In this issue: 3 AGM News 4 The return of Ratty 9 Silver-Studded success 10 The river flying squad 12 Following in the footsteps 14 News from the Authority 16 Our people ...and much more!

News for the Volunteer Ranger Service Issue 61, Aug-Sept 2013

Going native at Birling Gap Something exciting is happening on the cliff top at Birling Gap: Outdoor classroom Eastern VRS teams have been beavering away to make an A walled area at the rear of the garden is interpretation garden. The garden will showcase our beautiful being transformed into a multi-functional native chalk downland plants and will be used as an educational seating space. tool to raise awareness of native species. Inspired by the spiral ammonite form, the design incorporates a long wrap-around Driftwood sculpture Other native plants have been locally bench. This and other benches around the sourced from Colin Reader of Wild garden are being made by Ron Wells and his Driftwood collected from the beach and Flower Meadows and Lawns, who seems crack team of volunteers! hauled up the steps, with much puffing completely unfazed by my challenging plant We have chosen to use Elm from the and groaning, has been transformed into requests! It’s great to know that the plants , which has been the victim dramatic garden sculptures rippling across have a local provenance. the garden like waves on the shore or the of Dutch elm disease and will now be reborn soft curves of chalk downs. Fish mesh and gabions as beautiful sculptural seating. Well done volunteers for all of that bark stripping! Banking with Kew Local sculptor Christian Funnell, or Iron Man as he is affectionately known around Building this garden has been an amazing Each border in the garden will represent here, has crafted a beautiful new barrier journey for me. I would like to say a huge distinct habitats found locally. Native plants to protect visitors from falling over the thank you to all of the volunteers who have that thrive on the shingle beach, species cliff. We can now enjoy our National Trust made the design come to life. Without your that brave the cliff edge and species that coffee and cake in a spectacular cliff-top tremendous effort, skill and tenacity, through thatch together to form our incredible chalk setting, with Christian’s delightful metal fish rain, wind and snow, this garden would still grassland will all tell their story. We are even swimming across our sea view! be just an idea in my head. You have made trying to represent the paradox of rare it happen, and it is a special place that chalk heathland… Tricky! Iron Man has also been at work building everyone can enjoy. Well done team, I am metal cages – Gabions – which the so proud of you! We are receiving some fantastic support volunteers have filled with a chalk flint from the experts at Kew. Stephanie Miles Gabby Tofts, garden designer and sandwich to evoke the cliff edge. These volunteer, Eastern Downs and her team have advised us and the structures divide the seating area into more Millennium Seed Bank based at Wakehurst private sheltered areas for eating. They Place are growing some unusual plants Volunteers hard at work building the new garden at are planted on top with Thrift, Rock Sea Birling Gap. ©Gaby Tofts appropriate to our location, such as Moon Lavender, Wild Thyme and Biting Stonecrop. Carrot and Round-headed Rampion.

Tell us your story. Email your Downland Thymes articles to the editorial team [email protected] DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN Update from the VRS Team It has been a long time coming, but at the of the pages is broadly the same as before. end of June we held the first of the new I look forward to more of the new facilities Introductory Training days for recently we have talked about being rolled out over recruited Volunteer Rangers. 26 VRs came the next couple of months. along to the days, including four of the You should all have received information Mosaic champions. We are reviewing the about the draft South Downs National feedback from those sessions and planning Park Partnership Management Plan and the © Ron Wilder © Ron Wilder how we will update the day before the next consultation process going on between now Chairman’s session in late October/early November. and 16 September. I would encourage you Thanks to those of you who have got back The Noar Hill walkers managed to find over 5 different species Pyramidal Orchid at Noar Hill. to get involved in this process: look at the to us. From what I have heard so far, of wild orchid and numerous butterflies and moths on the reserve. Corner draft plan and feed back your comments I think we will probably look to broaden and views through the management plan I had thought we might have a different the coverage of the day a little next time survey. For more information, see the News Chair writing this piece, but due to and approach more of our colleagues from the Authority page in this issue of a recurring illness, Nick Egerton has and/or partners to help deliver the day. We Downland Thymes. unfortunately had to resign. The VRS are planning to run three of these days each committee have therefore asked me to year from now on. We are also looking at Finally, the VRS AGM and get together continue as Chair again this year. other training packages we can put together on Saturday 20 July was a really excellent I’m pleased that this year the Committee to run on a regular basis and it is likely that day and, as always, both informative and has moved forward with several initiatives one of the first of these will be looking at enjoyable. Thanks to both Margaret Paren seeking to benefit as many members supporting ‘public facing’ volunteers – those and Trevor Beattie, SDNPA Chair and as possible. The project to run our own attending events and people who talk to CEO, for coming along to talk to Volunteer ecology courses, using instructors from the public on behalf of SDNPA in other Rangers. Thanks also to the Hampshire VRS Sussex Wildlife Trust, has been extremely situations. Committee members for putting together the event and to Vicky Wakefield-Jarrett for popular and well received. We will As I write, the new staff/volunteer intranet co-ordinating attendance. continue with other courses and seek has just gone live. The look and feel of the to include some weekend dates in the system seems much improved and the Ian Hartle, Volunteer future as well. These courses are thanks scope for adding new material and functions Co-ordinator, South Downs © Ian Hartle © Ian Hartle to the hard work of Russell Cleaver and is enhanced, although initially the content National Park Authority Alastair Stewart of the Western Downs. Margaret Paren and Trevor Beattie answer questions during the business part of