The Institute of Public Rights of Way and Access Management is the professional body which represents individuals employed in the management of public rights of way and other access in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, principally as local government officers.
Its members cover the whole of the field of access work, from countryside rangers putting in gates to enforcement officers, path inspectors, strategic access developers and solicitors, as well as those maintaining the record of public rights - the definitive map - and making public path orders.
The podcast will cover a variety of topics of interest to members, from how their Institute came into being to discussion of current issues like recent case law and use of 'plastic wood'.
If you are not a member, join now for more benefits! iprow.co.uk/membership
Marking National Dog Day, we revisit a topic which is a challenge to managers of most public open space - dogs. In this episode, we again welcome Stephen Jenkinson, a countryside access consultant with long association with conversations on behaviour of dog walkers. In this episode we explore recent changes to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 which received a lot of public attention last year and affects dogs within an access perspective. Links referred to: Dealing with...
3 Aug 2026
17: How legislation comes into our work
Legislation is part of every job in rights of way, the basis of everything we do. In this episode we talk about how legislation comes about, the challenge of influencing its correct drafting and ending up with law that works in practice. Here we talk to John Trevelyan, known to members as co-author of 'The Blue Book', Rights of Way A Guide to Law and Practice, about his years in the rights of way world and influence on legislation we work with today. Members interested in knowing more about t...
10 Jun 2026
16: More on the Dark Side
Introducing Emma Peters who joins our presenter team to bring you more episodes on all topics Definitive Map and legal, referred to fondly by one of our Directors as The Dark Side (as opposed to The Outside). Emma sets the scene for future episodes on the Definitive Map (Def Map or DMS) as the foundation of all rights of way work from modification orders to replacing a bridge. The views of speakers and the presenter are not necessarily those of IPROW. Nothing in any IPROW podcast should be ta...
11 May 2026
15: Invasive species
There are many invasive species which rights of way and access workers are likely to find in their work. Minds usually go to flora species like Himalayan Balsam, rhododendron, cherry laurel but in this episode marking National Invasive Species week 11 May – 17 May, we talk about three fauna species, how they may affect use of and maintenance of public rights of way and access land, and what to do about them. Links referred to or more information: Asian hornets: www.nonnativespecies.otg/...
27 Mar 2026
14: It's not only bird-nesting season, think dormice
Vegetation management on rights of way at appropriate times to accommodate wildlife is a challenge, increasingly so as global heating extends nesting periods and affects migration patterns. Field workers are used to considering birds when planning work, but what about other species? This episode's guest is Charlotte Rimmer who discusses the dormouse, its hibernation, the effect of climate change and disturbance, and how to look for signs of dormice when planning work to avoid further impact o...
13 Feb 2026
13: Public access from the landholder's perspective
Most IPROW members being local authority officers, they naturally consider public rights of way and access from that viewpoint but it is important to also be aware of the view of users and landholders. In this episode, we talk to the manager of a small mixed estate, with both arable and livestock farming, conservation areas and a shoot, about what public access means for the landholder (someone who owns, leases or manages land). The views of speakers and the presenter are not necessarily thos...
15 Jan 2026
12: The story of the Definitive Map and Statement
chapter at 39:42 The Definitive Map and Statement is the statutory record of public rights of way -- footpaths, bridleway, restricted byways and byways open to all traffic -- which is conclusive evidence of the rights marked on it, without prejudice to those not yet shown. That apparent contradiction arises from recognition that the process of preparing the Map, begun in 1949, was flawed, resulting in an incomplete and inaccurate record and this episode explores its story of the last seventy ...
5 Dec 2025
11: Respect the Range - access on Ministry of Defence land
James Nevitt & Spencer George of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (D.I.O.) of Ministry of Defence (M.O.D.) talk about their Respect the Range campaign, aiming to raise public awareness of how the MOD training estate is used and what the public need to know and consider in planning their route or using the land. Towards the end of the episode, there is a request for ideas for the CSF Project, which can be send to DIOTS-ACCESS@mod.gov.uk. The views of speakers and the presenter ...
10 Oct 2025
10. Including dogs in planning public access and SANGs
Last episode we were talking about planning and development, and as a sequel, here we talk about provision of SANGs -- Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space -- with Stephen Jenkinson, and including dog-walking by design. Stephen started in public access as a rights of way officer and moved to countryside access, specialising in dogs and how public access can be managed to include dog-walking. A primary benefit of owning a dog for many people is that it takes them outside, 'makes' them walk...
13 Aug 2025
9: Planning in practice
Every rights of way officer comes in contact with the planning system, from consultations on Local Plans or Local Transport Plans to the effect of building development on rights of way. Developments range from a workshop or house extension to a new quarry, 3,000 houses or a distribution centre. Understanding the system and how it works can be beneficial to ensuring intervention for public access is appropriate and at the best time. This is a huge topic, so watch out for more episodes on other...
2 Jun 2025
8: Celebrating Volunteer Week with beyond the obvious
Industry experts celebrate Volunteer Week and explore diverse volunteer opportunities within the rights of way and access sector, beyond just practical maintenance, to maximize potential contributions in records research.
7 Apr 2025
7: An inspirational career path
Asking rights of way workers how they came into their current roles could provide as many different answers as there are people, and the majority have fallen into it by accident! In this episode, we talk to Charlotte Ditchburn, whose career covers a unique range, with a number of moves. The difficulties of her early career will be familiar to many listeners – how do you gain experience when all jobs demand experience, in a low paid sector with high reliance on unpaid labour, which you m...
10 Feb 2025
6: Apprenticeships in rights of way and access
Apprenticeships have changed enormously in their history and no longer only the remit of manual trades, they've even reached the rights of way and access world and can be a great asset to both employers and employees as a path for in depth training while working. In this episode, we talk to LANTRA about the background to modern apprenticeship, Sparsholt College about their provision of training and to both an apprentice and team leader about how apprenticeship works in practice for maintenanc...
27 Nov 2024
5: Trees on rights of way - considerations and responsibilities
IPROW experts explore tree management on public rights of way, highlighting considerations and responsibilities for landholders to maintain safe and accessible routes.
14 Oct 2024
4: In All Our Footsteps
The field of public rights of way and access is much broader than is generally assumed and the podcast will meet people in a wide variety of interesting roles. In this episode, member Dr Tom Breen, a landscape historian, joins us to talk about In All Our Footsteps, which explores how rights of way were recorded following Parliament’s requirement to do so in 1949, and the importance of rights of way in relation to access to nature and activities integral to human health and wellbeing, both in ...
27 Sept 2024
'Plastic wood' for ROW structures
Glass or fibre reinforced plastic has been around a while, with cautious consideration for use in ROW furniture. Early experiences in the 90s had finger posts bowing in the sun, and bridge deck boards springing from their fixings. Much has improved, but there are still downsides, along with the obvious lack of rot and supposed longevity and reduced maintenance commitment. How does it stack up in practice?
23 Aug 2024
Benefits of membership
There are many reasons why people join IPROW: to support a body working at national level with government bodies and quangos; to improve their professional development; because their employer requires it; to gain recognition in a field that has no formal qualification or chain of entry; and more. Some don't consider benefit to themselves when joining, though the line between personal and professional benefit is very vague when many members are passionate about what they do. This episode consi...
12 Jun 2024
1: Membership and why people join
A series of brief interviews by Gemma Clinch with IPROW members, recent and long time, on why they joined and what they gain from membership.
12 Jun 2024
Membership and why people join
A series of brief interviews by Gemma Clinch with IPROW members, recent and long time, on why they joined and what they gain from membership.
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Podcast Authority Score: 8 / 100
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