Archived press release

Prescott pledges greater support for south downs

14 April 1997

Members of the public have 'unploughed' a large section of the national wildlife site on the South Downs [1] ploughed, amidst national uproar last week, by local farmer Justin Harmer. The work, by people camped on the land, is being carried out whilst English Nature reconsiders its decision not to grant the site an emergency Nature Conservation Order [2],after a request by Environment Secretary John Gummer.

Around 15 hectares of Clayton to Offham escarpment Site of Special Scientific Interest(SSSI), on the South Downs, near Lewes, East Sussex was ploughed on Thursday night by the farmer to grow flax. This is because the Ministry of Agriculture will pay him up to590 per hectare for the crop as opposed to 40 per hectare under the Government's environmentally sensitive area scheme. Although Mr Harmer told police he won't plough any more of the SSSI, fears persist that he may re-start work at any time.

Opposition parties have echoed Friends of the Earth's concerns about wildlife protection.
Liberal Democrat spokesman, Matthew Taylor, said his party would close the 'flax loophole'
and would introduce a Wildlife Bill to safeguard our natural environment. And on Sunday,Labour's Deputy Leader, John Prescott, described the South Downs as "the jewel in our crown' and that Labour would properly protect them [3].

Matt Phillips, Wildlife Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

"It is scandalous that one of the country's finest wildlife sites can be destroyed,and financing it with taxpayers' money only adds insult to injury. The ball is now in Mr Gummer's court. If this site is further damaged then the blame must rest at the feet of the Government. We want a Nature Conservation Order issued immediately and a pledge from the Government to close the flax loophole".

"Recent events have shown just how vulnerable the South Downs is and why they should be given National Park-style protection."

ENDS
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Notes to Editors

[1] A number of local people have camped on the damaged site to ensure that Farmer Harmer does not go back on his word and plough up any more of the SSSI. Over the weekend they were joined by other local people and 'unploughed' several hundred acres by replacing the tilled soil. If left, experts believe large parts of the site might recover.

[2] English Nature originally declined to call on the Secretary of State for the Environment to issue a Nature Conservation Order because they felt that the site was not special enough - despite being a SSSI and home to 11 scarce orchids. Following lobbying by FOE,Mr Gummer has asked English Nature to reconsider its decision. A NCO would prevent Mr Harmer further damaging the site.

[3]Mr Prescott was challenged by Brighton FOE when he visited the town on Sunday.

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