VRs had the chance to visit Gilbert White’s House during the day at Selborne. The Committee also decided to the day held in Gilbert White’s House Field Studies Centre. allocate funds to each individual area, for volunteers to spend on group activities they themselves wanted to organise. This Long service awards funding is possible because some of our Congratulations to activities have attracted donations from all of those who News from this year’s AGM appreciative organisations and individuals. received long service This year’s AGM was hosted by During the day, annual accounts were Park Authority, gave a short talk praising the We would love to receive and consider awards at this year’s the Western Downs at Gilbert approved and I was elected to be Chair work and value of the VRS to the National applications for the travel fellowship fund, VRS AGM. of the VRS Committee again this year. Park and Margaret Paren, Chair of the White’s House in Selborne, Next year, the Committee will review Authority, joined him to answer questions. but so far we have received very few From left to right: Hampshire, on 20 July. the VRS Constitution – all volunteers are enquiries about how to claim it. The fund Volunteer Rangers Jean Following the AGM, a very interesting and encouraged to contribute to this. is for VRS members to help subsidise Hicks, Nick Darby, Mike illuminating talk on the life of Gilbert White visits to other National Parks to see how Rowe and Pam Craggs As part of the event, I highlighted was given by Rosemary Irwin, Chair of the with SDNPA Chair they do things and then tell us about it. achievements of the year and confirmed Trustees at Gilbert Whites House. After Margaret Paren (centre) Of course we can only provide services and their silver badges that the very successful ecology training lunch, volunteers split into groups to take a like this if the Committee has active for ten years work with sessions would continue. I also thanked Phil self-guided walk, visit Gilbert White’s House volunteers who are willing to undertake the VRS. Belden for his stalwart support of the VRS and Gardens or go on a guided walk of such organisational tasks. So, if you like and for securing substantial donations from nearby Noar Hill Nature Reserve, led by what we have been doing, please think the closure of the SDJC accounts. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. about standing as a Committee member Following VRS business, Trevor Beattie, Chief Ron Wilder, VRS Chairman for your volunteer area. Executive of the South Downs National Ron Wilder, VRS Chairman 2 VRS Team, South Downs Volunteer Ranger Service: 01273 698256 [email protected] 3 DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN Pic in the Park TheThe returnreturn of

© Russell Cleaver

© Chris Page ofRatty ratty © Russell Cleaver Little is known of this huge flint structure, though reputedly behind it once stood a thatched luncheon house. If so, there is © Elaina Whittaker-Slark nothing left to suggest it. Nore Folly remains a majestic oddity, probably as curious today Here’s the story so far for the largest water as when it was built some 250 years ago. This folly is just one of a number you can vole reintroduction programme in the UK. find in the South Downs National Park. When did you last hear the distinctive ‘plop’ the first series of workshops and were carry out the necessary surveys to confirm habitat suitability and sound of a water vole entering the water as issued with rafts. to monitor progress. Interestingly, there is a website where you you walked along a river bank? For anyone can find many more follies. Search for The raft is the primary weapon in the fight To date, the last mink was caught in February 2012 at the first © Chris Page walking along the River Meon, that would against mink, and it comprises of a large release site. So with 12 months clear, the go ahead was given to “Follies – Google earth” and you can see have been at least 5 years ago; before the © Elaina Whittaker-Slark floating platform with a tunnel on the top. start reintroduction of water voles. As many of you may have water vole disappeared following predation lots of follies all over the UK. If you are Inside the tunnel is a cartridge containing a seen on either national or local TV, the first release of 200 animals from the American non-native mink. fond of a folly in the SDNP, please email permanently wet pad of clay which picks up took place at Titchfield Haven in the last week of June. This will be The River Meon runs for 49 kilometres the footprints of any small mammals passing followed by a further 250 animals in August. This release heralds [email protected] with a photo (of which 33kms are within the SDNP through the tunnel. When regular inspection the start of a reintroduction programme, with releases planned and a map reference. We can then feature boundary), rising just south of the village of the clay indicates a mink has passed over for each of the next 3 years between April and September. more follies in a future issue. of East Meon and running west towards the raft, a live trap is then inserted into the The programme involves close collaboration between a number West Meon, before turning due south again tunnel to capture the mink. We currently Nore Folly, near Slindon West Sussex. Grid ref SU 960090 of partner organisations, with volunteers working closely with towards the coast and entering the sea at have 30 rafts in operation, moving towards members from The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Titchfield Haven. A typical Hampshire chalk our goal of a raft on every kilometre of Trust, SDNPA, The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, The stream, it is used extensively for fly fishing the river. In every issue we will display a Please also supply a succinct Environment Agency, Hampshire County Council, local fly fishing and provides a high quality habitat along new ‘Pic in the Park’. So send description of 50 words and This network of rafts is supported by a clubs and The Derek Gow Consultancy. the majority of its length for the likes of the in a photo of a quirky corner, give details of its precise team of eight South Downs volunteers, water vole. Now with the reintroduction well underway, we look forward special place or hidden gem location, such as its grid monitoring progress with bi-monthly phone to the return of the sights and sounds of water voles along the that you think would suit this reference or post code, The original project started in 2009 with calls to landowners and regular visits to banks of the River Meon. feature. Just email so we can state where to the objective of controlling mink from collect, repair and return rafts. A number [email protected] find it (please note, it must the area in preparation for water vole of volunteers have also been trained in Chris Page, Volunteer Ranger, Western Downs be publicly accessible). © Russell Cleaver reintroduction. Local landowners attended surveying and water safety, so they can 4 5 DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN South Downs Know Your Downs Volunteer Budgets Ranger Service update For any enquiries, It may have slipped the attention of volunteers, but we currently please contact us at: have approval to spend cash from our own VRS area budgets. It can even be spent on social activities! This is the direct result Stanmer Offices of the November 2012 VRS Committee meeting, when my Stanmer Park Lewes Road proposal to allocate specific funds annually to each of the four Brighton BN1 9SE National Park areas was approved. 