Heyshott Escarpment, 12 October 2011
Giving something back …
Earlier today I joined Neil and six volunteers from the Murray Downland Trust. This was to be the start of a long period of hard work, scheduled to be undertaken throughout the winter months, to help further improve one of the best Duke of Burgundy sites in the country - Heyshott Escarpment in West Sussex.
The Murray Downland Trust was founded in 1993 and is named after Dr Elizabeth Murray, former Principal of Bishop Otter College, and her brother, Kenneth Murray. The Murray’s were pioneers of Downland conservation. The current objectives of the Trust are to rescue and enhance neglected areas of unimproved Chalk Downland in the counties of Sussex and Hampshire, revealing their richness in terms of the species of flora and fauna present. John Murray, Elizabeth Murray's nephew and current Chairman of the Trust, along with his wife Tricia joined us today.
Currently the Trust manages five reserves in the South Downs, between points south of Petersfield in Hampshire and Midhurst in West Sussex. These are (in order of decreasing size) Heyshott Escarpment, Heyshott Down, Buriton Down, Under Beacon and The Devil's Jumps. As a direct result of the Trust's management of the reserves there is a wealth of flora and fauna to be found, including some species, which are nationally rare. Occupying the site of former chalk quarrying which is thought to go back to the Romans, extraction was last undertaken at Heyshott Escarpment during the 1930s. Its history of intermittent disturbance and colonisation by chalk plants has resulted in a very rich flora and fauna. Heyshott itself is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
A very productive session was had and I look forward to further involvement with this project.
Sightings of several Red Admiral brightened up the day …