Wildlife Trust celebrates ninth National Park

12th November, 2009

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is delighted that Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has now signed the Order to confirm the South Downs as England’s ninth National Park.

The new 632 square mile protected area, home to an estimated 120,000 people, will stretch from Beachy Head in East Sussex to the edge of Winchester in Hampshire. The new National Park will also include the Alice Holt site in East Hampshire as well as Green Ridge in Brighton.

Confirming the South Downs as the latest National Park Hilary Benn said:

“At the end of the 60th anniversary year of our National Parks, I am delighted to officially confirm that the South Downs is now our newest National Park.
The unique chalk downlands and heavy weald clay landscapes which make up this wonderful countryside will now be protected for everyone to enjoy. National Park status will attract new visitors to the South Downs and bring investment into the local area.”

A new South Downs National Park Authority is expected to be established by April 2010 and become fully operational a year later.

The Wildlife Trust is particularly pleased that the National Park includes the Western Weald in addition to the main area of chalk downland – much of this landscape of heathland, woods and river valleys is of special importance for wildlife and includes many areas where the Trust is actively working.

Debbie Tann, Chief Executive of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said: “The majority of the South Downs National Park is comprised of chalk downland, important for a range of specialist wildflowers and rare butterflies such as the chalkhill blue. The Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve at St Catherine’s Hill on the edge of Winchester is strategically placed as an important “gateway” to the new National Park and we hope that the Park’s existence will benefit this fragile and important wildlife reserve.”

Other Wildlife Trust reserves included within the new National Park boundary are Winnall Moors, Noar Hill, Shutts Copse, Chappetts Copse and Coulters Dean. The Trust looks forward to working closely with the new National Park Authority to safeguard the wildlife and landscape of the area.

Story by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

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Image credit: Chalkhill blue by Micky Pape

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