01273 698256 In any year, if volunteers in an area receive The VRS Committee member for each [email protected] specific donations or earn income for work area must apply to the VRS financial sub- undertaken, 50% of those monies can be committee for approval. The members Ian Hartle spent by the volunteers concerned on are: R. Wilder, VRS Chair; N. Brooke, VRS Volunteer Co-ordinator items of their own choice. The rest of the Treasurer; N. Egerton, Central Downs monies remain in the overall VRS ‘pot’. If an representative; S. Allberry, Weald & Heath 07866 961548 area does not receive any such income or representative and C. Hicks, Eastern [email protected] donations during the year, a sum of £150 Downs representative. Every claim must be will be allocated to that area to spend backed up by an invoice and/or receipt, and Vicky Wakefield-Jarrett instead (e.g. Central Downs for 2013). payment is then made by a VRS cheque. Volunteer Admin Assistant Why are we being so generous with our The chart below shows the sums accrued Blackdown 01273 698256 funds? Our intention is to try to spend in each area that is now available to spend Do you ever wonder what there is to explore in other parts vicky.wakefield-jarrett@ some of the VRS largesse for the benefit of (correct as of July 2013). Please support us of the National Park? There’s so much to see and do that it’s all volunteers. Also, over the last few years by suggesting ideas to the VRS Committee southdowns.gov.uk our funds have grown and we have no need and help spend this money! hard to know where to start! This Know Your Downs feature During February and March to retain a large cash surplus. Nevill Brooke, Hon. Treasurer, South will share some of the South Downs’ secrets with you, and in thisCris year Savill the VRS did some Volunteer Task Co-ordinator So, as of last November, the VRS Downs VRS this edition, we’re looking at Blackdown. scrub clearance along with Committee agreed we should spend area Area £ Comments Blackdown, just south of Haslemere, is the In 1967 a Spanish airliner crashed into 01243 811533 budgets on anything that benefits the Natural England on the Eastern Downs 319.00 Available highest hill top within the South Downs the hill side killing 37 people including National Park and its volunteers. Each area 07866 961598 Wealden Heaths 160.00 Available National Park, peaking at 919 feet (280 a young British actress named June slopes of Kingley Vale, an can decide how they spend their money, [email protected] Central Downs 150.00 Available metres) above sea level. The famous Thorburn. Thorburn was most famous for internationally famous nature and the volunteers must agree on what panoramic view over the Park is seen best her role as the Fairy Queen in the film they want. For example, social events, Western Downs 375.00 Balance reserve.Dan Cornell Our aim was to from a place named the ‘Temple of the ‘Tom Thumb’. specialised tools and bespoke training improveHeathland the Officer chalk grassland Less 125.00 Summer Winds’ on the southern side of the hill. courses or talks are just some examples social Today most of Blackdown is owned by habitat,01730 817945a task which proved of things that can be funded. People have been living on Blackdown the National Trust as it was donated to 250.00 Available to07917 be both 602380 demanding and since the mesolithic times and an old them by W.E. Hunter back in 1948. [email protected] enjoyable. sunken track runs from Haslemere to Over the last ten years, with help from the summit, called “Pen-y-Bos” which may the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Dan Oakley have meant ‘the end of the cattle trail’. Wealden Greensand Heath Project, the Also situated on this hilltop is a large National Trust has brought back the lost Ranger – Western Area Huge windfall for VRS Bronze Age burial mound. heath to the top of the hill and fenced it 02392 572619 Christmas has arrived early for the South and Mid-Sussex councils in to enable traditional cattle grazing on Blackdown had a telegraph station built Downs VRS! Thanks to persistent hard donated their share to the VRS. the site. Consequently biodiversity has 07557 923843 near its summit, one of seven which were work by Phil Belden, SDNPA Director of doubled in rare species and the open [email protected] This is wonderful news for the VRS, so the used strategically from 1796 to 1816, to Operations, it has just been announced views are once more visible. challenge is now for the VRS Committee, enable messages to travel via Semaphore that the VRS coffers are to be swollen by a with input from all Volunteer Rangers, to quickly from London to Portsmouth Blackdown is visited by numerous staggering £30,000. In short, following the decide how best to utilise these funds. If we and back again for the Admiralty of the walkers, cyclists and horse riders, who formal wind-up of the South Downs Joint are creative we might even be able to use British Fleet. go there to look out on the wonderful Committee, there was a surplus remaining, this money as matched-funding to achieve patchwork quilted landscape of the South so Phil approached the contributing Lord Alfred Tennyson, who was Poet even more! So please get your thinking caps Downs National Park with its woods, authorities to ask if they would consider Laureate of the United Kingdom during on – the VRS Committee needs your ideas! hedgerows, fields and hidden villages. allocating their surplus portion to the VRS, much of Queen Victoria’s reign, fell in to ‘protect, conserve and enhance the Nevill Brooke, Hon. Treasurer, love with Blackdown and built Aldworth South Downs’. As a result, Natural England, South Downs VRS House just below the summit in 1868. Adur, Arun, Brighton & Hove, Chichester, 6 7 DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN

