Thankful for Our Farmers
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FREE SOUTHDOWNS VIEW SPRING/SUMMER 2020 Thankful 10 for our wildlife farmers success PAGE 14 stories PAGE 10 clothingWIN and more! Columbia THE FIRST 10 YEARS HOW HAVE WE DONE ...........................4 BECOME A NATIONAL PARK CUSTODIAN.............................6 PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT PLAN 2020–2025 ................ 7 YOUR NATIONAL PARK ................................................................8 PHOTO COMPETITION WINNERS 2019/20 ...........................9 10 WILDLIFE SUCCESS STORIES................................................ 10 The South WHERE WILL YOUR ADVENTURE TAKE YOU... .................... 12 Downs Centre THANKFUL FOR OUR FARMERS ............................................... 14 Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9DH HOUNDS ON THE DOWNS/BECOME A DOG 01730 814810 AMBASSADOR ................................................................................15 Home of the National Park Authority, THE AQUIFER PARTNERSHIP ..................................................... 16 a community hub, visitor information centre and exhibition about the TREE-MENDOUS!/CALLING ALL HORSE RIDERS .................17 National Park. DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS 2019 ........................................... 18 SPRING/SUMMER 2020 Opening Hours A 300TH BIRTHDAY ...................................................................... 19 Following government guidance the This magazine is printed on 100% FSC® recycled paper. This FSC® paper is sourced from FSC® certified mills and is from South Downs Centre is currently sustainable sources. closed to visitors. Please keep an eye Please CONTENTS recycle me on our website for details of when it is after use reopened southdowns.gov.uk Front cover photograph; Hare © Andrew Huttly INFORMATION POINTS are currentlyinformation closed centres so please use the websites Aldershot Visitor Information Horsham Visitor Information Tourist Centre Centre to find information. visit-hampshire.co.uk visithorsham.co.uk Arundel Visitor Information Point Lewes Tourist Information Centre arundel.org.uk visitlewes.co.uk Bognor Regis Visitor Information Littlehampton Tourist Information Point Centre sussexbythesea.com sussexbythesea.com Brighton Tourist Information Petersfield Town Visitor Centre Point visitpetersfield.com visitbrighton.com Seaford Tourist Information Burgess Hill Tourist Information Centre Centre seafordtown.co.uk burgesshill.gov.uk/leisuretourism Worthing Visitor Information Chichester Tourist Information Centre Centre discoverworthing.uk visitchichester.org Winchester City Mill and Shop Eastbourne Tourist Information visitwinchester.co.uk/winchester- Centre city-mill-shop Keep up to date with all South visiteastbourne.com Winchester Tourist Information Downs news by signing up to our Haslemere Visitor Information Centre monthly newsletter – southdowns. gov.uk/join-the-newsletter Centre visitwinchester.co.uk haslemere.com/vic 2 SOUTH DOWNS VIEW – SPRING/SUMMER 2020 Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the South Downs National Park. This year is very special for the South Downs National Park. It was 10 years ago that a vision became a reality. After years of passionate campaigning, England’s newest National Park was born, designating 1600km2 of special landscape with its breathtaking views, unique heritage and communities and our wildlife by sticking to the path, keeping hidden gems for the benefit of the nation. dogs on the lead around livestock, taking your litter home and The designation was only possible because of the spirited avoid disturbing ground nesting birds and other wildlife”. and tireless work of campaigners, who strove to give the South We had lots of events planned to celebrate our 10th Downs the recognition and protection it deserved since being anniversary but due to the current situation a lot of these are identified as one of 12 potential National Parks all the way back postponed or cancelled. We hope to extend our anniversary in 1947. celebrations into 2021 so keep an eye on our website for the The National Park’s special qualities are as important today most up-to-date information. as they were then and, indeed, a decade ago. This celebration Over the first few pages of this South Downs View you’ll edition of South Downs View brings you a taster of top find an infographic outlining some of the many achievements achievements from the last ten years, from designation of the the Authority and our partners have made in the first decade South Downs Dark Sky Reserve to otter population increases. since we became a National Park. We then look forward Although this is a special year for the South Downs, globally to our ambitious plans with our partners for the next five it is also proving to