News archive

September 2007

Monday, 17 September 2007

Lydd Airport

Lydd Airport

The plans to extend Lydd airport have aroused a lot of opposition not least from the RSPB which has serious concerns about the current rash of airport proposals appearing across the country because of the effect increased air traffic could have on climate change. However the Plans to increase capacity at Lydd from 4,000 to half a million passengers per year (and 2 million in the future) are truly bizarre. The South East England Regional Development Agency are not supporting it and the Regional Assembly are calling for a moratorium on new runway extensions. To propose such as massive expansion of a minor airport next to an internationally protected wildlife site therefore seems misguided to say the least.

Quite apart from the damage to wildlife and the wider environment, it seems quite clear that much of the local community are against it. The airport will threaten their way of life and actually undermine existing and future livelihoods because much of the area's existing economy depends on tourism. Added to this, poor local transport links make the proposals even more far-fetched and untenable. It is vital that the airports planning applications are called in by the Government Office for the South East for determination at a public enquiry.

To find out more, and how you may make your voice heard, email joanna.crouch@rspb.org.

Monday, 3 September 2007

Nightjar on ground among heather

Broadwater Warren

This is the first report from the brand new RSPB reserve, located in the High Weald of Sussex, between Tunbridge Wells and Groombridge. The site is 180 ha of planted over heathland, intermixed with ancient woodland, a fabulous wooded mire system and some open water and veteran trees. It abuts the Sussex Wildlife Trust's Eridge Rocks reserve with it's fascinating sandrock formations and rare ferns.

The area has long been on the radar of the local naturalists, in particular one Martin Allison, who has been pushing for it's acquisition for many years. It is a remnant of the old Waterdown Forest, one of the five great forests of the High Weald. Poor heathy areas, on the highest ground of the Weald, set aside by the nobility as a hunting preserve in Norman times. The Forests: St Lenonard's, Tilgate, Worth, Ashdown and Waterdown have, with the exception of Ashdown, all now disappeared under conifer crop, but still represent the best opportunities for heathland restorations in the High Weald.

Ashdown Forest (just 8 miles away) with 1881 ha of managed heathland is an SAP for birds with internationally important populations of three annex 1 species - Nightjar, Dartford Warbler and Woodlark. The new reserve thus represents a very sensible opportunity for landscape scale restoration and habit connectivity. The project will contribute 61% towards the Sussex heathland restoration BAP target.

We are calling the new reserve Broadwater Warren since although the word forest does not necessarily mean tree land, that is not the common public perception - to quote; isn't it a shame that Ashdown Forest isn't a forest anymore; from a member of the public (when on a stand promoting the importance of heathland conservation).

So it's all to do: wall-to-wall conifer, birch, bracken, rhododendron et al. The land was acquired in January 2007 and the Site Manager started work in March. We are required to do an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), to seek the consent of the Forestry Commission for felling. For this we must prepare an Environmental Statement laying out the project and addressing any concerns.

Thus the first few week's work have been focused on species monitoring work, the birds are being mapped, this season and next, and invertebrate, archaeology, bats and herpetological surveys are all in hand.

The preliminary screening meeting for the EIA process has been held (and was well attended and positive) and hundreds of leaflets have been distributed locally.

Thanks to those who helped with the land purchase: the National lottery, Grantscape and the Wealden and Rother Rural Partnership Leader+ fund.

The reserve is not yet open and will be launched next year, but it does have full public access, so anybody in the vicinity is welcome to visit.

For further information contact the RSPB South East England Office on 01273 775333 or visit http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/broadwaterwarren