Feature

CPRE Hampshire The Countryside Needs You!

CPRE Hampshire are looking for volunteers with a passion for the countryside to join the local Test Valley team.

The Hampshire countryside sustains us in every way. Its beautiful landscapes provide the food we eat, the air we breathe and a haven for the nature and wildlife we love. It’s where most of us feel alive. CPRE, most people have heard of, but few may know what we do, and what we do is amazing! Once known as the Campaign to Protect Rural England, we are the Countryside Charity. We believe in countryside and green spaces that are accessible to all, are rich in nature, and play a crucial role in responding to the climate emergency.

As a separate, volunteer-led charity, CPRE Hampshire works solely in support of the Hampshire countryside and we’re looking for more volunteers, with a passion for the countryside, to join our team.

We are lucky in Hampshire to have a stunning range of landscapes and habitats. With two National Parks, three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, chalk streams of international renown and stretches of protected coastline, we have a lot to be proud of.

The Test Valley, famous for its clear chalk streams and iconic river Test, boasts the most beautiful rolling countryside including ancient woodlands, water meadows, and chalk hills. It is within these beautiful landscapes that the vitally important ecosystem services that we all rely upon including clean water, clean air, the production of food, and habitats for wildlife, exist.

Over the last few years, there has been a surge in appreciation for local green space. There is a growing awareness of the role that countryside and nature play in our well-being, and a recent study conducted by CPRE revealed that 63% of people say that lockdown has made them more aware of just how important these spaces are.

Today, in Hampshire, the countryside faces many challenges including population growth, climate change, and pressures to grow the economy and build more houses. Over the last decade, the use of green space for housing development across the UK has increased by over 150%, and the amount of land built upon in England’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty has more than doubled since 2012. In planning for the future, we must ensure the Hampshire countryside and its valuable resources are properly considered and managed to maintain a thriving and natural environment.

If we are to protect the special character of our beautiful Hampshire countryside, we must act now and ensure future development takes full account of its environmental impact.

Now is a critical time for the Hampshire countryside. CPRE Hampshire works across the Test Valley responding to a whole range of issues in support of the countryside. Led by local volunteers, we monitor and respond to planning applications, influence Local Plans, and take practical action to help improve the environment – we are here for YOUR countryside.

Within the Test Valley, we are seeking more volunteers to help take forward activities in support of the countryside including leadership of the local group, supporting local events, and responding to issues of concern. Over the next few years, an important task will also be to help shape and influence Test Valley’s Local Plan which will set the pattern of development up until 2040. More information can be found on our website cprehampshire.org.uk or by emailing hantssupportercare@cprehampshire.org.uk

We also offer talks to local community groups if you would like to hear more.

There has never been a more important time to support the Hampshire countryside

CPRE Hampshire is a membership organisation. Membership is the best way to support a thriving Hampshire countryside and we would urge you to join us today.