be a challenging one with the COVID-19 years with our new Partnership Management Plan. You virus sweeping the world. As you will know things are changing can read the full document online at southdowns.gov.uk/ rapidly. Please make sure you always follow up-to-date PartnershipManagementPlan. Government guidance when getting outside. You can find While we’re all responsibly staying closer to home, why not the latest information on accessing the National Park and on plan for a time when we can have new adventures. Check out the running of the Authority during this difficult period on our pages 10 and 11 for a map of the National Park with some website southdowns.gov.uk/national-park-authority/our- attractions and nature spots to get you inspired for a post- work/coronavirus-covid-19-update/ COVID adventure. A word from our Chief Executive Trevor Beattie You can keep up to date with all the news of the South “We understand this remains a very testing time for people Downs National Park by signing up to our newsletter at and many will want to access the National Park for all its health southdowns.gov.uk/join-the-newsletter. #StaySafe and wellbeing benefits. Our absolute priority remains the safety of our visitors as well as the 117,000 people living and working within the National Park. If you are visiting the National Park, please follow the Government guidelines to keep yourself safe by continuing strict social distancing and avoiding hotspots or popular locations. Please also remember that our farmers Rebecca Saunders are working hard to maintain food supplies. Support them, our Editor WIN Family WIN Membership Columbia to the Sussex RucksackCombo and Archaeological Beanie Society We’ve teamed up with UK National Parks kit provider, Columbia Sportswear, to offer South © SDNPA Downs View readers the chance to win a 25 Litre We’re offering one lucky reader a 12 month family rolltop daypack and beanie combo. Simply sign up to membership to the Sussex Archaeological Society. our e-newsletter during May or June to be entered into the Benefits include unlimited visits to their six historic sites draw – southdowns.gov.uk/join-the-newsletter. and museums including Lewes Castle & Museum, Anne of Cleves House Museum and Fishbourne Roman Palace & Gardens, as well as subscriptions to top historic publications, access to a programme of historical events and lots more. To enter simply email [email protected]. uk putting ‘Sussex Past Comp’ in the subject box and your name and contact details in the email. The closing date is June 30th when a winner will be picked at random. Good luck! Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the South Downs National Park. SOUTH DOWNS VIEW – SPRING/SUMMER 2020 3 THE FIRST 10 YEARS, 2. WORKING WITH FARMERS HOW HAVE WE DONE? AND OTHER CUSTODIANS The Authority is working with our farmers to contribute to the development of the Government’s new agri-environment, Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), to ensure 1. NATURE RECOVERY ON A LANDSCAPE SCALE that quality food production can sit alongside sustainable The National Park Authority is providing strategic leadership on nature recovery at a landscape scale, working with our land management that supports the work to combat climate partners to provide rich connected habitats for wildlife, and diverse, living landscapes for people. Our landscape scale work change and reverse biodiversity decline. has delivered nature recovery across many of our key habitats and also led to local successes for rare and endangered wildlife: We are currently running two tests as part of the ELMS test and trials process: HEATHLANDS RESTORATION WOODLAND RESTORATION 11 PARTNERS in the Heathlands Reunited project 120 % FARMS IN... working to restore... 1,200 WOODLAND 67 in the National Park FOOTBALL now under active 12 management SPECIES PITCHES ...worth of heathland will be of native British amphibian improved and expanded 6 and reptile species in the over the five year project FARM CLUSTERS project area COVERING 2/3RDS OF RIVER RESTORATION CHALK GRASSLAND RESTORATION THE NATIONAL PARK ENGAGED 35 4% WITH Sites along the river Meon of the National Park is chalk where water voles are found grassland 125 The Meon Valley Partnership is working 40 different kinds of plants per square metre. together to successfully restore the nationally 5 In 2012 the Duke of Burgundy butterfly land managers WHOLE ESTATE PLANS important chalk river, the Meon. recovered from the brink of extinction to manage our chalk grassland endorsed by the National Park Authority. Breeding otters spotted back on the River Wart-biter bush cricket reintroduced into new Meon chalk grassland habitat in East Sussex 3. INTERNATIONAL 4. IMPROVE ACCESS 5. DISCOVERING AND DARK SKY RESERVE National Parks are created for everyone and we have SHARING OUR CULTURAL worked hard to make the South Downs