Busy autumn and winter for Western rangers in South Downs National Park
February 4, 2021
Did you know a third of the National Park lies in Hampshire? Lead Ranger Elaina Whittaker-Slark explains the rewards of recent conservation and community work in the county.
Amid these testing times, important conservation work continues, where it can, in the great outdoors of the Hampshire countryside. Our rangers in the Western Downs have been busy on a number of projects to enhance this beautiful landscape, help nature flourish and create opportunities for young people to access it.
Back in October, the Volunteer Ranger Service were delighted to take part in a month’s work of chalk downland restoration at Oxenbourne Down, a 210-acre Local Nature Reserve near Clanfield. We were really pleased to be working with the landowner, Hampshire County Council, to further improve this Site of Special Scientific Interest. A satisfying job that will hopefully pay dividends for wildlife, including the butterflies that thrive on chalk grassland!
In November the ranger team spent several days at St Catherine’s Hill in Winchester, managing scrub on the chalk downland of the Dongas – an amazing set of gullies worn into Twyford Down. They are actually ancient trackways where animals were herded to markets in Winchester. Over many centuries of continued use these deep gullies were created.
In December we supported the local Natural England team at the National Nature Reserve at Beacon Hill to get site management work completed. There were fabulous views, even though a little murky! A flock of 120 sheep graze here and Natural England has been trailing light summer grazing on site to restore some of the grasslands.
We’ve also helped with some woodland work at Clare’s Copse, near Hambledon, that should create some wonderful opportunities for children to enjoy nature. Our rangers have been working with the landowner, who is looking to provide courses and outdoor experiences for adults and children involved in Hampshire Scouting. It’s really rewarding that the work we have done is contributing to a local community project in the making!