We’re still working on getting this year’s gorges sign-up form together- watch this space over the next few days – but in the meantime, here are some details about what’s new that we’ll be asking you to sign-up to – and a request to review and if necessary update your site-specific Risk Assessments:
- We have updated our ‘template’ risk assessment to reflect the changes described below – see 2026 SWOAPG Waterfall Country Gorges Template Risk Assessment (in which changes from last year are highlighted). You must ensure that your own risk assessments and/or operating procedures address all the points in this Template.
- We advised you last year that the former ‘Concordat’ had been replaced with a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU); which was largely an administrative exercise by NRW and didn’t at the time directly affect the access arrangements – see 250127 SWOAPG MoU.
- The MoU states that NRW will “facilitate access through an Event Assent Form each year”. We didn’t receive this form last year, so we continued to operate as if the ‘old’ concordat was still in place. However, this year NRW has asked SWOAPG to agree, on behalf of gorge users, an Access Behaviour Agreement (which is their replacement for the Event Assent Form).
- Providers signing-up to use the gorges this year will therefore be asked to confirm that they agree to the terms of this Access Behaviour Agreement (in addition to the overall MoU). The full document is available at 260401 NRW SWOAPG Waterfall Country Access Behaviour Agreement, but the key ‘new’ requirements are to:
- comply with biosecurity precautions (as explained below; and in the Template Risk Assessment);
- advise NRW as soon as possible (and no longer than 24 hours after the event) of any accident (whereas the MoU gives 7 days to investigate and inform);
- keep and leave the area in a clean and tidy state and condition and…clear all litter and equipment…brought into the area;
- provide adequate first aid assistance;
- ensure no smoking or the lighting of fires; no overnight camping;
- prepare a Risk Assessment incorporating all elements identified in the Outline Risk Assessment provided by NRW and Template Risk Assessment provided by SWOAPG (as above); and which meets the detailed requirements set out in the agreement (which merely lists all the things we’d expect any decent risk assessment to provide!);
- confirm that you are aware of United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) requirements (as set out in the UKWAS Information Leaflet); and undertake to provide such information to any employees and contractors; and
- comply with this NRW overarching statement on biosecurity, which (among other things) says that “the minimum level of biosecurity in all cases is to arrive with clean footwear and clothing; and clean footwear and clothing either on site or at home before visiting another woodland”.