EVENTS GUIDELINES AND CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ORGANISERS

INTRODUCTION

Exmoor National Park is a very special place — one of thirteen areas of Britain identified as examples of the finest landscapes and given special protection. The National Park provides the public with rare opportunities for peace, tranquillity and solitude within a landscape rich in scenic beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage.

The National Park Authority has the statutory duty to conserve and enhance the National Park’s special environment and to promote the understanding and enjoyment of its special qualities — its remoteness, wildness, tranquillity and beauty and the richness of its wildlife and history.

Any recreational activities that take place in the National Park should do no serious or long term damage to these special qualities.

These guidelines have been produced by the Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) with the aim of ensuring that organised events within the National Park are well planned, well located and well organised. Such planning is vital in this special landscape to ensure the protection of the natural and cultural environment and to prevent conflict with the interests of farmers, local communities and other people using the Park.

Pressure from recreation is particularly high in National Parks. If your event does not depend on the special qualities of the National Park and it could be equally successful in a less sensitive location, you may find there are many benefits in basing your event in areas that are less pressured. If you believe that your event has a place in the National Park, contact the National Park Authority in the early stages of planning and we will work with you to ensure that minimum damage is caused is caused to this special environment.

AIM OF THE GUIDELINES

National Parks attract a large range of fundraising and other sporting and challenge events. Any event inevitably has an impact on the environment and local community (eg. congestion, damage to paths and disturbance to residents). The National Park Authority has a duty to ensure that minimum damage is caused.

These guidelines are designed to help event organisers minimise any negative impacts that might occur. They are applicable to events which:

• Are formally organised and designed to attract large numbers of participants and/or spectators
• Use public rights of way, permissive trails, open country or moorland over which access has been agreed
• Are competitive or just for fun, are profit- or non-profit-making or raising funds for charity
• Are held on foot, pedal cycle (including mountain bikes), horseback or horse-drawn carriage.
  

1: PLAN WELL AHEAD

The bigger the event, the earlier you need to start planning, as increasing competitor numbers will lead to greater potential impact. The following suggested consultation timetable prior to an event is not intended to be exhaustive, but will provide a framework around which events may be organised.

2. CONSULT WIDELY
It is most important that the National Park Authority is contacted as early as possible. The Authority will give you advice on timing, routing, and important contacts; in particular we can help with providing information on landowners and other organisations which may need to be contacted.

Important contacts are as follows (refer to Appendix I for addresses):

• ENPA Ranger Service and Conservation and Land Management Section
• Relevant landowners & land managing bodies
• Local police and rescue services
• Parish councils (ENPA can provide a list)
• Local Tourist Information Centre or Visitor Centre to register date and identify potential date clashes
• Any relevant user groups (eg: Ramblers Association, British Horse Society, Bridleways Associations etc.)
  

3. OBTAIN PERMISSIONS WELL IN ADVANCE (see table in Section I)

All land is owned by someone — individuals, businesses, organisations or public bodies. To cross any land off the rights of way network requires written permission from the landowner or land-managing body. Even if your event is entirely on the rights of way network it is helpful to consult with landowners who may be affected.

Consult with ENPA over the use of rights of way for events.

There is a right of way on foot on public footpaths and a right of way on foot, bicycle or horse on public bridleways (cyclists must give way to walkers and riders). However, permission must be granted by ENPA for the use of public footpaths or bridleways for cycling or horse riding events. Timed cycle events are not permitted on public bridleways.

4. AVOID INAPPROPRIATE DATES AND LOCATIONS

Some of the pressure which could be caused by your event could be alleviated by choosing dates, times and locations carefully and the National Park Authority can advise you further on this. In brief:

• Avoid Bank Holidays
• Select start and end venue carefully (sufficient car parking, toilets, drinking water, litter receptacles, shelter - and if there is not sufficient, these must be provided temporarily).
• Avoid clashes with other events (for example be aware of the hunt and their regular meetings)
• Avoid night events close to residences
• Consider whether the land is suitably robust for year round use - or should it only be used in the summer?
• Are any sections of trail likely to be damaged by unusually heavy use?
• Consider fire risk, lambing and harvesting, etc
• Will the event affect the breeding or management of deer or game birds?
• Will the event disturb other users of routes which are waymarked, or promoted as a nature trial or self-guided trail?
  

