much has improved, but there are still downsides, along with the obvious lack of rot and supposed longevity and reduced maintenance commitment. How does it stack up in p...

There are many reasons why people join IPROW: to support a body working at national level with government bodies and quangos; to improve their professional development; because their employer requires it; to gain recognition in a field that has no formal qualification or chain of entry; and more. Some don't consider benefit to themselves when joining, though the line between personal and prof...

A series of brief interviews by Gemma Clinch with IPROW members, recent and long time, on why they joined and what they gain from membership. The views of speakers and the presenter are not necessarily those of IPROW. Nothing in any IPROW podcast should be taken as legal advice or used beyond the context of the podcast. The podcast is aimed at IPROW's members, a knowledgeable audience, though...