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Members’ News
January 2004
Message from the Chair
The CMA is continuing to work hard to become recognized as the leading membership organization for professionals involved in the management of countryside and urban greenspace. "RANGER magazine will now be published in full colour" Evidence of success in this endeavour is shown by the degree to which we are now consulted by leading organisations such as the Countryside Agency; DEFRA; English Nature; CCW, Lantra & the Country Parks Network etc. Details of recent consultation responses are included in this edition of Members’ News.
We are also pleased to announce that RANGER magazine will now be published in full colour. Our editor, Patrick Norris and his editorial team strive to keep the magazine full of interesting, topical and relevant articles including many practical examples of site management issues. All of their time and that of a host of others working for CMA is voluntarily given. Most are also trying to hold down their “day job” so all credit is due to them in all they do for our association.
This edition of Members’ News carries a reminder about annual subscriptions due on 1st.April 2004. We feel we need to increase membership fees this year and do hope you will understand the need for this. However, we are running a “Recruit-a-Friend” promotion where members can get £5 off their own subscription for every new member recruited.
We have also been recently been talking to other organizations such as IPRoW; IEEM, National Association of AONB's and SCRA, all of whom have similar issues to ourselves in terms of building a strong membership base whilst striving to provide their members with an effective service. We are looking to see if any synergies can be achieved by working more closely together.
With this edition of Members’ News comes the CMA Training Calendar – a special supplement which will be updated with each edition of Members’ News.
Finally I would like to thank Caroline Shotton, our former Admin. Officer at Writtle, for all her dedicated hard work on CMA’s behalf. We wish her well in her new job at Colchester B.C. and at the same time we welcome Heather Tarrant who takes over at the CMA Admin. desk.
Andy Maginnis; CMA National Chair
February 2004
Thank you and Goodbye
Sadly, I'll be leaving Writtle College on 30th January for pastures new. I am moving on to work for Colchester Borough Council. Heather Tarrant will be taking over from me at the CMA desk. I've very much enjoyed the work I've done with CMA and would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your help and support over the past year.
Caroline Shotton
Looking Ahead:
The CMA Annual Seminar & 2004 AGM
The CMA Annual Seminar and AGM is to be held at Bradwell Abbey, Milton Keynes on Thursday 4th November 2004. This will be a one day event but with an optional second day on Friday 5th November for those who would like to visit sites in the area. Cost will be kept as low as possible and should not exceed £30 (including lunch on Thursday 4th. but excluding any overnight accommodation).
The seminar is entitled “Haskins and You” and will cover the impacts arising from the Haskins Report and organisational changes in service delivery by providers such as The Countryside Agency; DEFRA; English Nature etc.
Further details will be sent out as they become available but this is early notice to put a note in your diary for 4th. November and to put a marker down with your boss to ask for permission (and hopefully for funding) for you to attend. We intend inviting leading speakers from the above agencies and others to address the various issues post-Haskins and especially how this might impact on our day-to-day work.
So - remember the date - Thursday 4th November.
Malcolm Busby
New Telephone Number for CMA Administration
CMA new direct line telephone number: 01245 424116CMA administration has now moved offices at Writtle College and as a result there is a new direct line telephone number: 01245 424116. At present, calls will be diverted to the new phone if the old number is rung, but this divert is only a temporary measure and over the course of the next year will be phased out. Therefore, please use the above number from now on.
Heather Tarrant, CMA Admin. Writtle
Membership Fees: 2004
Our membership fee levels have remained static for a number of years and costs of services; postage and administration have continued to rise. This year we feel it necessary to increase fees for all individual membership categories by £5. IMPORTANT - If you pay by Standing Order please notify your bank of the revised amount and note that the date for payment is 1st April each year (not 1st January). A Standing Order form is enclosed for you to do this and send to your bank.
