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Dear all, I just got this message (copied below) sent to me as Secretary of the GCG. Not so relevant to me but perhaps of use to Geological Curators in areas where mineral and aggregate extraction and subsequent site conservation is an issue. Get back to me if you are interested in this message. I can put you in contact with the relevant people. All the best, Giles I hope David Eccles from Welsh Assembly was able to get something to you before your meeting with Carwyn Jones - our system wasn't operating properly that day and our ICT guy was at the dentists! Concerning the other schemes - see attached lists of successful bids. I understand the total was £35m over 2 years (from 1/4/02) with the bulk going to English Nature, English Heritage and Countryside Agency (more details on their individual web sites). In summary the various schemes all have their own quite separate rules (a real minefield). Virtually all were heavily oversubscribed, particularly by ''biodiversity'' projects. In essence: ENGLAND 1) Countryside Agency - for projects facilitating greater countryside access, sustainability and community involvement. Many by wildlife trusts - mostly site based. 2) English Nature - environmental schemes for promoting biodiversity and a lesser extent geodiversity - virtually all sitebased. Very largely County Wildlife Trusts - max overheads allowed (i.e. core funding) = 25%. Mostly closely related to aggregate sites/former sites. 3) English Heritage - archaeological and historical schemes - most of which appeared to have been in EH's wish list for years beforehand - mainly research - extremely difficult to access this one. 4) WRAP £15.5m - waste recycling aggregate projects (or closely related) some extremely large projects - potential overlap with Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. 5) MIRO (Mineral Industry Research Organisation) - MIST (Minerals Industry Sustainable Technology) programme - £3.66m focussed research and development aimed at supporting the ALSF objects (reducing the environmental effects of aggregate working, promoting awareness, training, technology transfer better afteruse, etc. Open to all types of organisations. 6) ODPM - ostensibly as above but for supporting research work which ODPM specifically would like to see done. 7) Wales and Scotland £1.7, each - Each have their own schemes. In Wales very wide ranging and WAG staff very enthusiastic. 8) BMAPA (British Marine Aggregates Producers Association) research into environmental impact of marine aggregates. 9) Somerset CC/Leicestershire CC/Derbyshire CC - each of these county councils representing the three largest producing areas in the UK had £230K to dispense. Strongly focussed upon communities in aggregate/former aggregate producing areas and on biodiversity. As I mentioned, it has been alleged that the level of duplication between projects and with work which has already been carried out is high. This and the degree of 'survey fatigue' in the industry is causing significant resentment by aggregate operators. Gordon Brown is to make an announcement on the future of the scheme or otherwise in this Autumn statement, so it is important for all of us to lobby immediately for more money in future to go into: a) Geodiversity (i.e. on a par with biodiversity). b) Earth science education - formal and informal. We (i.e. NSC) also feel that there are two other important areas which have been largely if not entirely neglected namely: (i) Industrial history and archaeology related to the quarrying industry. (ii) Proposals for craft training related to the stone industry - particularly in stone related conservation. These last two are slightly tangential but may serve to reinforce the case for access by the Earth science community to (or sustain operations at) quarry sites which might otherwise be filled and developed. DEFRA, ALSF consultation contact: The contact at DEFRA (currently, it changes rapidly) is: Miss Belinda Gordon, Waste Processing Policy Room 7 D11 Ashdown House 123 Victoria Street London SW1E 6DE APPENDIX The NSC is involved in work worth over £60,000: (1) Derbyshire CC sponsored project (DALGS) improvements on the NSC site. (2) MIST/MIRO scheme educational use of aggregate sites in England. (3) MIST/MIRO scheme as subcontractor to BGS (a) interactive holistic web site for school/community use, based on two quarrying areas; (b) environmental impact of aggregate working in the E.Midlands. 4) Welsh Assembly Scheme - scoping study for a Welsh Stone Centre. 5) MIST/MIRO scheme indirectly with Devon Quarries Association (geodiversity) 6) Leicestershire CC scheme with BGS interpretation of specific quarries in Leicestershire. I have also attached a copy of an email concerning a meeting I attended which was held by DEFRA for the voluntary sector stakeholders. From this it was made quite clear that Treasury guidelines require government funding bodies to give proper balance to revenue (core) and capital funding. Many funders are however ingeniously finding ways around these guidelines. Hope this helps Regards Ian p.s. I wrote this before a major presentation of all the English based schemes last Thursday in London. Elliott Moxley was supposed to speak but had to defend the government GM foods position in the House - basic message coming over was that the scheme is highly likely to continue (a matter of ''when'' rather than ''if'').