Acknowledgements

The friends wish to thank the following organisations and individuals for assistance and advice during 1998:

Chairman's Report 1998

Bruce Sewell, our Chairperson, resigned in August 1998. This report is therefore written by the Secretary.

Although this has been a quiet year for the Friends, we have continued to consolidate our position, and to work away quietly behind the scenes. Last year, Bruce Sewell reported that we had decided to refine and tailor our role, aims and objectives, in accordance with the wise words of Committee Member, Alan Cameron, that we should "narrow the range and intensity the focus". The general tenor of the articles in this Annual Report reflects this approach and philosophy. We should constantly remind ourselves of our key objects, enshrined in the Constitution: "to promote and conserve the landscape, natural beauty and wildlife of the Ochils and to protect the historical and social character of the surrounding communities... to support responsible public access to the Ochils... to encourage consistent implementation of good planning policies". We have achieved some significant results in these areas, and have gained a foothold in Forestry policies and in local planning. We could do more, with wider support from the membership and from local communities.

A fourth object: "to promote appropriate study and research" has not been met, by and large. Our Awards scheme has grown moribund, despite the incentive of two handsome trophies, and we have therefore decided to shelve this for a while.

This year, we were delighted to boost our corporate memberships, and regard this as an area of strength and opportunity on which to build. We decided to dispense with our affiliation to Scottish Wildlife and Countryside link, which operates on a much higher plane that we can reasonably do; however we joined Planning Aid for Scotland, which should be a useful ally in times of crisis. As in other years, our Forestry Sub-Committee worked hard, and Bruce Sewell describes the pro-active role we are taking in the Native Woodland Action Plan.

We again produced Spring and Autumn Newsletters, and regard these as an important aspect of our activity. Feedback is always welcomed, as are contributions.

It is a privilege for the Friends to be mentioned in the new Harvey's Superwalker map "Ochil Hills", and we are pleased to be associated with this superb production.

Your Committee has met regularly during the last year, as follows: 3/12/97 at Tillicoultry, 19/1/98 at Tillicoultry, 3/3/98 at Tillicoultry, 21/4/98 at Blackford, 22/6/98 at Tiliicoultry, 15/8/98 at Dunning, 15/9/98 at Tillicoultry.

Although most of the membership and Committee is based in the west - south axis, we like to maintain a presence in the north and east, hence our continued eftbrts to vary the venue of meetings.

Our December post-AGM meeting is always a time for reflection and for planning. It is anticipated that we will draw up an agenda for 1998-99 focusing on Forestry (which we do well) and Publicity and Planning (scope for development) we look forward to your continuing interest and support. Finally, thank you and best wishes to Bruce Sewell and Alan Cameron who are standing down from Committee. Bruce filled the breach as Chairperson at short notice, and served in this capacity from 1995 to 1998. Alan was our first treasurer, 1993-1996.

Peter Dilworth

Planning Report

For some time now, we have had in place a system whereby we receive copies of all planning applications submitted to each of the local authorities with an interest in the Ochils. These are scrutinised for us by three of our members: Prue Kennard (Perth & Kinross), Robin Kelsall (Stirling) and David Robertson (Clackmannanshire) and, as yet, few matters have come up which demand action on our part.

There are two possible explanations for this: (i) the huge majority of planning applications concern ordinary things like house alterations and have no bearing upon the hills, and (ii) such things as are happening in the hills do not necessarily require planning approval.

This second point bears further examination, in that it is a fact of life that the past few years have seen quite a few changes: the appearance of new mobile phone masts, the appearance of some new and quite prominent farm buildings (e.g. the new, barn/storage building above Glen Devon Youth Hostel, the development of new clusters of housing at Burnfoot), and the undertaking of major construction and renovation works at two of the Ochils reservoirs (Upper Glen Devon - now completed, and Glenquey - currently in progress).

The planning system clearly allows activities of this sort to take place, whether they require formal permission or not, with the result that change is always on the cards. The question for us is whether or not we regard gradual and continual development as the norm. After all if we look back in time, we must accept that it was the gradual development of the past which led to the first Ochils impressions with which each of us started out in life, be that seventy years ago or quite recently. The question, therefore, is whether we accept that gradual development is the norm for all human activities.

