Shaping the Future of the National Park

[Trevor Beattie]

It will soon be a month since I took over from Richard Shaw as Chief Executive of the South Downs National Park, so the time is now right to introduce myself to members of the Forum whom I haven’t already met during my travels.

I was brought up in mid Sussex and have lived in the county for most of my life, so the South Downs have shaped my sense of home, as well as being my main source of recreation and fresh air. I have always enjoyed walking on the Downs and I am still adjusting to my great good fortune in having a job where this is a fundamental part of my role. I have spent a lot of time out and about with the rangers and have been greatly impressed by their skill, expertise and hard work – particularly the way they are pressing on without regard to the current bitterly cold weather.

I have met a number of groups of volunteers, including the Midhurst Wednesday morning team, some hedge layers outside Lewes and a group clearing scrub near Rathfinny. On each occasion I have been struck by the quiet skill and efficiency with which the work is carried out (as well as by the copious amounts of cake that are consumed!) The volunteers are the jewel in the crown of the National Park and I hope to meet many more over the coming months.

I am most grateful to Richard Shaw for all that he achieved in setting up the Authority with such speed and efficiency, including the major process of engagement that took place to develop the Special Qualities and the creation of this Forum. My task is to wrap up the set up phase and to move us swiftly into mainstream delivery. I will use postings on the Forum to keep you up to date with our progress and, in particular, to seek your views on new ideas and proposals.

A great deal needs to be achieved over the next couple of years, including the completion of the State of the Park Report and the development of our first National Park Management Plan and Core Strategy. This is a huge amount of work and I am very clear that the Members and staff of the Authority cannot – and should not – do it alone. It is essential that all of our key strategies and publications continue to be firmly based on the experience and input of the people of the South Downs. I am sure that Forum members will keep me to this pledge.

Last night I attended a meeting of the eastern parishes at Wilmington Village Hall to discuss the planning role of the National Park and the opportunities presented by the new neighbourhood planning provisions in the Localism Act. The discussion was much more informed and practical than I have experienced debating similar matters at national level. This vividly demonstrated to me the vital role of the National Park’s 179 parishes, as well as convincing me that our joint work is sure to be well informed if we always proceed in frank, open and transparent partnership.

This has been a very long introductory posting but if I promise that my contributions to the Forum will be much shorter in future I hope that you will in return promise to watch this space!

[Maureen C Comber]

Dear Trevor,

 

Well said, communication is the key.  Whether Localism ever gets past Local Government remains to be seen, but here in the SDNP it already has.

Welcome to the SDNP from me

Maureen

[Stephen Miles]

Reply from Stephen Miles,

 

The new Chief Executive needs to be aware that delivery of the National Park is not just about people and people-centred issues. When the SDNPA acquired these areas into their field of influence they stated that biodiversity would be one of their main considerations. This still needs to be the case and the new CE could do no finer thing than to divert the route of the proposed Shipwright's Way away from the bridleway at the foot of Weaver's Down, Longmoor. A point of view I expressed to Richard Shaw and to the CE's of Natural England, the RSPB and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. Promoting this tourist and leisure route through this part of the Wealden Heaths II so-called European Special Protection Area remains a black mark against the National Park.

Stephen Miles

representing the BENHS Heathland Flies' BAP project.

[John Vannuffel]

Stephen,

 

Where could it be diverted to so as to retain amenity for all and not impact on wildlife elswhere?

 

 

[Glynn Jones]

I would be interested to know what threat is posed by walkers following a public RoW?

[Cath Hart]

The National Park Authority is a full partner in the Shipwrights Way project, and officers discussed, visited and fully supported the use of this route, which is an existing bridleway.  We have consulted widely (most organisations being in suport) and obtained all relevant permissions including that of Natural England from a conservation perspective.  We have also offered funding to improve the conservation value of the land adjacent to this right of way.  In a wider sense, the National Park has two statutory purposes, one indeed being to conserve and enhance the wildlife etc and the other to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the area, which is a good fit with the aspirations of the Shipwrights Way Project.  Many organisations share a desire to promote healthy outdoor exercise, to provide routes which are away from the road as much as possible and to encourage a greater understanding of the history and the flora/fauna of the area.  I do not see these as being automatically in conflict with wilidlife interests, rather it should help to foster an appreciation and a desire to care for our natural heritage.