In each new edition of Downland Thymes Welcoming our we’d like to introduce you to some of our new starters. This month, say hello new starters to Hannah Grimes and Geoff Ferguson. Hannah Grimes involved analysing lots of blood samples. office jobs were available, but I didn’t want I now work as a Laboratory Technician in that. I saw an article in the Eastbourne Area: I volunteer with the their Microbiology department, looking at Herald in December about the group so I Sunday Midhurst group. bacteria and fungus all day. contacted Anne Bush to see if volunteers My first day with the VRS: Recommended activity in the National were needed. Whilst in West Wales I did some work for West Wales Wildlife Trust; Coppicing chestnut on Park: Walking the South Downs Way near I helped look after one of their reserves the Cowdray Estate to Bignor. Great views of both the North at West Williamston as a volunteer. I have create habitat for the Pearl Downs and the sea on a clear day. Bordered Fritillary. become more interested in this work over the years as my elder daughter is a Senior How I got involved with the VRS: Geoff Ferguson Ecologist specialising in Bats. I used to do conservation volunteering Area: I volunteer on Unusual fact about myself: at university and I really enjoyed it. After Thursdays at Seven Sisters. Probably my finishing university I got a job working in mixing of heavy rock music with rambling a laboratory and I moved to Pulborough. My first day with the VRS: with Beachy Head Ramblers whilst finding I got fed up with being stuck inside all day I went out with the group time to support Eastbourne Borough and wanted to get out in the countryside to FC and running two allotments – time Silver-Studded success and meet new people. I had a look on the where a new fence was management is important! being woven and some scrub cleared; it Chapel Common, situated between Rake and Liphook in the internet and found out about the VRS. Recommended activity in the National was a case of mucking in and learning some It was one of the few groups that offered Park: Being a member of Beachy Head far west of Sussex, is a regular work site for volunteer rangers weekend tasks and I thought it would be new skills. The group were very welcoming to a newcomer and I enjoyed it so much Ramblers, I am bound to say rambling. based at Midhurst. Work tasks include scrub clearance and in a good way to get to know the South There are so many vistas, from the Seven Downs better. I returned. The agency we were working the summer, ragwort clearance. The site has developed into a for handed out a late Christmas present of Sisters to walking in Friston Forest to very good heathland site, with a healthy colony of Silver-Studded Unusual fact about myself: I studied Lullington Heath, then again along the shortbread, and I thought: ‘If this is what it is Blue butterflies. geography and geology at university. I then like every week, I might as well sign up!’ Ouse taking in Rodmell, then up Itford Hill got a job at the University of Surrey in to Beddingham and Mount Caburn. So their Nutrition department, researching How I got involved: I returned to many walks, so little time! The Silver-Studded Blue, which is on the fly over any natural barriers. The result of the use of fish oil supplements for the Eastbourne from Pembrokeshire in 2006. wing in June and July, is a red data list this is that it is very site-bound, and unlikely management of cardiovascular risk. This Initially when I tried to join I was told only species i.e. amongst the most threatened of to naturally colonise any new heathland British butterfly species. The excellent work sites. Lowland heaths are extremely carried out by conservation volunteers has vulnerable to attack from colonising species been hugely beneficial to the colony, making such as birch, gorse and scots pine which Conundrum available a significantly larger potential can quickly infiltrate a site and rapidly shade “The camel is the only animal I decided to do a little research on the verification but the best I could come up breeding area as a result of clearance work. out and ultimately destroy the heather. that cannot swim – because internet in an idle moment, which reinforced with is: The Silver-Studded Blue has a very The Chapel Common site has shown my scientific training of too long ago i.e. • Camels (at least dromedaries) CAN swim; interesting life cycle. The butterflies lay their improved population numbers despite its balance is wrong, so that its ‘define your terms and specify what you eggs at the base of emerging heather plants. the tough weather conditions of the last head goes under water and it mean’. So, what is an ‘animal’? To keep it • Humans don’t swim instinctively, they The caterpillar hatches out and feeds on two summers. With continued active drowns”. simple, let’s say we will limit this to non- have to be taught; the heather. It also develops a symbiotic management by the SDNP and its aquatic land mammals (including marsupials). • Large primates (gorillas, orang-utans) may relationship with black ants: The caterpillar volunteer rangers, numbers will hopefully Ref. Everybody’s Pocket Companion compiled by And, what is ‘swimming’? Does this include be able to float but can’t swim, but most secretes honeydew from a gland on its continue to improve for many years to A. Mercer, M.R.S.T – ca. 1935. just floating about without being able to monkeys can swim; back which feeds the ants, and in return, the come. Endangered butterflies are a good make any useful headway? Does sinking but I came across this statement in an old ants protect the caterpillar. The caterpillar indicator of the health of a site, because holding one’s breath and walking along the • Giraffes and kangaroos can swim; booklet the other day and it set me thinking, pupates either on the ground or within the of their demanding habitat requirements. bottom until you get to the other side still so I posed the question “what is the only • Most armadillos can’t swim (but one ant’s nest. Detailed population monitoring provides a count? And does the swimming have to be animal that can’t swim?” to a group of species can), nor can pangolins, anteaters measure of the success of the conservation instinctive or is it still ‘allowable’ if it has to be When it hatches into a butterfly, the volunteer rangers when we were travelling and aardvarks (their body armour work undertaken. taught? Does ‘swimming’ mean just the ability Silver-Studded Blue crawls to the top of the out to task in the Land Rover. weights them down); to survive in water and if so, for how long? heather plants and pumps up its wings in the For more details about the life of British Top: Volunteers relaxing during a day’s work; Lots of life experience and some weighty Let’s say we will treat swimming as being • The jury seems to be out on