CITO location? opinions sought

[+Mad H@ter]

I have recently made contact with someone who is looking for volunteers for tidying up a local woodland. The request that I responded to was:

Desperatly needed volunteers to help clear Woodland before Spring

 

Just outside Wallingford

 

We're desperatly looking for people who enjoy being outdoor, meeting

others, care about the enviroment and free on Thursday 15th or Saturday

the 17th March between 10-1, there's plenty of coppicing, clearing

after the storm's damage and just a fun morning, drinks and biscuits

are available.

 

Plenty of free wood to take with you

I asked for more info regarding what they are doing and who for and also explained a little about CITO and got the following response:

Hi John

 

Thanks for your email, the land is our, we got it because we want to

set up a tree climbing/trekking place here in Oxfordshire,

unfortunatlly at the moment the place haven't been managed for very

long time, it's way overgrown and taken over by Rookes, grey

squirrels, etc. We cannot use big machines as we want to save as many

of the trees as possible, encourage smaller birds and wildlife so

it's taking for ever, also we've got a lot of rubbish left curtesey

of flytippers which is ruining a beautiful spot, once things are

sorted and the place looks it's best it'll be open to everyone to

come and enjoy being outdoor, zipping between the trees, having great

time without the need to drive long distances.

 

Kind regards

 

Carol

 

This on the face of it is a private non-charity venture but to the benefit of the environment. What I am not sure about is if it is a suitable venture for a CITO project.

 

What are your views? Would you be happy to take part in such a CITO event?

[+third-degree-witch]

Im up for it within reason..have a chainsaw n protective gear

[+Mad H@ter]

BTW ignore the dates in the request, I have suggested 14th April if it is a goer (is that a word?).

Edited March 14, 2007 by Phillimore Clan

[Nediam]

Would they be willing to allow the placing of a few caches in the woods as way of a "Thank you" to the geocachers who helped clean it up?

 

Are they planning on charging people for the use of the woods after it's all cleaned up? If so, it might be a little cheeky to ask for volunteers to clean up their woods for free.

[+Mad H@ter]

OK then, not a lot of opinions on this then which I think I can probably take as a positive response . I have been back in touch asking a bit more about there motivation and in particular the commercial status of this project and have received the following reply:

Hi John

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to look into this, I do realise the dilemma with regards to commercial versus open community, that's why it's very tricky for us as well.

 

At the moment the land as it is, is desperate for clearing, tidying up not for us personally but environmentally, if nothing else to encourage smaller birds, woodpeckers, and wildlife, it can't be good for the plants and trees to be surrounded with rubbish.

 

We are interested in making the land more sufficient in order that we can keep it accessible to everyone, we support groups like the Green Gym who meet monthly on the land, we were also asked by groups for family evenings where they use survival skills such as building shelters and making fire again not only we never charge for the use of the land, we pay for their insurance giving them a place to spend their time together, all these activities will carry on.

 

By offering free wood many people were able to make wonderful creative things and send us pictures (see attached file), such as wood carving, wood benches and bird houses and many single families got to heat their homes during the winter.

 

If our motives were simply to make plenty of money, we won't bother in turning it into a beautiful heaven for birds and trees, we wouldn't care about tidying it up, carefully restoring the plants and trees, clearing up rubbish, we'll just leave it to get out of control, get planning permission for plenty of houses, half the land was the old gravel pit (brownfield), houses around there are for sale for £1.3 million, how many houses can we fit on a 7 acre site? which ever way you look at it, I don't think go ape could make this kind of money.

 

I'm very keen to be upfront with people and give them the choice to decide if they'd like to help or not, it's not everyone's cup of tea, but we have to respect that.

 

Thanking you in advance for your help and co operation

 

Carol

On the basis of the info I have now got I feel confident enough to try and move this possible CITO project on, at the end of the day I believe that providing I am upfront about the commercial status of the project people can make up there own mind and chose to attend or not.

 

I shall give it a bit longer for further responses before making a commitment, go on put your head above the parapet and give me your views, positive or negative. I would be particularly keen to hear from our wonderful reviewers.

 

Im up for it within reason..have a chainsaw n protective gear

I think a chainsaw might have one or two H&S issues for a family friendly event, so perhaps not on this occasion .

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

Is there a cache on the land already or do they plan to allow one?

[+Mad H@ter]

Is there a cache on the land already or do they plan to allow one?

There are currently no caches on the land but it would be my expectation to place one or two caches. There is a public footpath going through the woods so access after the event should not be a problem. I have asked for permission in my latest email which I am awaiting a reply.

[+Cryptik Souls Crew]

Is there any reason you favour choosing this location over one which is open to all? Couldn't you remove the whole ethical debate by finding a location which is not going to be used for a profit making venture but is also in need of a clean up?

 

Conservation groups etc can be very helpful in this regard, often providing equipment as well as suggesting a suitable location.

 

Either way I wouldn't come, but only because I won't be about on your proposed date!

[+minstrelcat]

Well, if they are going to allow access to the land, and better still, if they allow a cache or two, it sounds like a good idea!

 

I don't know much about Go Ape but they are opening a new site on Forestry Commission land here in Kent, so I guess the FC think they are OK people.

 

Lisa

[+Mad H@ter]

Is there any reason you favour choosing this location over one which is open to all? Couldn't you remove the whole ethical debate by finding a location which is not going to be used for a profit making venture but is also in need of a clean up?

 

Conservation groups etc can be very helpful in this regard, often providing equipment as well as suggesting a suitable location.

 

Either way I wouldn't come, but only because I won't be about on your proposed date!

Fair comment, no particular reason other than not having much success with other routes I have explored, lots of initial enthusiasm and then nothing. This organisation had put out a plea for help on our local Freecycle Cafe and have already organised a few of these type of activities, albeit on a smaller scale and seemed enthusiastic. I decided that this was possibly the easy option and is local to me. If I could easily find a more palatable non profit making project locally I would have gone for it in preference to this project, but I haven't got the time or inclination to make hard work for myself chasing organisations that don't seem too interested.

[+Cryptik Souls Crew]

Fair comment, no particular reason other than not having much success with other routes I have explored, lots of initial enthusiasm and then nothing. This organisation had put out a plea for help on our local Freecycle Cafe and have already organised a few of these type of activities, albeit on a smaller scale and seemed enthusiastic. I decided that this was possibly the easy option and is local to me. If I could easily find a more palatable non profit making project locally I would have gone for it in preference to this project, but I haven't got the time or inclination to make hard work for myself chasing organisations that don't seem too interested.

 

I know how you feel there, I had a few experiences like that trying to set up my CITO. I had to laugh when a council who were asking for volunteers on their website turned me down flat because I didn't live in their area, obviously out of town volunteers are no good.

 

I say go for it, I reckon the only essential ingredient to a CITO is a cooperative landowner, and you certainly have that. Host it and people will come.

[+Haggis Hunter]

It was mentioned in your reply about them providing insurance. The hosts for my CITO supply insurance, equipment and H&S brief for all who attend. Will they do the same for you? If not, on that alone I would go elsewhere, as accidents do happen!

 

Other than that it sounds as though they do give back to the community so why not help them out?

[+Mad H@ter]

Bad News

 

We went and had a look at the site and had a chat with the owner last weekend and it failed to meet a number (any!) of desirable features for a CITO so unfortunately we turned the site down.

 

Good News (I hope)

 

I have managed to find a contact at Oxford City Council who is keen to push this forward and has a site in mind. I am meeting with him at the site on Friday to discuss/ finalise, so look out for an announcement soon; I hope.