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KENT WILDFOWLERS AND CHICHESTER WILDFOWLERS COMBINE TO BUY MORE MARSHLAND The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association and the Chichester Wildfowlers Association first joined together to purchase marshland in East Sussex in 2005, further adding to that portfolio in 2008. Now these two far-sighted clubs have come together again to extend their joint land ownership in East Sussex. KWCA Chairman Alan Jarrett said “I am delighted that once again we have come together with Chichester WA to cement our long-standing beneficial partnership with Chichester WA by purchasing additional land in East Sussex. Chichester are an excellent club to work with, and with this purchase we further strengthen our land holdings to secure wildfowling into the future. CWA Chairman Lee Freeston said I am delighted that both clubs have again jointly purchased land for shooting and conservation to further strengthen the bonds between the two clubs. This also protects shooting in perpetuity for all wildfowlers. ENDS EDITOR’S NOTE: the KWCA and CWA jointly have a land portfolio of over 23,000 acres across Kent, West Sussex, Hampshire East Sussex, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. Conservation work is being carried out over many of these areas by the Wild Spaces Fund. The two clubs have a joint membership of over 900 members, and offer wildfowling, rough shooting, pigeon shooting and airgun hunting. KENT WILDFOWLERS DISAFFILIATE FROM BASC Britain's largest wildfowling club - with almost 700 members - The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association (KWCA) - has voted to disaffiliate from BASC from 1st January, 2018. The vote was agreed unanimously at the club AGM in September The KWCA decision brings to an end an association with WAGBI and then BASC of over 60 years. The club AGM discussed ongoing problems with BASC stretching back over two years. These included BASC disagreements with the KWCA over insurance cover for mutual trading - which BASC eventually conceded - and employers' liability; the lack of accountability by BASC's ruling council; the lack of transparency in BASC dealings; BASC continual threatening behaviour towards some members; and most recently a complete debacle in protecting the KWCA's shooting rights highlighting its inability or unwillingness to have effective negotiations on behalf of the KWCA with both The Crown Estate and Natural England on this matter. Secretary David Thorpe commented, "There was a mixture of anger and sadness at the meeting in a debate that lasted over an hour before the meeting voted to disaffiliate from BASC. The meeting felt that BASC under its current ruling regime no longer speaks for the wildfowling community. Whilst wildfowlers are a smaller part of BASC these days we are still an important part of the membership with high expectations. Those expectations include BASC giving support where and when clubs need it; being responsive to member enquiries in an open and transparent way, and above all recognising that BASC is a membership organisation accountable to the membership at all times for its acts and omissions. The KWCA feels let down by the ruling BASC council and senior staff. Under these circumstances the KWCA believes that BASC no longer speaks for the wildfowling community. The KWCA pays BASC almost £40,000 a year in affiliation fees and feels it is getting very little return on that investment. In future the KWCA will invest its members' money in a better way." ENDS 2014 Annual Wildfowling conference report Topics included: Working together - with Richard Ali BASC Chief Executive Marine Protected Areas Hunting and Protection of Waterfowl under the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement Hunting disturbance on waterfowl Natural England's Review of Consents Transatlantic Wildfowling The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and the function of the Marine Management Organisation. The consultation Natural England has issued regarding general licenses. Lead Ammunition Group review. Click here to read the full report STOKE SEAWALL LITTER PICK The Marsh Wardens wish to extend their thanks to all those who turned out to clean up Stoke seawall earlier in the month. The volunteers made short work of the two and half mile stretch, picking up 23 dustbin sacks of plastic rubbish from both sides of the wall. We are pleased to say that very few empty cartridge cases were found, so all credit to our members for tidying up after themselves. STOKE U-BOAT IN THE NEWS After 92 years, interest is shown in the wreck of the German WW1 U-boat on Stoke Salting. read more... KENT WILDFOWLERS CONTINUE EXPANSION IN ESSEX The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association (KWCA) has acquired a large lake and surrounding land as part of its expansion programme in Essex. The land is situated to the north of Southend and complements existing land holdings in that part of the county Chairman Alan Jarrett commented, "This acquisition allows us to continue with our expansion in Essex, which services our growing membership base there. Importantly it enables us to continue with our diversification by adding to our fishing portfolio. The KWCA sees diversification as an important step in growing the club and ensuring the longevity of the sport. As well as the traditional activities of wildfowling and conservation, we are servicing membership needs by branching out into rough shooting, pigeon shooting, air gunning and fishing. " Storm Threat We have received several reports that following recent storms and tidal surges large quantities of silt have