hippos. sunshine. Only the males of the species are butterfly species, visit the Butterfly Middle: Male Silver-Studded blue; Bottom: Female Silver-Studded blue. intellects were present, I thought. But the instinctive ability to be able to breathe blue, the females are brown. The average life Conservation web page. P.S. Please do not attempt any of the butterfly is estimated at only 3-5 days, after the initial stunned shock and some comfortably when fully buoyant in (fresh) still, P.S. The 2013 season has kicked into life empirical testing. although it can live for longer. embarrassed squirming about in seats water and make purposeful headway for at with reasonable numbers of Silver-Studded (this question clearly confirmed that I was least 10 minutes without drowning. P.P.S. Elephants can’t jump (but who would The butterfly definitely has breeding on its Blues being seen. more than a little strange), they decided to want them to anyway?) Well, what a minefield of unverified data mind when it emerges. It is an extremely Arthur Greenwood, Volunteer humour me with a few suggestions (not all there is available on the internet, and what Martin Cowell, Volunteer Ranger, sedentary species, often not moving more Ranger and butterfly enthusiast, rude). However, it soon became blindingly a lot of it conflicts! Don’t ask me for any Western Downs than a few metres from where it hatched. It Wealden Heaths obvious that no-one had the answer! is also very low-flying, so will not normally 8 9 DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN The road to folly Not long ago I drove along the A272 towards Winchester: I was The story I heard was that a small sarsen megalith had been constructed here by on the hunt for a curious circle of stones. I had heard that a circle a Colonel Greenwood in the 1830s. It is of stones existed near Bramdean as a sort of folly, but it was now said that the Colonel had been advised lost under weeds. I felt rather foolish, stopping by the roadside to by doctors to take up more exercise for his health, so he transported stones by look for rocks, but once I arrived I found it worth the visit. wheelbarrow to build himself a megalith. However, what I discovered was difficult to decipher: just a lot of big rocks hidden in undergrowth. But here began an idea for a VRS project to reveal a lost nineteenth century folly. Western Area rangers were supportive of the idea that volunteers could undertake this project, but it took them a while to convince both the local parish council and landowner that we would enhance the site. At last we obtained approval, and upon arrival our plan was to clear the stones of undergrowth and make them more visible for modern travellers along the A272. They needed a lot of clearance; several stones had been dislodged by a large hazel, which needed the caress of a chainsaw to release it. Once revealed, we found eighteen large stones lying in rough groups. They appeared to form perhaps five mini-cromlechs or megaliths, two remaining intact. We saw that the stones themselves lay upon a circular The river platform about 8 metres in diameter. It looked as if the surrounding land had once been quarried, leaving these large stones prominent. For what purpose the stones were originally placed here was impossible to guess. Idiosyncratic and certainly useless, flying squad they bear all the hallmarks of a genuine folly. The good Colonel must have been a very In June, a number of Western Downs volunteers, area team monthly health checks on a specific patch eccentric one. staff, anglers and conservationists learnt about monitoring the of water. The long-term objective is to work But to try and reassemble even one with stakeholders to extend this activity to of the fallen cromlechs was sadly out health of water courses. The chalk stream of the river Meon at the upper Rother and others parts of the of the question. Besides needing the Warnford provided the perfect backdrop, with waders, nets and South Downs National Park. landowner’s permission, these stones are microscopes as the tools for the day. We were lucky to be joined by Dr Cyril heavy. Reconstruction work would require Bennett, the pioneer of this work who health and safety approval, so we left that Invertebrates of rivers provide the essential The monitoring scheme, used alongside has just been awarded an MBE for his argument for another day. component to river ecology and the species routine monitoring by the Environment dedication to river conservation. He is also Russell Cleaver, Volunteer and numbers act as indicators to the health Agency, ensures that water quality is known as ‘the man with two labs’: one being Ranger, Western Downs of the river. checked more widely and action is taken at his faithful dog, and the other is a science the earliest opportunity should any issues Nationally launched in March 2007, the lab that he hand-built in his van! be detected. It also acts as a deterrent to Riverfly Partnership promotes and manages Nick Heasman, Area Manager, incidental polluters. the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative. They run Western Downs a one-day workshop where they train The aim of this recent workshop was to attendees in a simple monitoring technique train a group of supporters on the river From top: Riverfly monitoring aka messing about which can be used to detect any severe Meon, with the VRS complementing the in the water; Small invertebrates including fresh perturbations in river water quality. work of others by becoming guardians: water shrimps olives and a bullhead fish; Riverfly From top: The stones before, during and after clearance. addressing the ‘gaps’ and carrying out monitoring training workshop. © Nick Heasman © Russell Cleaver 10 11 DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN DOWNLAND THYMES AUTUMN

