MEMBERS of local Right to Roam groups met at the now infamous Frome ‘Iron Curtain’ in December to protest and highlight growing incidences of ‘micro-enclosures’ – small scale fencing off of green spaces, restricting access and diminishing people’s ability to know their local landscape.
The ‘Iron Curtain’ refers to a public footpath where the landowner has enclosed a path with iron fencing at a field in between Styles Close and Wyville Road in Frome, to prevent the public straying from the path. The land has previously been used recreationally by locals for many years, say the protestors, but following the land being bought by the new owner in 2013, the area has now been fenced off.
Although the fencing has been in place for a long time now, this was part protest and partly to highlight the growing incidences of ‘micro-enclosures’.
Members from Somerset, Wiltshire and Bristol Right to Roam groups decorated the fence with greenery such as holly and ivy, and left biodegradable notes saying things such as ‘The land and our love for it is stronger than the fence’.
One of the members, who lives in Warminster said, “This landowner bought the land knowing that £100,000 had been raised to buy the land as a community asset, and that it was used recreationally by many people. He used dog mess as an excuse to then exclude everyone from the land.
“He could have engaged with the community to resolve any issues but chose not to. I believe this approach actually makes the problem worse as the more people are excluded from nature, the less connection they have to nature, and therefore motivation to protect it.”
Members of Right to Roam groups campaign for the ancient responsible right to roam custom – akin to Scotland where the default of exclusion is replaced with a default of access – and for a strict outdoor access code, that allows anyone to wander in open countryside, whether the land is privately or publicly owned.
The Wilts and Somerset Right to Roam group will be holding a ‘know your rights’ workshop at Edventure Frome on Wednesday 7th Feb. For further details and to register please email ameliaapellis@gmail.com
For more information on Right to Roam visit: https:// www.righttoroam.org.uk/
