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PICTURE OF THE
MONTH: March
is always a glorious time as nature emerges from the
throes of winter and life starts to appear everywhere you look! This
year the Spring Equinox falls on 20 March and we're looking forward to
the longer evenings to make the most of this wonderful landscape. Here
is a very seasonal image capturing the joy of spring as lesser
celandine blossoms in Hampshire, providing much-needed early nectar for
pollinators. Thanks to Charlie Hellewell for submitting the picture!
If you have an amazing seasonal image, please do email us!
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Beavers about! Boost for National Park wetland
A pair of beavershave been reintroduced to
a South Downs stream to help restore waterways and create a flourishing
wildlife haven.
Europe’s
largest rodent, known as an
“ecosystem engineer” for its remarkable ability to increase biodiversity,
would once have been widespread across the UK but was hunted to
extinction around 400 years ago.
Now a groundbreaking
project, led by Meonside Farm and working with the University of
Southampton and the National Park Authority, has reintroduced the
charismatic creatures to a rare chalk stream near Petersfield. Learn more here.
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Happy
15th birthday! Biodiversity success
stories
Did you
know the South Downs National Park was created to help conserve and
enhance biodiversity?
The 16,000km2
National Park was designated as a haven for nature with some of the
rarest habitats in the world – reptile-rich heathlands, chalk grasslands
brimming with blue butterflies, wildlife-rich wetlands and woodlands full
of bird song.
But, like so much of
Britain in the 20th century, nature had been marginalised in
some parts, often just about surviving in isolated “island” habitats,
leaving some species in danger of local extinction.
The creation of the South Downs National Park has
started to turn the tide on that biodiversity loss, with
concerted efforts over the past 15 years to create bigger, better and
more joined-up habitats where animals and plants can thrive.
As the
National Park celebrates its 15th birthday on 31 March, we're sharing 15 biodiversity success stories that will
add a bit of sunshine to your day!
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Somewhere over the rainbow lies the
Downs...
A dreamy image of
golden fields at the end of a rainbow has won one storm-chasing photographerthe
“People’s Choice” crown in the National Park’s photo competition.
Almost 800 people
voted for their favourite shot from a shortlist of 30, with Jamie
Fielding’s “Over The Rainbow” emerging a clear winner.
The photograph
captures a balmy, humid August evening in the National Park as harvest
time approaches. Find out more here.
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Improving access to the National Park
Around
9km of the Egrets
Wayhas now been delivered to improve access to the
National Park.
The
project officially began in 2011 with the ambition of creating a shared
path following the course of the River Ouse and connecting the villages
between Newhaven and Lewes.
The
latest phase was completed last autumn, delivering just over 3km of
path between Lewes and Southease. Find out more here.
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Makeover for South Downs Way
A
horse-stile that prevented wheelchair users, mobility scooters and
families with buggies from using a section of the South Downs Way has
been removed.
The
refurbishments at Washington, West Sussex, have been completed in time
for the spring as hundreds of people venture out to explore the 5,000-year-old route
that stretches for 100 miles along the South Downs ridge. Learn more here.
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Boost for National Park's bees and butterflies
Efforts
to create new areas of
wildflowers to help bees and butterflies have received
a huge boost.
UK
National Parks has announced a two-year partnership with Howdens, a
leading trade kitchen supplier, to support nature recovery. Find out more.
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Kev's South Downs Way challenge
Many
people choose to walk the South
Downs Way in sections – and this is what we advise to
get the most pleasurable experience!
However,
intrepid Kevin Green is planning to walk the entire 100 miles – without
stopping – to help raise awareness for cancer and the struggles people
face. Find out more here.
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Deadline approaching on key consultation
People are being
urged to have their say as the clock counts down
to the deadline for a major public consultation on the future of the
National Park.
The Local Plan
Review will decide how and where development takes
place in the National Park. Well over 600 comments have been received
from the public so far, including more than 400 through the online
consultation platform and a further 200 via email or post. The deadline for
comments is Monday, 17 March.