Continued from page 5 of May’s edition of Following in Downland Thymes. Your reviews This section is all about sharing reviews of your favourite things. Volunteers, please send us Tell us about books you’ve read, pubs you’ve visited, tools or your reviews of pubs that you gadgets you’ve used or even websites that you’d recommend to think deserve a Traditional Inn Award. We’re talking about good the FootstepsPart two of two other volunteers. Email your reviews to [email protected] old-fashioned public houses, rather than with a picture and up to 100 words description. gastro pubs or themed inns. We want King Guthrum seized Chippenham and Alfred undertook the role of his godfather. of between 4,000 and 5,000 men (Thegns) to know about places where you don’t used this as his base from which to try and The treaty known as the Peace of Wedmore – effectively an army of about 2,000 at any need to take your boots off before destroy the Wessex forces. Many who lived allowed Gudrum to retire to live in the East time. He developed a rota system so that TRADITIONAL crossing the threshold! Send us a photo in Hampshire fled to the Isle of Wight, at that Anglia region. half of his fyrd were allowed to till their and 100 words to explain why the pub time populated by Jutes. land whilst the other half provided a rapid INN AWARD Alfred understood that the pillaging of you nominate should be recognised. reaction force. Alfred was proving himself to be an monasteries by the Danes had robbed intelligent and resourceful innovator with his kingdom of historically important Sporadic hostilities between Saxons and firmly held Christian beliefs, able to inspire written manuscripts and about this time he Danes continued, and in 886 London Shepherd and Dog, The Street, those loyal to him. He clearly understood determined to learn Latin. He achieved his was claimed from Danish occupation and Fulking, Henfield, West Sussex many of the Vikings’ tactics which included aim and was able not only to read and write agreement was reached that the country be BN5 9LU the use of their ships to conduct lightning in Latin but to translate many acquired Latin divided into two zones. The Danes would raids, the pillaging of monasteries, nunneries manuscripts into his own language. He used rule the east and the north under Danelaw The Shepherd and Dog pub is a great place and churches for wealth and horses, their use the knowledge that he gained to try and and the Saxon Law would hold for the south to stop in for refreshments if you’re out and of hostages for ransom and their demands of improve the laws of his kingdom, to support and west. By now, the northern boundary about near Fulking. The owners recently payment of ‘geld’ to be left alone. the recording of important matters in the of the Kingdom of Wessex stretched from launched their own brewery (visit Anglo Saxon Chronicles and to improve the the Severn Estuary to the River Thames and www.downlandsbrewery.com for Despite his chronic ill health (now believed lot of his people. included London. information) and you’ll find plenty of freshly to be the inflammatory bowel or Crohn’s prepared and locally sourced food on the disease), Alfred mobilised his troops, adapted Divisions of land into Shires had started During his reign, Alfred organised a trained menu. With gnarled oak beams, wobbly the tactics of his enemy and waged guerrilla before Alfred’s reign and he began to cavalry, re-thought battle plans and vastly walls and an inglenook fireplace, it’s a cosy warfare against his enemies. In May 878 he encourage local government and the improved the Wessex fleet to form what place to while away a few hours. fought Guthrum at Edington (Wiltshire) formation of ‘burhs’. He consolidated the eventually became the British Navy. In 896, and chased the Danes back to Chippenham. defences of his kingdom by fortifying key areas with nine new ships, his men began to win Downland Thymes Editorial Team After a siege of two weeks, Guthrum along its borders of land and sea. Often the some coastal sea battles. One of these was surrendered to him under terms demanded burhs were on previously developed sites, in the Solent, and resulted in the Danish by Alfred. These required that Guthrum be improved by throwing up mounds, building marauders having to beach their boats at the Book Club baptised a Christian and the ceremony was turf covered ramparts and on occasion, mouth of a river and flee for their lives. conducted at Wedmore in Somerset when erecting palisades of wood. Some re-used ‘A272, An Ode to a Road’ by Caption competition He also established schools and promoted Our winner Iron Age fortifications or the sites of Roman Can you create a witty caption for learning and literacy whilst assembling a Pieter Boogaart from the May forts. At Lewes, the fortification was built on a recognised legal code and Anglo Saxon law. This book is not new, it was first published in this photograph? Email your ideas edition: promontory with a simple ditch and bank. His Christian beliefs were unwavering and 1999 and has since been subsequently revised to [email protected] All these defences were funded by giving around 888 he built Shaftesbury Abbey, the and updated. It is well worth reading as it is free plots of land to settlers who were then first religious house for women only, and now regarded as somewhat of a cult classic. required to cover the cost and subsequent installed his youngest daughter Aethelgifu as The book is ingeniously set out and summaries defence of the works. The system was the first Abbess of a Benedictine Nunnery. the road, its features, follies and fellow based on ‘hideage’. The hide was a unit of He died on October 26 899 aged 50, and travellers within ten miles north and south as measurement of the amount of land needed was succeeded by his son Edward the Elder. it travels from East Sussex to Winchester. And to support a family and varied according to Initially buried at the Old Minster, Winchester, thus it covers most of the National Park. It the quality of the land in a particular area. his bones were later disinterred and re-buried delivers much more than the dreaded words In general, one man was needed to defend in Hyde Abbey, but they were lost when it ‘guide book’ would suggest – the author wittily and maintain one hide of 1.26 m (about 4 ft). was destroyed during the reformation. describes the many quirks of history, buildings, For every acre breadth of wall,16 hides were landscape and people required. There were 33 burhs in total, spaced His many achievements still have a bearing that inhabit the area we about 30km (19miles) apart and including on our lives and it is good that he may have know, live and volunteer “The tough Southampton (150 hides), Porchester (500 enjoyed so many areas in the green and in. And it also mentions woodland hides), Lewes (1300 hides) and Hastings pleasant land of the SDNP where we follow the follies we feature camouflage shorts (500 hides). Present day Lewes was a burh in his footsteps! He merits his unique English in this issue of the Jim had ordered recorded as Laewe in the Burghal Hideage. monarchy title of Alfred the Great. were not as Downland Thymes. In the next issue we’ll publish the winning caption, judged by Defence of these burhs required about Shirley Brice, Volunteer Ranger, expected”. Seven Sisters Country Park Russell Cleaver, the editorial team. We’ll also be looking for more photos for 25,000 men, garrisons known as the Volunteer Ranger, future editions of Downland Thymes, so send us your funny Graham Wynne, Burgware. Alfred also had a field army (fyrd) Western Downs photos of volunteers at work or play. Western Area Team