Over the past century or so, the Ochils have had their first telegraph poles, first railway, first motor road, first motorway, first - and only - prisoner of war camp, first television aerials, first caravan site, first reservoirs, first all-terrain vehicles, first wind data-collection masts, and possibly a few other things besides, Are these all bad? or all good'? - or are they all grey areas'?

These are questions which are perhaps beyond the scope of a small voluntary organisation to determine, and, in the course of the past year, we have taken a major step forward by placing them on someone else's agenda. The Structure and Local Plans in Clackmannanshire are both due for revision and we have submitted the suggestion that the local authorities concerned should come together and agree a joint Environmental and Recreational plan for the Ochils. This will not be an action plan necessarily, but more a common agreement as to what sort of invisible "protective blanket" the hills should have.

This suggestion will need to go through various levels of consideration before we have anything further to report, but we believe that the best way to achieve our own objectives is to put them onto the agenda of bodies which have all the powers that we don't and which ultimately hold the key to all countryside planning, namely the local authorities.

Alistair Lawson plays a key role in co-ordinating the Friends response to planning issues, within the following framework:

Currently, there is a vacancy for a Monitor in the Fife or Eastern area of the Ochils (Glendevon, Kinross-shire, Glenfarg). Monitors receive news of planning applications in their area and liaise with planning officials in the appropriate local authority, as well as alerting the Community to any major or significant developments. "Eyes and Ears" are asked to maintain a watching brief in their locality, and to alert the relevant monitor, or the Secretary. The Friends would welcome input from any members with an interest in or expertise in planning matters, and especially from individuals in Local Authority procedures and who are able to liaise confidently with officials.

PLANNING AID

In December 1997, the Committee agreed that the Friends should become a member of Planning Aid for Scotland, at an annual fee of £10. This is a charitable company run by qualified planners, who give free advice and information on all aspects of Town and Country Planning and related issues to individuals... [or] groups who cannot afford a private consultant... [and] training sessions in planning matters for community councils and voluntary groups.

Tel: 0131 555 1565
Fax: 0131 467 7830

Alistair Lawson

Friends of the Ochils Forestry Subcommittee Native Woodland Action Plan

For the past 3 years the Forestry Subcommittee has consisted of 5-6 members with professional skills including commercial forestry, native woodland management, landscape design and ecology. This range of knowledge has allowed the committee to respond competently to Woodland Grant Scheme applications, for forestry schemes in the Ochils, on behalf of the Friends.

Having made a good job of this 'reactive' role the committee has evolved its thinking to include taking a more 'pro-active' role in encouraging native woodland establishment and management in the Ochils.

To this end the committee is developing and implementing a Native Woodland Action Plan which will provide a strategic framework for the creation or expansion of future native woodlands. The Plan will happen in two phases.

Phase 1 will be the compilation of site data (soils, vegetation, windiness and other climatic information), which will highlight the native species most suitable for planting (or regenerating), in any particular part of the Ochils. This information will be made available to any Ochils landowner interested in establishing a new native woodland or developing an existing woodland.

Phase 2 will consist of woodland consultants compiling draft WGS applications for native woodlands on behalf of interested landowners.

The hope is to encourage Ochils landowners to create new, or develop existing, native woodland ecosystems on the lower slopes or glens around the Ochils which will have a beneficial effect on wildlife and the landscape.

Phase 1 will be carried out by the Forestry Commission's Forest Research branch using state of the art methods and Phase 2 will be completed by woodland consultants. The project will be funded jointly by Clackmannanshire Heritage Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Friends of the Ochils.

Phase 1 is currently under way.

Bruce Sewell

Why Publicity?

Since the autumn of 1993 when, with what could fairly be described as 'a flourish", the Friends of the Ochils were founded, this body has quietly pursued the aims of the constitution agreed by the members of the executive, and subsequently approved and adopted by the members.

After setting out our stall, and publicising the fact of our existence; letting the people we thought would be allies know about our watchdog role, we underlined this, by several stratagems ... a newsletter, an award scheme acknowledging the work and efforts of individuals and groups undertaking work which enhanced or conserved the beauty of the Ochils and/or the surrounding communities, press releases, ensuring wider dissemination of our activities.

