Page 12 - Wildlife News August 2017

National news

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As pressure increases to build new homes, wildlife
sites which previously enjoyed protection are
coming under threat

T he Wildlife Trusts are working
across the UK to protect wild
places from an increasing
number of potentially harmful
developments.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
and Local Wildlife Sites are designed
to protect the very best of our
wildlife. They are the essential basis Skylarks are safe at
for nature’s recovery. Rampisham Down.
So whilst we work with developers Elsewhere the fight
wherever possible we will also
campaign against developments that continues.
are simply in the wrong place.
Protections are never All development
guaranteed and The Wildlife should contribute
Trusts are often the last line of nanHnPSnortdorIwentngentdecgeCctgetdrahetreevaxeanvatienteeseltllnwwooionnapiengtlipmduwlwglrdmeieofin?lelnndtieiesefnpstnelwnatecoewrsks to nature’s recovery
defence for these wonderful
wild places.

The best solution of all
would be for local
authorities to plan positively
for nature’s recovery. This
would be essential under our
proposals for an Environment
Act (see wildlifetrusts.org/
EnvironmentAct).

Threatened
Lodge Hill, Kent

Kent Wildlife Trust is opposing a plan to build thousands of new
homes on a site with one of the UK’s largest populations of
nightingales.

Chattenden Woods and Lodge Hill SSSI is a nationally important
area of ancient woodland and rare grassland. Its owner (the Ministry
of Defence) and Medway Council want to build a new town on it.

Stephen Trotter, Director, The Wildlife Trusts England, says:
“Lodge Hill is a test of whether the Government is committed to its
stated aim of leaving the natural environment in a better state than
this generation inherited it. We should be celebrating sites like
Lodge Hill, not building on them.”

Help at kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/lodge-hill

12 Wildlife news / August 2017
Kent Wt Nightingales v new
Kent Wt town: which will win?