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News from the Authority Chair re-appointed and new Deputy Chair Organisational South Downs wins elected for SDNPA Margaret Paren OBE has been re-elected HLF funding to as Chair of the South Downs National Park restructure and the VRS Authority, for the third year, at a full meeting of the Authority on Tuesday 18 June 2013. If you were at the VRS annual meeting, you will have uncover secret history Norman Dingemans was appointed as Plans to uncover the history of the South I’m sure the VRS members will be key Deputy Chair at the same meeting following heard that the National Park Authority has just started Downs National Park using airborne laser to this part of the programme, helping us a vote by all Members. The two roles a staff consultation into an organisational restructure. technology (Lidar) and local communities to carefully clear sites on the ground and became effective immediately for a period on the ground have won £661,800 funding allowing us to discover the secret history of one year. from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). of the area”. The current staff structure was put in place 2. This strategic function will be supported management. For now it should be ‘business Margaret Paren OBE was elected Chair of to meet the needs of the organisation by day-to-day management from the as usual’ for the VRS, as the old structure While the South Downs is famous for She adds: “There are a few aerial South Downs National Park Authority at the during its initial start-up phase. Since four area teams at a local level, allowing will continue until the staff consultation is Iron and Bronze Age monuments such as photographs of this area which open a Authority’s inaugural meeting on 20 April the formation of the National Park, the volunteers to build stronger relationships completed and the various posts have been Cissbury Ring and Winchester Hill, more tantalising window into the South Downs’ 2010. Margaret’s working career was spent in Authority has been developing various with their local rangers, with tasks and filled. However, please bear with us during than 17,000 ha of the National Park lies hidden past. There is so much that we Whitehall, mainly in the Ministry of Defence policies and planning for the future of the projects directly managed in the local area. this transitional time, as these proposed under ancient forest, meaning that almost don’t know about the history of the but also with spells in the Cabinet Office South Downs, and now the Partnership changes will have an impact on some nothing is known about the ancient people who lived here and if we don’t and in the National Audit Office. After taking 3. The new structure recommends a Management Plan is in consultation, we’re individuals within the organisation. history of this area. ‘Hidden landscapes know what’s there how can we protect early retirement she became involved in local centralised admin function for the moving towards a new delivery phase: of the ’ will survey the most it for the future?” community activities and the Campaign for organisation, which will include the VRS, The consultation will run until the beginning where we embed these policies and turn densely wooded area between the river the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) and which should mean that issues such as of September and it is planned that the With 38,000 hectares of woodland, the ambitious projects into reality. The proposed Arun and the A3. from 2001 she was heavily engaged in the uniform procurement, collating of task new structure should be in place towards South Downs National Park has a greater staff restructure is aligned to this delivery South Downs, both as a campaigner for the reports, organising training etc. will be the end of the calendar year, probably by Anne Bone, who leads on Cultural area of tree coverage than any other programme, so that teams can work more National Park and as a member of the South dealt with by a dedicated officer backed late November 2013. We appreciate that Heritage at the South Downs National National Park in England and Wales. collaboratively and efficiently. Downs Joint Committee. up by a central admin team, rather you may have concerns, or you may wish to Park Authority said: “This is the first time This varies from ancient yew forests to In terms of volunteering, we have taken on than out in the areas or through a take this opportunity to tell us your ideas that the area under the trees will be modern plantations, but nearly half of Norman Dingemans was brought up in board your feedback from the VRS review, chain of requests. about the future of the VRS. Please send mapped in such detail. Lidar technology the woodland (45 per cent) is classed as Steyning where his father was a local GP and and there are a few key changes for you to your comments to VRScomments@ fitted in a small plane will direct a laser ancient or semi-natural woods meaning before the designation of the National Park The roles of Volunteer Coordinator and be aware of: southdowns.gov.uk. This inbox will at the ground and measure the reflected that the land has been under constant was a long-standing member of the South Volunteer Task Coordinator are not in the be monitored by Human Resources, who light. This data will then be analyzed to tree cover for more than 400 years. Downs Joint Committee. He completed a 1. The proposed new structure will include proposed new structure, but there will will share your responses with me and the create a 3D map showing all the ‘lumps full career in the Royal Navy followed by a dedicated officer who will work be a new post of Volunteer Development The project will be led by the South Senior Management Team as part of the and bumps’ under the trees. fifteen years in Investment and Healthcare strategically to coordinate the South Officer. The Volunteer Support Officer will Downs National Park Authority, in restructure process. businesses. He has been a District Councillor Downs Volunteer Ranger Service across become part of the Corporate Services “In the final stage we will be working partnership with Chichester District for Arun since 1995, was Leader of the the National Park, as well as promoting team, and there will also be a new assistant Phil Belden with local archaeologists and community Council and with the support of West Council from 2002 to 2006 and is presently the diversification and development of ranger post in each of the Area teams, to Director of Operations groups to investigate these sites further. Sussex and Hampshire County Councils. Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration volunteering in the future. support the team with the day-to-day VRS and Cultural Development.