shifted. The Swale is particularly badly affected. Cars have been stuck on the slipway at Oare, there is a large accumulate on the slip at Harty and a build up of waist deep mud in Bells Creek. Members are reminded that the intertidal zone is constantly changing, and violent storms can cause an unusual amount of silt and sediment to rapidly build up in some areas. In addition, these storms bring with them the constant threat of tidal surges, with 1 metre surges being common place. You are strongly advised to view the National Oceanography Centre's storm surge model for your area before making any visits to tidal marshes. KWCA Buys Marsh at Faversham The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association (KWCA) has purchased more land in Faversham Creek. The land consists of a narrow strip of land extending to over 700 yards of seawall, saltmarsh and arable land behind the seawall. read more......... WSF help with the Brickfields project Extending the hand of Friendship. During the summer the Wild Spaces Fund was approached by one of our members to provide assistance to a group of volunteers in his village that had embarked upon the restoration and regeneration of the local historic brickfields including a neglected, willow infested, reed bed. read more........ Kent Wildfowlers Buy Marshland in Essex The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association (KWCA) has purchased 27 acres of marshland at Barling, Essex. The recent acquisition has cost £100,000, and represents a significant investment by the KWCA in that part of Essex. read more...... Wildfowling on the Ythan Estuary If you are planning to visit the Ythan Estuary to shoot wildfowl, be advised that the Ythan Estuary Wildfowling & Conservation Association control the shooting rights below the arable fence line and the mean high water mark on the foreshore side of the fence line, and have erected a number of signs identifying the areas at strategic access points. No shooting may take place on the grass between the fence line and the mean high-water mark, unless by a YEWCA member or guest / permit holder. From November the YEWCA are trialling a guest permit scheme; 3 permits on each Monday and Thursday costing £12 each. For further details, email yewca2012@gmail.com giving your full name, postal address and BASC membership number. If you are visiting this Estuary, or any foreshore in Scotland, please ensure that you are fully aware of the changes, and that you keep to Crown foreshore only. HUNTING IN THE USA - EXCHANGE TRIP There is the opportunity for two KWCA members to visit Canton, Illinois, USA on an exchange visit basis. For full details see Members' Noticeboard KENT WILDFOWLERS CONTINUE EXPANSION IN ESSEX The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association (KWCA) has acquired a large lake and surrounding land as part of its expansion programme in Essex. The land is situated to the north of Southend and complements existing land holdings in that part of the county Chairman Alan Jarrett commented, "This acquisition allows us to continue with our expansion in Essex, which services our growing membership base there. Importantly it enables us to continue with our diversification by adding to our fishing portfolio. The KWCA sees diversification as an important step in growing the club and ensuring the longevity of the sport. As well as the traditional activities of wildfowling and conservation, we are servicing membership needs by branching out into rough shooting, pigeon shooting, air gunning and fishing. " KENT WILDFOWLERS BUY MARSHLAND IN KENT The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association (KWCA) has purchased more land in Kent, being in Faversham Creek, near Faversham. The land consists of a narrow strip of land extending to over 700 yards of seawall, saltmarsh and arable land behind the seawall. Chairman Alan Jarrett commented, "This is an important strategic purchase for us, in as much as we already hold the shooting rights over part of the land. However not only have we extended the land holding inside the seawall but have also secured the freehold ownership of the site. Making sure additional shooting rights are secure is an important part of the work we are carrying out, and this purchase complements others we have made recently which have represented a growth in area. Having secured this land in perpetuity we can now move on to other projects both in Kent and further afield." Kent Wildfowlers Buy Marshland in Essex The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association (KWCA) has purchased 27 acres of marshland at Barling, Essex. The recent acquisition has cost £100,000, and represents a significant investment by the KWCA in that part of Essex. The land consists of lake, lagoon, ponds, reed beds and seawall, and offers a mosaic of wetland habitat. Chairman Alan Jarrett commented, "We have worked long and hard to acquire this piece of land, which sits nicely adjacent to land we bought in 2011. The land at Barling is our fourth acquisition in Essex since 2011, and makes a valuable addition to the portfolio of shooting we can offer to our growing Essex membership. The site will present us with significant opportunities for wildfowling and conservation. A good deal of habitat improvement will be required over the next few years, and in time the site will represent a flagship site for us in Essex."   Boat Moorings The KWCA are now able to offer a number of 'lay your own' boat moorings on their site at Oare Creek, Faversham. Please contact the Secretary for full details. KWCA members - see members diary for more events

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