Friday, 3 April 2009

Down South

Good news for habitats as Hilary Benn has finally announced the creation of the UK's 9th National Park in approximately 162400 hectares of the South Downs between Winchester and Eastbourne (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/31/south-downs-national-park). The decision admittedly comes more than 60 years after it was first recommended to government but the new status should further curb development in an area already protected as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The South Downs receives almost 40 million visitors per year and contains an array of chalk and clay landscapes with their associated plants and animals. These are regarded as 'fragile'. As one might expect, some business organisations are not enthusiastic about what they see are curbs on development.

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Birder's Bonus 241

Noted a Curlew ( Numenius arquata ) on the Loughor estuary at Bynea.