...........Use this box to hop to another section of the site................. OVERVIEW OF THE BRIEFCASE ..................................... STEP 1: GET ORGANISED ..................................... Step 1a: Tell people what you're up to -- Who shall I tell? -- Aim to get the community on board -- Interest groups in your community -- Community representatives and organisations -- Other organisations -- How should I go about publicising? ..................................... Step 1b: Form a Steering Group -- Finding people to help -- Agree roles and responsibilities -- Working Groups -- Estimate your resources ..................................... Step 1c: Explore the options for recording, communicating and sharing -- Group Working, Sharing and Publishing -- Email lists -- Document sharing, joint editing and publishing -- Discussion groups and fora -- Website authoring -- Making and Sharing Maps -- Paper based maps -- Electronic Mapping - building a map of your parish ..................................... Step 1d: Bringing it all Together ..................................... STEP 2: GET TO KNOW YOUR PLACE ..................................... Step 2a: What's on your patch and why is it important -- MAGIC - Your First Port of Call -- First things First -- Keeping a Copy of Your Map -- Transferring Information to a Google Map -- Adding Topics to Create a New Map -- Getting MAGIC to find places for you -- A Step by Step Guide to the information you need from MAGIC -- Nature Conservation Areas -- Landscape, History and People -- Land under a Management Agreement/Scheme -- Habitats -- Managed Land -- Additional Sources of Information -- More Wildlife and Conservation Information -- Recreation, Walks and Places of Interest -- Historical Information -- Glossary ..................................... Step 2b: Getting people to know their place -- Your Objectives -- How should I go about engaging the community? -- Communicating your findings and getting views -- Who to involve? -- How to involve people -- Direct methods of engaging -- Meetings -- Practicalities: organising meetings -- Workshops -- Ideas for Events -- Tips for getting meetings and events to work -- Interviews -- Indirect methods of engaging people -- Surveys and questionnaires -- Questionnaire design tips -- Online surveys -- Newsletters and leaflets ..................................... Step 2c: Drawing it together -- What next? -- Hints and tips on organising your information ..................................... STEP 3: IDENTIFY ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ..................................... Step 3a: investigate issues, threats and existing efforts to protect and enhance -- Broad issues to be aware of -- Fragmentation and Ecological Networks -- Climate Change -- Land Use and Development -- Specific Issues ..................................... Step 3b: Identify your opportunities -- Habitat enhancement and re-creation -- Information on practical conservation management -- Churchyards and cemeteries -- Wildlife gardening -- Planting woodland and hedges -- Footpaths and countryside access -- Working with landowners and managers -- Set up a local conservation group -- Funding opportunities -- Getting help and advice ..................................... Step 3c: Refine your options -- Think about your actions -- Split up your options -- Think medium to long-term -- Planning periods ..................................... STEP 4: GET PEOPLE ACTIVE ..................................... -- Overview -- Suggested approach -- The 'main' report -- Tips for the 'main' report -- The action plan -- Get final endorsement -- Publish the reports and act on them -- Final step .....................................