27 January saw the Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Annual Conference.

Mark Sears, Chief Wild Officer of the Wild Network was the keynote speaker and received a very positive reaction to his mission to ‘Rewild Childhood’. We are planning to work closely with the Wild Network to become one of the pilot sites for their new ‘Wild Local’ programme. This will see local networks of organisations, schools and families working together to reduce the barriers to ‘wildtime’ and get more children enjoying the outdoors. Arnside & Silverdale AONB will be organising a screening of the Wild Network’s film ‘Project Wild Thing’ in the near future to kick off the project, and we’ll keep you updated. If you’d like to find out more about the Wild Network, or to join (it’s free), then please visit their website at www.thewildnetwork.com. If you are interested in joining our Wild Local network; either as someone who can help, or if you’d like support in getting your children, grandchildren or pupils outdoors, if you’re generally interested; or if you’d like to attend our Project Wild Thing screening, please email info@arnsidesilverdaleaonb.org.uk

Local farmer Johnny Bland was another very popular speaker at the conference. He shared his positive approach to conservation and animal welfare, and plans for the future. For more information about Arnside Tower Farm and updates on their work and produce, you can like their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/arnsidetowerfarm. We’re very pleased that Johnny will be holding a farm open day within our forthcoming Food and Local Produce Festival in May and June.

Louise Martin of Morecambe Bay Partnership summarised the fascinating work happening in archaeological sites in the AONB. Local people have been actively involved in research at Jenny Brown’s Point, and a detailed LiDAR survey (where radar is bounced from an aeroplane to the ground at 25cm intervals) to find out more about the Iron Age Hillfort on Warton Crag is scheduled in the coming weeks.

Jarrod Sneyd, the manager of RSPB Leighton Moss gave a rousing presentation on working together to protect our local and global environment.

And winner of the 2015 Bittern Award (see below), Peter Standing, gave us a sneak preview of the wide range of events planned for 2016, to celebrate the Arnside & Silverdale Landscape Trust’s 30th anniversary.

Feedback from attendees was very positive and we’re looking forward to next year’s conference already! “Johnny Bland’s talk was my favourite part – I had never given much thought about the detail of farming in our very varied area.” “It was well organised, ran to time, truly entertaining speakers in the best informative sense.” “Subject matter good and all speakers too – unusual for all participants to be easy and interesting to listen to at such events!”