[Stephen Miles]

All,

If you are a parasitoid fly, in this case the mottled bee-fly (a BAP sp.), Thyridanthrax fenestratus which depends on the holes of its host wasp, a narrow and large thread waisted wasp called Ammophila pubescens, remaining open in the bare sand areas of the tracks and paths that people in small numbers use, you might feel differently. It needs these holes to remain open so that it can flick its sand covered eggs into the open hole while the host wasp is away collecting caterpillars from the heather nearby for its own larvae to feed on down in the nest hole. If this area becomes too popular which is likely because of its undoubted scenic qualities, because it will now be promoted as a leisure area for people, then these holes used by the wasps in the daytime in June to Aug. will be persistently filled with the loose soil caused by the trampling of more and more bicycles and more and more users. Will they, all these new users, stick to the Shipwright's Way, no they will not and they will then fan out to use all the other bare ground paths to excess as has happened in many other heathlands and so our insect heritage will be damaged by over popularity. There is a conflict - too many users on heathland going everyway they please damages these sites. As to Natural England, this is more and more about the promotion of leisure as I see it and, in my opinion has been emasculated by successive Governments from its original role of looking after our wildlife, the merger that caused this with the Countryside Commission has been and continues to be a disaster. So the first battle of gaining understanding about the countryside of heathland has been lost already to the access lobby. So I can only offer a sad lament for the loss of yet another area to over-use, goodbye Weaver's Down, will you still be worth visiting in ten year's time?

It will be far better if slightly more costly to divert this path away from Weaver's Down and if Natural England, EHDC, the SDNPA and the DIO truly understood these issues they would do this but sadly they all serve the access, tourist and leisure industry. There are alternatives such as the wetter path beside Forest Mere (a little hard surfacing here would in my opinion do little damage but the plant people may disagree) or the bridleways in the vicinity of Wheatsheaf Common but alas the battle is lost as Cath Hart relates above.

 

[Glynn Jones]

Thank you for that explanation of the threat. I am not familiar with that issue but I have tackled similar issues with reintroductions of sand lizards who like to lay their eggs in bare sand often on path edges. I helped lead WSCC's South Downs Way Walk for twenty one years and was amazed just how difficult it is to get walkers to step off the designated route, they are positively anal about the need to follow the "Whitehall Mandarin's Way". I do understand your concern but believe the answer lies in positive management whilst informing and engaging the public. I honestly believe you will be able to create and maintain areas of low use with suitable habitat to allow your wasps to thrive. That said I agree 100% about the folly of emasculating the Nature Conservation Lobby by merging English Nature with the Countryside Commission et al. I was seconded to the CC for two years and worked with some remarkable people but I share your view that our wildlife needs specialists to fight its corner not generalists.

[Maureen C Comber]

I think the trouble is with the concept of the Shipwrights Way.  It is a project which started from the cycling fraternity.  Having acquired a concessionary right to ride on bridleways they then began to incorporate the bridleways into National Cycle Routes.  This actually changes the nature of a bridleway because the use by cyclists is conditional on them giving way to horse riders and walkers.  The bridleway sections along such routes should be signed to remind cyclists of this obligation for the safety of everyone.

Although some consultation has taken place it seems to be a box ticking exercise because the route has been decided and there is reluctance to change even when much better ways are highlighted as Stephen is pointing out. 

In many spheres a 1000 years of our laws and customs are being ignored for the sake of bureaucratic convenience. 

Of course the best cycle routes would be our country lanes, many of which were bridleways before WW2 when they were tarmaced for the ease of troop movements, but never returned to their rightful status as bridleways.  They would make the obvious long distance cycle routes if only they had a suitable speed limit.  At the moment there is no protection as the national speed limit of 60mph applies.  This is not safe for anyone and gives no warning as to the possibility of vulnerable road users. 

If these could be brought back into use for cyclists, walkers, carriagedrivers and horse riders it would take the pressure off the countryside as we are all being pushed on to 20% of the rights of way because the rest are footpaths and the lanes too dangerous. 

Stephen is right to point out the problem affecting thyridanthrax fenestratus.   I am no entymologist but I do know how desperate a plight we are in with our natural pollinators.  I don't know what is causing their demise, but some have suggested it is the insidious 'creep' of GM genes, for example,into Alfalfa(a rise from 3% to 12% GM Roundup Resistant genes in non GM monitored crops in one year)represents a threat of extinction to the natural species? GM creates, in effect, a new species/chimera every time an 'unnatural' gene,or group of genes, is introduced to any commercial species.  If these genes'escape' and become established throughout wild communities humanity has achieved yet another extinction(despite on many occasions no visible changes being noted). In achieving natural extinction/displacement of species the 'human' replacements may,in turn,adversely impact on ecosystems. Humanity has a deplorable record regarding cause and effect and already the impact of GM has gone beyond any anticipated impact. In this instance public protective legislation is inadequate and environmental law(which may require reviewing)may be the only means to give consideration to the veracity of the belief that the presence of GM genes throughout a population represents the loss of that species. 

Food for thought perhaps?