Most asked: Trevor Beattie, Chief Executive for the SDNPA
July 31, 2017
Send us your questions about a particular area of work in the National Park to newsletter@southdowns.gov.uk
Answering this month is: Trevor Beattie, Chief Executive for the SDNPA
Question
Do farmers have enough of a voice in the National Park?
Trevor answers
When the National Park first came into being the Authority agreed to work closely with the South Downs Land Manager’s Group to provide expert advice on farming and land management issues. This Group played a central role in the creation of the Partnership Management Plan and will have an equally important part to play as we come to review it.
We have regular meetings with the NFU and the CLA, and an annual series of farmers’ breakfasts. Over this summer we have been holding an extra series of workshops with farmers to look at how exiting the EU and the Common Agriculture Policy might affect their ability to look after the National Park whilst running profitable businesses, with the aim of going to Defra in the Autumn with a proposal for a farmer-led pilot for a new support scheme.
Our 27 SDNPA Members do include people with a farming background but I would like to see more. I would urge members of our farming community to come forward when nationally appointed positions are advertised (there will be a number coming up in 2018) or to step forward to stand as elected parish members.
Question
Why don’t you do more to ‘sign’ the National Park?
Trevor answers
Since we are a new National Park I’ve always thought that it was important to first develop our identity, presence, process and partnerships before erecting signs. With this now achieved and our shared identity already being used by nearly 100 organisations the time is right to look at introducing tailored and sensitive locational signage. We will be piloting 18 sites by the end of this year, each carefully considered to fit within the landscape as part of a wider programme to reduce street clutter. If these are considered successful by residents and visitors we will introduce more in the future.
Question
How can I get the National Park Authority to support my community/ project?
Trevor answers
There are a number of ways that we might be able to help with projects that support the purposes of the National Park. The first step is to approach your local SDNP Ranger team who may be able to offer technical advice and support.
Your project may also be eligible for our Sustainable Communities Fund (SCF) which has grants available for up to 50% of the project cost from £250 to a maximum of £10,000. The SCF meets regularly throughout the year to allocate funds.
We are also in the process of setting up the South Downs National Park Trust which will be a registered charity, independent from the Authority, raising funds for projects and work that support the Partnership Management Plan and our statutory purposes.
Question
How can I work for the National Park Authority? How do I become a ranger?
Trevor answers
We are a small organisation so we have few vacancies – keep an eye on our website and social media for when these are advertised. We have recently looked at creating more opportunities for career progression in our ranger teams, including new assistant ranger roles, and we have plans in place to recruit more apprentices. You might also want to consider joining our wonderful band of volunteers.
Question
How should the National Park respond to Brexit?
Trevor answers
The landscape of the National Park is 85% farmed, so the future of our downs, heaths and river valleys relies on maintaining sustainable and profitable farming. Any new system of agricultural support post Brexit must therefore be farmer led and farmer delivered. It should improve wildlife, soils, air quality and access as well as securing food production and maintaining farm incomes.
My view is that we need to move away from a system in which farmers are just paid for the business of being in farming to one where they are paid for all of the natural goods they produce alongside food – clean water, pure air, biodiversity, paths for recreation and so on. Environmental benefits should not be an optional bolt-on in any new system of agricultural support – they must be integral to it. The best food is produced in the best environments.
Two thirds of the National Park is covered by farm clusters where landowners are already working together, so we are making the case to Government that the South Downs is a perfect place to work with farmers to pilot new landscape focused approaches to agricultural support.
Question
Why aren’t you doing more to maintain our footpaths?
Trevor answers
We’re responsible for maintaining the South Downs Way but local Highways Authorities are responsible for maintaining all other footpaths. We would like to see these paths maintained to higher standards. We speak to the Highways Authorities regularly and our volunteers do give some time and support where possible. We are also developing our long-term plan to develop a strategic network of shared-use paths along disused railway lines across the National Park.
Question
How can we get more young people involved in the National Park?
Trevor answers
This is an urgent priority for us. These are the people who will protect and care for these landscapes long after we’ve gone. We have drawn younger people in through a number of recent initiatives, such as the South Downs Geotour, the survey work with local schools for the Secrets of the High Woods and our Dark Skies Festival but there is much more that we can, and need to, do.
For me this is partly about demonstrating the value of the National Park at an early age – for example through school visits – but I’m really open to new ideas and challenges. For example do we need a young person’s council or would that be patronising? Should we co-opt a young member to the Authority to work alongside Members, or a perhaps identify an existing Member who is charged with getting more young people involved? Maybe we should introduce a young ranger scheme? Please send any thoughts to me.
Question
What’s your favourite place in the National Park?
Trevor answers
This is impossible to answer. The South Downs is too big and diverse to make one choice between the woodlands, chalk grasslands, heaths, market towns, villages – I could go on!
I can say that the National Park leads the way in extensive downland views, for example across the Weald from Chanctonbury Ring, in timeless rural churches such as Up Marden, Diddling and Clapham, in diverse heathland and chalk grassland habitats and, of course, some of the best pubs in the country. The easy access that the National Park provides to sweeping views and complete tranquillity is almost unique in the country – so there’s no real need to have a favourite.