These latter also included events like a forest day, when a forestry official attempted to tell us the way his industry fitted into the Ochils, an historical view, and an up-to-date picture of the hill fanning scene, a visit to a trout hatchery, and examination of the recreational and access aspects - NOT, by far, the least important features of the Friends' raison d'etre. An extension and major part of our caring overview is liaising with local authority planners so that we can have a say in any development proposals.

While the members were made aware of these "events", not all were interested in all, or any, of them. To say that some were more popular than others, would be the under-statement of the decade. This is an "occupational hazard" when a programme of any kind is produced by a committee! But, they, the members as well as interested friends, were made aware that they were taking place.

Of course, the knowledge that friends are there if you need them, is the all important thing about the Friends of the Ochils.

The presence of such a potentially interested and enthusiastic force for good as the members of the Friends of the Ochils, and the fact that the wider public knows of its existence could, and should, deter anyone with designs which might be detrimental to the subject of our guardianship.

You may take the view - and I've a certain amount of sympathy with it - that, in our vice-chairman, Alistair Lawson's words "a watchdog may legitimately spend most of its time snoozing in its kennel".

However, his cautionary note must be heeded. Care of the watchdog, so that its strength and vigilance is not blunted, is a vital part of our operation.

The Friends must be kept on their toes!

David Robertson

Honorary Treasurer and Membership Secretary's Report

The year again ended with an unexpected surplus due to projects taking longer to materialise than expected. However expenditure already committed for the native woodland project in 1998/99 will reduce our Accumulated General Fund by nearly one third.

Income from subscriptions fell, reflecting again our limited recruitment of new members to replace the inevitable loss of existing members. We were pleased to welcome several Community Councils and Civic Trusts / Societies as members at the newly-introduced Community Council / Voluntary Organisation subscription rate. Personal membership stood at 152 (170 in 1997), of which 9% were life, 34% family (assuming family to be two persons), 27% individual and 30% concessionary.

Income from donations was reduced but this was offset by increased interest received.

Expenditure increased slightly. Expenditure on general administration was greatly reduced because we had full stocks of stationery, having spent £200 on this during the previous year. The cost of hiring halls was increased by a more expensive venue for the AGM. Apparently increased expenditure on Newsletters reflects the timing of invoices - the expenditure shown this year is the more realistic figure for two newsletters and an annual report each year. Additional expenditure was deliberately incurred on publicity materials for the Ochils Award and on developing our slide collection.

A surplus of nearly £100 has been added to assets. Last year I expressed the hope that our accumulated assets would reduce rather than increase, and I express the same hope this year, but with more confidence since we have already committed funding towards the native woodland project.

In September 1998, the Accumulated General Fund was transferred from Northern Rock Building Society to Standard Life Bank. This telephone-based account offers easier operation as well as a higher rate of interest.

At last year's ACM I noted that the cost of servicing concessionary members was greater than the £1 membership fee. At this year's AGM I will propose that there be no change this year but that the concessionary membership fee be raised to £2 for renewals from September 1999.

Finally, during 1997/98 we experimented with, and abandoned, the issuing of membership cards. Despite the cards themselves being 'home made' at no cost, additional postage costs were incurred and, more importantly, it took time which could better be spent on the core objectives of Friends of the Ochils than on additional self-imposed administration.

Accounts To 21 September 1998

1. Accounts are prepared to show actual income received and payments made during the year to 21 September. Outstanding bills at 21st September are shown as liabilities.

David S Gordon, Hon Treasurer
Dunblane: 24 October 1998

Examined and found in accordance with the Treasurer's books and records.
R Manson
Blairgowrie: 24 October 1998

David S Gordon

Corporate supporters 1997-98

The Friends of the Ochils would like to thank the following businesses and organisations for their support during the last year, and look forward to continuing assocation with them:

Blackford Community Council
Dollar Civic Trust
Dunblane Civic Society
Dunfermline Press Group
Logie Community Council
Menstrie Community Council
Tillicoultry Community Council

Friends of the Ochils committee 1997-1998

President:
Rennie McOwan,
7 Williamfield Ave, Stirling, FK7 9AH