Let park life begin!
It has been more than 60 years in the making but this week sees the South Downs finally become England's ninth national park.
Campaigners from the Midhurst and Petworth area who had fought long and hard to have the Western Weald included inside the park boundaries, celebrated victory earlier this year when environment secretary Hilary Benn gave the go ahead for the park with Rother Valley area inside it.
But, the final victory came last Thursday when he travelled to Ditchling and signed the order making the South Downs National Park a reality in law.
Now the spotlight falls on Midhurst, where interim chief executive Richard Shaw is working with an establishment team of five to draw up the new National Park Authority.
The membership of the new South Downs National Park Authority is expected to be announced in February next year and the new park will come into existence a month later.
The first members of the National Park Authority will be in post from April 2010. They will, over the following 12 months, agree how the national park will be run and what its priorities should be. During this time, the South Downs will continue to be managed by the South Downs Joint Committee (SDJC).
Martin Beaton, SDJC's countryside officer, said: "We now have a definite boundary and our experienced staff, rangers and conservation volunteers look forward to working with the new National Park Authority members. Together, we will work to establish the best national park for the 21st century and beyond."
The South Downs Campaign (SDC), a network of around 160 organisations, was one of the leading groups calling for the inclusion of the Western Weald inside the park boundary.
This week its chairman Robin Crane said: "Thursday was a fantastic and historic day: the final milestone on the long path to a South Downs National Park.
"It has been a very special privilege to work with a superb team of highly professional and dedicated volunteers and staff and to see the campaign membership grow from five members to 160 that included a unique blend of national, regional and local organisations and, latterly, many parish and town councils.
"I would particularly like to pay a special tribute to our campaign officer Chris Todd, my deputy chairman Margaret Paren from Liss and Ruth Chambers from the Campaign for National Parks.
"Overall, we are delighted and look forward to working with our partners to ensure that the new National Park Authority will be a great success."
Poul Christensen, Natural England's acting chairman, said: "The South Downs is a priceless environmental asset in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. It fully deserves its new national park status which stands out as a statement of ambition for the way landscapes need to be protected and valued in 21st century England."
John Songhurst, chairman of the South Downs Society, said: "This is a proud occasion for the society and all those who have campaigned for the protection of the South Downs. The national park means more can be done to protect our precious wildlife, and enable it to thrive.
"We look forward to working alongside our partners the CPRE, the Ramblers, the wildlife trusts and others, to help the National Park Authority with the challenges it will face in the coming years."
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Weather for Bognor
Sunday 05 February 2012
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