5. AVOID SENSITIVE SITES, HABITATS AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURES

• ENPA will help identify sensitive sites that should be avoided
• English Nature must be consulted over crossing Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI’s) at least 4 months in advance.
• Avoid trails already suffering from erosion, or those which could be damaged, particularly in wet conditions (eg. steep, thin soils)
• Routes should be planned to prevent creating new paths
• Take into account local opinion and expertise
• Put the environment first when considering transport arrangements - keep car usage to a minimum and promote the use of local public transport by competitors and spectators.

6. RESPECT THE NEEDS OF LANDOWNERS, FARMING, FORESTRY, AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY INCLUDING LOCAL BUSINESSES

Farming and Forestry:

• Fencing, hedges and walls must be crossed using gates and/or stiles only.

• Active operations where heavy machinery is being used must be identified and avoided.

• It is advisable to note or photograph definitive routes which have been damaged by agricultural or forestry machinery prior to the event, and inform National Park Authority of any blockages by cropping, fencing or tree felling.

Farming:

• Discuss the implications of the event on lambing or tupping season with individual farmers.

• Dogs are disliked by stock farmers, gamekeepers and moorland owners and should normally be disallowed, or allowed under strict control only after consultation with landowners.

• Note that cows with calves may not appreciate human company and can be extremely aggressive.

• Avoid trampling arable crops, or fields prepared for mowing for hay or silage

• Take account of the breeding and shooting seasons for deer and game birds such as grouse, partridge and pheasant.

Forestry:

• Keep well away from felling operations and be aware that timber haulage operations may put the unwary at risk.

• Plan routes to avoid crossing areas of newly planted trees.

Local Community:

• Respect the needs of the local community and ensure close liaison with Parish Councils etc.
• Try to keep car congestion and the demand for parking to a minimum - try to tie in with public transport, promote car sharing and use of minibuses

7. PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES – INSURANCE, COMMUNICATIONS, PREPARE FOR WORST CONDITIONS, CONTINGENCY PLANNING
Insurance: A minimum of £2 million Public Liability insurance, preferably £5m should be taken out. A requirement to sign an ‘own risk’ declaration on the entry form will remind entrants of their responsibilities for their own safety. However; such statements are unlikely to have much legal validity in protecting careless or irresponsible organisers. Make suitable arrangements for medical cover.

Emergency/Contingency planning: It is important to have contingency and/or cancellation plans for problems such as high fire risk or severe weather conditions (mist, storms, snow). Also emergency procedures in the event of missing, late or injured persons, or for those still out after nightfall- including liaison with mountain rescue teams if appropriate.

Communications: Good communications during the event are essential. Bear in mind that mobile phones do not work effectively on Exmoor and consider the use of CB radios for communications and marshals.

B.The Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 1996 may affect organisers if the event is a commercial venture involving under 18 year olds in remote locations. The event may also require a written risk assessment if the employment of staff means that your organisation is affected by Health and Safety legislation.

8. SET MAXIMUM NUMBER OF COMPETITORS

Although careful choice of locations and timing helps to keep pressure to a minimum, once an event gets too large, damage is inevitable. Different types of events will cause varying effects on the local environment - for example 200 horses will cause a great deal more damage to a section of bridleway than 200 walkers, and a night walk will cause more disturbance than a day walk. Table I

gives an indication of what are considered to be ‘small’, ‘medium’ and ‘large’ events.

Many events become annual, and begin small, but extend to well over the number that were originally envisaged. Although it is difficult to turn people away, it is most important that events do not become too large for the environment of the National Park to cope. It is important that organisers take account of National Park advice on this, and consider setting a maximum number for their event.

