Cottenham Environment Audit Group

Cottenham Environment Audit was set up to raise awareness and appreciation of the countryside of Cottenham parish, and to encourage future efforts to enhance it. The Audit is a joint initiative by Cottenham Village Design Group, Cottenham Footpath Group and Cottenham Wildlife Group. The project began in 2001 with a grant from the Local Heritage Initiative, a partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund, Nationwide Building Society and the Countryside Agency.

The Audit has promoted a number of different strands of activity which all contribute to meeting its overall aims:

• Boundaries and Hedgerows Survey - carried out by volunteers and made possible thanks to the cooperation of local landowners who allowed us access to survey on their land
• Boundaries Survey Report which provides information for understanding and action and a baseline for future research
• Art Project with Cottenham Village College students led by printmaker Tom Martin
• Landscapes Around Cottenham : a series of commissioned photographs by Richard Heeps
• Landscapes Around Cottenham : postcard pack
• Consultation and communication - Landscape questionnaire, website with interactive map

Before completing its work at the end of this year, the Audit Group will:

• Publish and distribute a map/leaflet as a guide to the countryside of Cottenham parish
• Draw up recommendations for future action distilled from findings of and feedback from all the different strands of the Audit.

Please send us your comments on this website and on the work of the Audit Group. We would especially like to hear your ideas for future action which could be taken to build on the findings of the Audit and the activities promoted by the Group. Email us at jpdw@mac.com.