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Luke finds
new joy in the South Downs
Meet Luke Walter,
the Digital and Social Media Officer for the National Park Authority. As
you'd expect, Luke spends a lot of his life online and "switched
on"! Yet he writes here about efforts
he's making to connect
with nature in the National Park to bring a new, and
uplifting, rhythm to his day.
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Win a day-out at incredible museum!
The National Park
has teamed up with the very wonderful Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft to offer
free entry for two people.
It comes
as the museum recently unveiled its latest exhibition celebrating the work of Tadek
Beutlich MBE (1922–2011), who was a visionary textile
artist, printmaker and teacher.
Polish-born
Beutlich, who lived in Ditchling in the late 60s and early 70s, was
renowned for his extraordinary tapestries, textile constructions and
large vivid relief prints.
Strikingly large
works created in his Ditchling studio take centre stage in “On and off
the loom”, including Dream
Revealed (1968), an eight-foot-tall weaving created using
unspun jute, mohair and horsehair that has not been seen since it was
shown in Switzerland at the Lausanne Textile Biennale in 1969.
People signing up to
the newsletter during March will be automatically entered into the draw
to win the ticket. Those who are already signed up can email
“winged insect” to newsletter@southdowns.gov.uk
before midnight on 31 March.
Sign up to the newsletter here and see competition T&Cs here.
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Calling all
schools!
Did you know schools in the National Park and surrounding areas can
apply for grants
of up to £1,000 to add wildlife havens to their school
grounds?
Applications are still open! Apply hereor email miriam.swan@southdowns.gov.uk for
more information.
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Things to do in March
Find other events and activities across
the National Park and submit your own. Please remember
booking may be necessary and do check full details with the venue.
- Are you interested in calligraphy? On 14
March you can join Jodie Rose, a calligraphy expert, for an
introduction to pointed pen modern calligraphy in the beautiful
setting of Stansted House's Blue Drawing Room.
- Enjoy a visit to Denmans Garden, Fontwell, on
16 March. Created by Joyce Robinson, a horticulturalist and
pioneer in gravel gardening, the venue is the former home of
influential landscape designer, John Brookes MBE. Denmans is a
Grade II registered post-war garden renowned for its curvilinear
layout and complex plantings.
- Head to Gilbert White’s House and Garden,
Selborne, on 19 March for their Open Greenhouse Day. The
greenhouse will be busy as the propagating team prepare plants
for this season’s planting and sales. Meet the team, find out
about our plant production operation, watch the system in action
and ask questions. Free with admission.
- From 22 March to October, Arundel Museum will be
holding a new exhibition on the history of Arundel Castle
Gardens. Uncovering the changes from the Victorian gardens
through to the transformation of a visitor car park into today’s
wonderful Collector Earl’s Garden and the renewal of the medieval
Stew Ponds.
- Head to Langham’s Brewery, at Lodsworth, on
22 March for the South Downs Festival of Food, Fizz and Firkins.
The festival will have a diverse array of local produce
available to buy and sample – all from within a 50-mile radius
of Lodsworth.
- Coming up over the Easter holidays is a Youth Action Day at Seven Sisters Country Park.
If you’re aged between 16 and 25 and love nature this is for
you! The free event on 12 April will be a chance to immerse
yourself in the landscape and wildlife at Seven Sisters Country
Park. Experienced guides will share their knowledge about the
local flora and fauna. You will be able to marvel at the
breathtaking views of the iconic Seven Sisters cliffs and
breathe in the fresh coastal air.
- Last chance to buy tickets for a comedy night in
Midhurst! TV
sensation Suzi Ruffell will be headlining the
event, which is taking place at the South Downs Centre on 15
March.Suzi is best
known for her appearances of Mock The Week,
The Last Leg, The Jonathon Ross Show, Live At The Apollo,
and Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled.Supporting her
are live circuit favourites - Andrew White and one of
Canada's finest, Will Hannigan.
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