New membership fees
due 1st April |
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Category |
Fee Level |
|
2003 |
2004 |
|
| Accredited Member | £45 |
£50 (£40*) |
| Associate Member | £25 |
£30 (£24*) |
| Affiliate Member | £25 |
£30 (£24*) |
| Affiliate Member-Unwaged | £15 |
£20 (£16*) |
* 20% discount applies
if your ‘employer’ is a corporate member. |
||
Inside Members’ News this month there is a membership renewal form. Please complete your renewal and send to CMA Admin. at Writtle. Don’t forget to change your standing order and send to your bank if you pay by this method. Your appropriate 2004/05 membership fees will be due on April 1st 2004.
Also enclosed is a RECRUIT-A-MEMBER promotion and a spare CMA application form. So why not persuade a friend or colleague to join CMA and save money off your own membership fees this year. See enclosed flyer for more details. New members who join now will get membership cover until 1st. April 2005. Also to remind you that CMA membership fees are regarded by the Inland Rev. as ‘professional fees’ and are therefore a tax deductible expense.Accredited Members should also include their CPD return with their renewal. This is a condition of maintaining your Accredited Member status.
Richard Brooks, CMA Treasurer
IRF Congress, Scotland: 2006
Planning for the next International Ranger Federation congress in 2006 is underway. The venue will be the McRoberts Arts Centre of Stirling University. Stirling is right in the heart of Scotland, on the main motorway network and easily accessible from both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. It also has a mainline railway station, so getting there will be easy, as will access to sites for field trips. We are still working out prices and there will be an early booking discount and several options for various standards of accommodation.
So far the themes of the congress have not been finalised, but they will be along the lines of “Access to the Countryside” and “Community Involvement”. There will also be visits to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
We are still looking for volunteers to help run things, particularly anyone who has a second language. There will also be a need for venues for pre/post congress tours and for work-shadowing, which could just as easily be in England, Wales and Ireland. Indeed many of the delegates from Commonwealth countries may want to visit their roots in those countries. Anyone who thinks they can offer these options or volunteer should get in touch with Tony Wilson at Craigtoun Park, St Andrews, Fife. KY16 8NX, Tel:01334 473047.
Other Scottish happenings
Coming up soon is the Scottish Ranger Association annual conference, at Oatridge College just outside Edinburgh on 14/15th. April 2004. The theme will be the new access legislation in Scotland and the new outdoor access code about to be launched. This should also be an opportunity for delegates from Ranger associations in the UK and Ireland to send representatives, particularly those who are willing to be the point of contact for IRF 2006 in Stirling.
Also coming up is a training event on how a successful scheme has been set up near Strathclyde Country Park to deal with the nuisance of youths on motor bikes. For further details on this course contact Niall Lobely.
Tony Wilson,
Fife Ranger Service.
Chair SCRA (Scottish Countryside Rangers Association)
INTERNATIONAL RANGER FEDERATION
The National Parks International Bulletin has a report on the recent World Parks Congress in Durban, attended by 3000 delegates from around the world, including 58 representing IRF and IRFC Ltd. The Bulletin devotes 2 pages to IRF information. Annual subscription is £10.00. More information - telephone NPIB 0191 265 0040. A more detailed report on the WPC can be found here.
IRF published a special 10th Anniversary edition of ‘The Thin Green Line’ (IRF’s newsletter) especially for the WPC. Copies of this full colour edition are available for £2.60 (including postage) from Gordon Miller, IRF, National Park Centre, Fieldhead, Edale, Hope Valley, S33 7ZD.
CMA and CJS enter joint agreement
The CMA and CJS have entered into an agreement and will be advertising each other in their publications. CMA will endorse CJS and carry an advert in RANGER and Members’ News and in return CJS will promote CMA in their weekly job sheets. See the CJS advert on the back page.
‘Name that Supplier’
We would like to get more organizations to advertise in RANGER Magazine as this helps subsidise the cost of printing and distributing our magazine as well as providing information to our members on tried and tested suppliers of goods; services and equipment.
In this respect, if you use a particular national supplier for goods and services that you think might be interested in advertising with us, we would be glad if you could give us the name of both the organisation and a contact person together with details of type of goods/services; address etc and we’ll do the rest.
