I WRITE as chair of the committee of Stockbridge residents which in partnership with the National Trust (NT) manages the common land in Stockbridge, including the Stockbridge Marsh.

Although this has been part of Stockbridge’s heritage for centuries, we and the NT are agreed that the Marsh is not to be treated as some kind of museum piece, but as a recreational area set aside for general public use and enjoyment.

The problem is that its popularity has led to much wear and tear, particularly along its bank bordering the Marsh Court river. It is trodden down all the time by horses, cows, children, adults, dogs, in fact by pretty well anything on two or four legs capable of movement.

Inevitably all this activity leads to bank erosion, which is not self-regenerating. Its repair requires active management.

If allowed to go unchecked, this erosion will cause the river to eat further and further into the common land.

We and the NT are under a duty to act responsibly, so that this damage is dealt with and the future safeguarded.

Our aim is to treat it so that in 100 years’ time, our descendants will be able to enjoy the same common land in as good condition as it is now.

This active management involves the rebuilding of the eroded bank by a process of planting at its edges particular kinds of reeds and plants which, when grown in the eroded mud, will knit together and, in due course, result in rebuilt banking.

To achieve this, it is necessary to fence the area off to prevent interference with the process. A rolling programme is in place whereby the whole length of the bank is being repaired in this way, the idea being that as one piece of repaired banking can be unfenced, a piece further to the south is fenced off and treated. This regeneration is unfortunately quite a slow process.

It so happened that in the hope of speeding it up somewhat, at this particular time the entire bank is temporarily fenced off, although there remains good and safe access to the river via a shallow ford halfway down the Marsh bank, known locally as The Beach. It is stressed that this present arrangement is not permanent. At the end of the breeding season in late August or September, the fencing at the north end of the bank (the first to have been repaired) will be removed allowing public access at the north end. There is, incidentally, nothing secret about this information, which has been published from time to time in Stockbridge and is well-known locally.

Guy Boney, Stockbridge.