Date: 3 March 2016
Time: 1000 – 1600
Location: SRUC Oatridge Campus, Ecclesmachan, Broxburn, West Lothian, EH52 6NH
Cost: £40 incl. lunch and refreshments
SOAN have teamed up with British Horse Society to bring you a full programme looking at issues and ideas for resolving the ongoing shared use debate.
The morning will kick off with an interactive session led by Vyv Wood-Gee looking at some of the legal nitty-gritty and what works and doesn’t work in relation to managing shared use. This will be followed by a session led by Graeme McLean of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland on promoting responsible mountain-biking.
BHS will be inviting your comments on the draft of their new “Horse Sense” leaflet encouraging riders and land managers to consider the others’ perspective in relation to access rights and responsibilities, and opening up discussion on specifications, structures and surfaces which work for everyone.
The afternoon will focus on positive management of shared use through a series of short case studies from local access managers, followed by discussion and an invitation to share your own ideas and experiences of how to avoid conflict. The final session will be looking at the role of signage in balancing interests and creating harmony on shared use routes, with an opportunity to influence the content of new shared use signage guidance using your own experiences (both good and bad).
The day holds a packed programme and we look forward to seeing you on 3 March. Please book before 26 February to avoid disappointment.
Programme
09.30 Registration; tea/coffee and scones!
10.00 Welcome and Introduction to the Day
10.15 To Share or to Segregate
Interactive group session, led by Vyv Wood-Gee, exploring the legal nitty-gritty of shared use, what works and what doesn’t in encouraging and discouraging different types of use, and where and when segregated use and restrictive barriers are appropriate.
11.00 Do the Ride Thing
Graeme McLean of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland will tell us about the project he’s been working on to promote responsible mountain-biking. He’s also keen to get our feedback on new summary guidance for mountain bikers.
11.30 Tea/coffee
11.45 Horse Sense – see it from my perspective
Review of BHS’ new draft leaflet on riders’ and land managers’ access rights and responsibilities, encouraging both to consider the others’ perspective. Presentation and discussion on the practicalities of path specifications, structures and surfaces that work for everyone
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Managing shared use and avoiding conflict
A series of short cases studies from local access managers demonstrating different techniques to balance user, conservation and land management interests, followed by an open invitation to offer your ideas and experiences of how to avoid conflict between different types of user, and between users and land managers.
14.45 Signage for shared use
What role does signage have to play in balancing interests and creating harmony on shared use routes? Good and bad examples; discussion and feedback on draft guidance.
15.30 Issues surgery; plenary discussion; summing-up
Open discussion and advice-sharing on shared use, including opportunity to raise specific issues, or pursue some of those raised earlier in the day.
16.00 Close
The day holds a packed programme and we look forward to seeing you on 3 March. Please book through the form below before 26 February to avoid disappointment.