Types of organizations might include; national grounds maintenance contractors; suppliers of: Info/Interpretation artwork and panels; site furniture; seeds and plant material; uniform and clothing; specialist equipment; safety supplies; training providers etc. Please send details to CMA Admin. Writtle College; Chelmsford CM1 3RR.
‘Bring-A-Friend Day’: Success
The South West Region held a very successful Bring-A-Friend Day recently. Over 50 people attended the event which was run by the Police Wildlife Liaison Officer for Somerset. Following the event at least 10 new members signed-up to CMA. Worth repeating in other Regions?
Recent Consultation & Policy Responses
The implementation of the access provisions in the CRoW Act has led to CMA receiving a number of consultation papers. Over the past 3 months CMA have submitted responses regarding :
CRoW Part I Access Symbols & Signage
We gave comments relating to clarification of terms e.g.
“access authorities” and to the important role to be played by rangers/wardens
in on-site management.
CRoW Part II reclassification of RUPPs as Restricted
Byways (DEFRA)
We gave comments relating to need for adequate resources
especially with regard to the increased administrative workload likely to arise.
EN position statement on Access & Countryside Recreation
(English Nature)
We gave comments on the need for adequate resources, particularly
on-site staff, to implement actions.
Full detailed responses will be posted on the CMA website.
As CMA Access Advisor, Ceri Daugherty is responding on behalf of CMA on access related consultations such as that regarding mechanically propelled vehicles (CRoW Act Part II). This consultation paper is available on the Defra website and input is encouraged from CMA members. Comments to Ceri by 12th March please.
Ceri Daughtery; CMA Access Adviser
Accreditation – Why should I go for it?
Some members have raised the question over the benefits to be offered by applying for accredited membership status versus that of remaining an Associate Member. Putting it bluntly – what do I get for my money ? Quite simply, it must be left to the individual to assess whether accreditation and the associated Continuous Professional Development (CPD) scheme is for them or not.
The CPD scheme is available for any member, whether in urban or rural locations ; out in the field or behind a desk ; whether working in management ; academia ; or administration ; whether working full-time or part-time. CPD is probably something that most of our members are doing anyway – that of keeping themselves up-to-date in ways relevant to their job roles. Because of the diversity of jobs in which our members are employed, it would not be appropriate for CMA to be too prescriptive in stipulating activities to be engaged in for CPD, though we have given some guidance in the Members Handbook and in a previous edition of Members’ News.
However, by achieveing accreditation and then recording these activities via the CPD scheme in a visible way, we are demonstrating to the world-at-large that we are determined to advance our career aspirations. To be able to demonstrate this in a cv or personal profile will undoubtedly help to show employers, both current and/or future, our determination as indiciduals and as CMA to be at the forefront of our chosen profession. So why not tell your boss what you're doing & why? You'll be demonstrating to your employer that you're committed and serious about professionalism....and willing to go the extra mile to prove it. Cellan & Matt (Review Panel)
Future Publication Dates
Future publication dates for RANGER magazine and Members’ News are as follows:
Items for publication are always welcome. Copy dates are approx. one month prior to publication date. Send items for publication to the relevant editor (see back page for details).
RANGER magazine goes to full colour
At a recent meeting, the National Council approved the proposal to print RANGER magazine in full colour, starting with RANGER 69. The marketing group will be interested to hear what you think of this in due course.
CMA Executive
Countryside Jobs Service UK Market Leaders for countryside and environmental staff. Ethical publications to promote countryside careers in the UK and environmental conservation worldwide. Weekly editions of UK jobs, voluntary opportunities and short training courses in countryside and environmental conservation, recreation, education & interpretation. 5000+ paid UK vacancies published in 2003. Free and low cost advertising. Subscriptions (incl. 1st Class UK Post or Email) @ £1.20p / week (Minimum £18).
Tel: 01947 810220 Email: ranger@countryside-jobs.com The Countryside Management Association & the Scottish Countryside Ranger Association endorse the CJS & are supported by a percentage of CJS income. |