[GCW]

Had an e-mail via the Wiki about potential developments at Brownstones.  Just to spread the info really:

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust in partnership with Bolton Council has recently started developing management plans for Brownstones Quarry and Ousels Nest Quarry with the hope of designating them as Local Nature Reserves. This means that the sites will be managed for both the improvement of wildlife and users. We are currently conducting community consultation to determine what the sites are used for and what users of the sites value the most. Climbing is obviously one of the main uses at Brownstones and the trust is keen to involve climbers as much as possible (i.e. guiding management, involvement in friends of groups, engaging more people in involvement with the site, and practical work etc). Anyone interested in having a say can contact Stephen on 01204 663754 or scartwright@lancswt.org.uk. I would greatly appreciate it if you could pass this message around as much as possible! We need all the support we can get to have the site designated, in the short term this would mean developing the management plan and small practical jobs like removing scrub from the quarry face but in the long term projects like access improvements etc could be possible. I have been told that a climbing group meets at Brownstones regularly and I wondered if you know anything about this? Thank you very much.

Stephen Cartwright.
Assistant LNR Project Officer.
Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

[r-man]

I don't really understand what they mean by access improvements. There aren't any problems with access are there?

I suppose from a climber's perspective, management at Brownstones would ideally mean bramble and heather removal at the top and bottom of climbs. These jobs are already undertaken by keen locals.

They should really be talking to a BMC rep. Do you know if they have been in touch with the BMC?

[GCW]

I've e-mailed Mr Cartwright yesterday, but I haven't heard back yet.  I'm not quite sure what the plans are, but BMC involvement is always useful.  I've e-mailed Les to let him know about it, too.

[r-man]

Nice one.

[GCW]

Les has replied- he's in contact with Mr Cartwright now.

[rginns]

likewise, emailed Les and Stephen offering support, Les has said he is on the case.

I always thought that the quarry was privately owned, I've never known any access problems, and I would think any management / committee type organisation should be heavily represented by climbers (Hank, Geoffs etc).
r-mans right in saying any work that's been needed has been done on an ad-hoc local level by climbers, any unsupervised or uncontrolled 'cleaning' could lead to unwanted results such as at W1 with mud being washed down the slabs etc..