Over the last few years CPRE Hampshire have been active in several campaigns to promote the beauty, tranquility and diversity of our countryside. Listed below are articles describing this work, as well as some links to related national CPRE campaigns and other resources.

The South Downs National Park

Right now this is a major campaign supported by CPRE as a member of the South Downs Campaign "Working for the best possible National Park". We have created a new section on this website specifically devoted to CPRE's South Downs campaign.
>> Go to South Downs pages

Topical Issue

• Don't Blow Our Views Away! The printed flier for the campaign against the Wether Down wind turbines with images for the campaign (PDF: 3.6Mb). "These industrial turbines in a beautiful natural landscape would severely impact views all around, notably from Butser Hill, Old Winchester Hill and Beacon Hill. (July 2009)
  
  
• Statement on Renewable Energy in National parks. Following a proposal to build two giant wind turbines in the South Downs National Park at Wether Down, CPRE Hampshire have written to the applicant (Volkswind) to express their concerns and request that their proposal be withdrawn.
  See also 2-page summary (PDF) - detailed critique (PDF)
  
  

New Forest National Park

• Response to this National Park's Draft Management Plan. CPRE Hampshire endorses the vision, but has concerns over several of the details. You can read the plan at the New Forest National Park website and the CPRE response here (PDF). (Nov 2008).
  
  

Light Pollution (Night Blight)

In this International Year of Astronomy, CPRE plans to put together a programme of events. Our 'dark skies' campaign aims to reduce light pollution in the countryside.

• Dark Skies: The International Year of Astronomy.. An update on our 'dark skies' campaign and asking for volunteers to put together a programme of events. (May 2009).
  
  
• CPRE calls for an enlightened decision on the Southampton Laser Gateway. A national office press release (19 June 2007).
  
  
• Lasers over Southampton - and much of South Hampshire. Far from boosting Southampton's 'brand', the proposal for a laser gateway will mean light pollution over large parts of the New Forest, Isle of Wight and South Hampshire. John Cooper describes CPRE's campaign against this proposal. (May 2007)
  
  
• How many stars did you count?. The result of the joint CPRE and British Astonomy Sociery 'Dark Skies' campaign to see how many stars people from various locations could see in the constellation of Orion. (Feb 2007).
  
  
• How dark is the view from your garden?. The launch of CPRE's Night Blight campaign in May 2003. Only 3% of Hampshire's night skies are now totally dark. (May 2004).
  
  
• CPRE Light Pollution Pages. Our darkness is disappearing, and with it our view of the stars and planets. Details of the national campaign, including a report, proposed solutions and maps.
  
  

Landscape Character

• Liss Outreach Day. How the village of Liss is updating it's village plan using the CPRE Toolkit Unlocking The Landscape (Nov 2006).
  
  
• Unlocking the Landscape Action Pack. CPRE launches this action pack to help communities assess their landscape character. It is the result of pilot projects in Hampshire and Shropshire. (May 2006).
  For details on how to order, go to the countryside publications page (CPRE national website).
  
  
• Landscape and Diversity. Concerns that our landscape is being steadily eroded, resulting in a spreading blandness and loss of character, has resulted in a new campaign and the announcement of pilot projects (May 2005).
  
  
• CPRE's Countryside Character Campaign This addresses the problem that the diversity of our landscape is being steadily eroded. What CPRE is doing.
  
  

See also the articles on byeways in our Transport section.

Tranquillity

• Tranquillity: Preserving What We Value. When asked about what countryside qualities they most value, respondents to a CPRE commissioned survey rated tranquillity as the most important (73% of respondents). This article outlines the threats and how we are fightinh them. (February 2007).
  
  
  
• CPRE Tranquillity Campaign. It has become harder to experience tranquillity over the past few decades – and may get harder still. Details of the national campaign including tranquillity maps of the UK.
  
  
  
• Changes to Terminal Control South West Airspace. NATS has made changes to the airspace approaches to Southampton and Bournemouth Airports. This will increase noise over New Forest National Park and the North Wessex AONB (August 2007).

Hedgerows

• Hampshire Hedgerow Project. This project is now stalled. Read why (May 2007).
  
  
• Hampshire Hedgerow Survey. This article outlines the plans for a larger scale survey following three pilot surveys. (May 2005, with May 2006 update).
  
  
• Hedgerows in Hampshire. England has lost 330,000 km of hedgerows since 1947. This article outlines a plan to survey Hampshire's hedgerows. (May 2004).
  
  
• CPRE Hedgerow Pages. The problem, potential solutions, CPRE's policy, publications and links.
  
  

This page updated 8th July 2009
© Copyright. CPRE Hampshire, 2009. All Rights Reserved.