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Each issue we meet one of Getting to know you! the South Downs team.

Name: programme of works is all about making it easier for National Park visitors to Allison Thorpe travel more sustainably by walking, cycling Job title: or using public transport. We have also recently won a bid for more funds for Access and Recreation Strategy Lead cycle routes in the National Park. What’s your recommended What does your role How might volunteers be activity in the South involve? involved in your projects? Downs National Park? I am responsible for pulling together There are many opportunities for the VRS It’s too difficult to answer with just one the access, recreation and sustainable to get involved in access and sustainable recommendation! Right now I would say travel sections of the draft Partnership travel work. Last year the VRS worked take a walk that finishes at a pub, then sit Management Plan. Over the last eighteen with the Hampshire CC Rights of Way outside and drink in the view along with months or so I have been working with team to make substantial improvements your favourite tipple. local highways authorities on projects to some of the bridleways in the Bishops funded through the Dept. for Transport’s Waltham area, making them more In the next issue, we’ll be interviewing Anne Bone, Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The accessible for all users. Cultural Heritage Strategy Lead. If you’d like to ask Anne a question, email [email protected] Obituary – Alan Holyoake Love it or hate it… I first met Alan in the autumn of 1995; Sisters Country Park right up until he died. …Tell us your thoughts about we joined the VRS at the same time and Downland Thymes. What new Many Volunteer Rangers attended his funeral. attended our training together. I know I shall really, really miss him. He was a features would you like to see? In the early years, there weren’t too many shining example of someone ‘whose like we Which articles did you like? Would Rangers on the Eastern Area weekend rota, will never meet again’. you prefer to read it online? so we worked together almost every month. Karen Ingrams, Volunteer Ranger, Downland Thymes is put together I was always pleased to see Alan’s name on Seven Sisters weekend group the same rota; he was always so cheerful, by an editorial team, made up of up-beat and friendly and he was guaranteed SDNPA communications team to make me laugh with his home-made jokes. members, the VRS team and Russell Sometimes we talked about his wartime and service memories. Clearing a path on Cleaver from the VRS Committee. Lullington Heath together, we discovered a We’d love to hear your views, so World War II grenade, which Alan recognised please send your feedback to immediately, calling an immediate halt to [email protected] or to the day. Driving home later, I saw the bomb [email protected] disposal squad heading for the site. Alan worked many more days each month If you’d like to download a copy than the one day we were expected to; I of Downland Thymes, visit the know there were years when he put in more National Park website: time than a full-time staff member! However, www.southdowns.gov.uk/ latterly, Alan had to give up the weekend get-involved/volunteering/ rota, saying that the physical tasks had got the volunteer-ranger-service better of him – although he had continued well into his 80s! He carried on with his daily Alan at Seven Sisters Country Park, where hundreds litter picks and other jobs around Seven of fish died during the heatwave of 2003.

Downland Thymes: News for the South Design: IndiaRabey.co.uk (0130) Source: Carbon footprint data evaluated Downs Volunteer Ranger Service. by FactorX in accordance with the Bilan Paper stock: Issue 61, Autumn: August, September, Printed on Cyclus Offset, Carbone® methodology. Calculations October 2013. © SDNPA. 100% recycled paper. Please recycle after use. are based on a comparison between the recycled paper used versus a virgin fibre The information contained in this newsletter By using this recycled paper rather than a non-recycled paper the environmental paper according to the latest European was, as far as known, correct at the date BREF data (virgin fibre) available. Results are of issue. The South Downs National impact was reduced by: 32 kg of landfill; 14kg of CO2 of greenhouse gases; 141 km travel obtained according to technical information Park Authority cannot, however, accept and are subject to modification. responsibility for any error or omission. in the average European car; 754 litres of water; 150 kWh of energy; 52 kg of wood.