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Collecting Redundant Tree Guards
We applaud our District Officer, James Brown, who was out collecting redundant tree guards around the King Edward VII Estate in Easebourne last month. In ten hours, he collected over 500 tree guards. They’ve been stacked and await removal for recycling. Now the work begins. We all know that tree planting forms a key part
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The Lupin Field
Against the distant background of the South Downs, a small church stands alone among fields and woodland. It is a modest building from the late 11th or early 12th century with extensive 19th-century alterations including the addition of a porch. This is St Peter’s Church in the West Sussex village of Terwick and here you’ll
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Tree Guard Cleanup Day
On Saturday 21 May 2022, our Trustee Chris Steibelt was out in Singleton Forest with volunteers and Forestry England representatives for our first tree guard cleanup day, collecting redundant tree guards to be sent off for recycling. Tree planting forms a key part of our goal to reach net zero carbon emissions in the next
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Clever Local Herds
Out on a walk with my dog Ruby recently around the Mardens, at the west end of the South Downs, we stumbled across a shoot. Whilst their target was pheasant, the sound of gunshot ringing around the densely wooded hillside clearly had an unnerving effect on the other inhabitants of this otherwise tranquil area. As
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Easebourne/Langham Circular Walk
This Easebourne/Langham circular walk is an easy walk starting either in Easebourne or at Langham Brewery and takes you through open fields with views of the South Downs and patches of woodland with a small amount of road walking on the end by the brewery. You can start the Easebourne/Langham circular walk by parking at
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We Need Volunteers
Our campaign to create more awareness on plastic tree guards takes a hands-on approach in March 2022. In partnership with Forestry England we are organising a clean-up of old tree guards which are littering an area of Singleton Forest. Our trustee, Chris Steibelt, explains why we’re doing this here. Read the press release regarding plastic
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Ban Plastic Tree Guards
National Park campaigners call for a ban on plastic tree guards as Government considers banning other types of single-use plastic Campaign for National Parks, Friends of the Dales, Friends of the South Downs and nine other National Park Societies have joined forces to call for a ban on plastic tree guards. Chris Steibelt, Trustee of Friends of the South Downs, is
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The English Christmas Mummer’s Play
Normally, across Great Britain, from mid-November until Twelfth Night, you might be lucky enough to witness the performance of The English Christmas Mummer’s Play. “What is a Mummer?” you ask. Glynn Jones is going to give us “one man’s view”! What I am about to share with you is “one man’s view” on the tradition
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Strolling with the Romans
Would you like to go strolling with the Romans, along the road from Noviomagnus to Londinium? Stane Street, the Roman road that ran from Chichester (Noviomagnus) to London, was originally up to ten metres wide. Much of it is buried under modern roads following the same route. The exact date of construction is uncertain; however,
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Proposed Exceat Bridge Replacement
The Friends of the South Downs is concerned about the proposed replacement bridge at Exceat in the Cuckmere Valley. This letter to the South Downs National Park Authority explains those concerns. Application no. SDNP/21/02342/FUL These comments on the planning application are made by the Friends of the South Downs (The South Downs Society). Founded in