At the end of August the National Park Authority published their Draft documents for the future of the New Forest. 300 pages of gobbledegook! They propose sweeping changes to the way people use the Forest. Horse owners face many restrictions on how they keep their animals , dog walkers will be barred from parts of the Forest.They talk about Road Pricing and the closure of more car parks,also closing many minor roads to car users, the list is endless. If the proposals go ahead much of the forest will be a no go area and people will no longer be able to use it. Their argument is that the Forest must be preserved. For 1000 years the Forest has survived and people have enjoyed it If these proposals go ahead, very few will continue to enjoy it .
Today about 1000 people joined a protest organised by the Horse riders, where both our elected Members of Parliament pledge their support and called for the abolition of the Authority. Next week the Dog walkers are arranging an all day meeting to help people fill in the complicated objection forms.
Other protests will follow as we fight for our rights to enjoy the Forest
7 comments:
i can sort of understand the dog walking IF there is wildlife nesting.
I live in Bursledon (just East of Southampton.)
One of the biggest benefits of living this in this area is that there is so much open space and fresh air within a short distance, such as the Solent, the Downs, or the New Forest.
One of my strongest childhood memories is repeated visits to a friend of the family who lived at Frogham, and the endless walks through the open countryside, and to the chestnut woods near Ogdens.
The forest should be kept exactly as it is. As you say, it's survived a 1000 years under the control of the Verderers, - if it ain't broke don't fix it
Pete, between the end of March and the end of July some carparks are closed for the protection of wildlife. In truth the Draft plans are very non specific, however if these go ahead the NPA have Carte Blanche to do what they like. When the Chairman of the NPA states on TV that the locals are misinformed he is misleading the public.The NPA's lack of availability to explain the documents is very evident. The official response forms are over 20 pages long. Our Elected MPs have said they are incomprehensible (if an MP cannot make sense of them how are the general public to do so? ) Furthermore the existence of these documents are not widely publicised, even within the local area.
Wurzel I urge you to get hold of them and respond before we lose our right to enjoy the Forest for good.
Thanks for responding to my blog on The new Forest Proposals
More info can be found here
http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/index/aboutus/consultations/national_park_plan.htm
if you feel strongly about this issue please write to you MP or one of the forest MPs
more info here and although this site is related to Dog walkers the plan does affect all forest users
http://www.naturescene.co.uk/nfdog/
We need people to know that all aspects of Forest use are under threat.
I would add as a Nature Lover I am keen to preserve the wildlife in the Forest but this draft is not the way to do it.
I am with you in your fight. The Forest must be for The People.
Wow. I really hope that those changes are not put into effect--and you're right about the forest being around for so long. I wish they had thought of that first.
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