9. PROVIDE A THOROUGH BRIEFING FOR COMPETITORS AND MARSHALS

• Initial information in written form is important, and the ENPA is keen to get Country Code and National Park messages across to all visitors to the National Park. Safety issues and equipment are obviously important for this initial information.
• Event briefing immediately prior to the start of the event is vital. All competitors should be briefed, not just the ‘leader’. Messages such as courtesy to residents and other recreational users, not leaving gates open, control of dogs, and avoidance of erosion are a must. Keeping to the signed route and information about where they are legally entitled to go must also be provided. An equipment check may also be necessary. Remember your sport will be judged on how your competitors behave!
• Marshals: The marshals provide contact between competitors and the general public, so an effective briefing of their role backed up with a written statement of their duties is crucial to the smooth running of the event. You will need to consider the ratio of marshals to entrants, their positioning, and the desirability of having roving marshals.

Duties may include the recording of names and times of passage of entrants, provision of information both to competitors and the public, checking on competitor’s behaviour, and the ability to initiate emergency procedures. Radio contact between marshals is highly desirable.

10. BE PREPARED TO DISQUALIFY ENTRANTS FOR SAFETY (AND MISBEHAVIOUR) REASONS.

We repeat, your event and sport will be judged by the behaviour of your competitors. Ensure they adhere to the rules, only go where they are allowed to go, and be prepared to disqualify immediately if rules are not followed.

In bad weather, if competitors are not reaching certain points by an agreed time, they should not be allowed to continue.

11. REMOVE ALL SIGNS OF THE EVENT IMMEDIATELY AFTER (LITTER, EVENT MARKERS AND SIGNS)

It is important to minimise the visual intrusion of your event. Failure to remove all items immediately will not only damage the reputation of the organisation and! or sport, but may also deter landowners from welcoming future events. On fixed route events, ‘sweepers’ should be used to follow the last competitor to identify any damage and deal with any problems while providing the potential for support to distressed entrants. Landowners and path managers may prefer waymarking and control flags to be mounted on canes provided by the organisers, and these should be removed immediately after the event. The removal of check points and waymarks provides a useful opportunity to take photographs and notes recording the effect of the event on any vulnerable or fragile areas.

12. ACKNOWLEDGE ADVICE, HELP AND CO-OPERATION RECEIVED

Letters of thanks to all those who have assisted, given permissions or been inconvenienced by the event will produce benefits which far outweigh the effort of writing, and should never be omitted. Telephone calls to the key landowners and authorities a few days after the event are also recommended to enable any post event problems to be dealt with swiftly and effectively. A post event meeting may be useful with the ENPA, particularly if it is an annual event, which could benefit from discussion for next year’s organisation. In some situations it may be considered appropriate to offer a donation towards the upkeep or management of the area used. This could be done in the form of a ‘voluntary levy’ on competitors - say £1 per entry - which helps in the awareness process and has worked well where it has been tried.

PROMOTE THE COUNTRY CODE:

• Enjoy the countryside and respect its life and work
• Guard against all risk of fire
• Fasten all gates
• Keep your dogs under close control
• Keep to public paths across farmland
• Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges and walls
• Leave livestock, crops and machinery alone
• Take your litter home
• Help to keep all water clean
• Protect wildlife, plants and trees.
• Take special care on country roads.
• Make no unnecessary noise.
  

Further information available from

Exmoor National Park Authority, Exmoor House, Dulverton, Somerset,TA22 9HL

Telephone: 01398 323665 Fax: 01398 323150

Exmoor’s ‘Events Guidelines and Code of Conduct for Organisers’ is based on ‘Sporting and Challenge Events in the Countryside, Guidelines for Organisers’ produced by the Countryside Commission, the English Sports Council and the Environment Agency, February 1998, available from Sport England Publications, tel. 0990 210255 (Code 0768).

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