Archived News April 2005 Trust Warns on Coastal Erosion Apr 29th Shocking new research has revealed that enormous amounts of land are due to slip into the sea within the next hundred years, and many coastal dwellers and landowners needs to be told Villagers record their histories Apr 28th A Pembrokeshire village has embarked on a two-year project to record the memories, characters and dialects of its recent past. . Basket ban for 'blooming' village Apr 27th An award-winning village gardening team have been banned from using hanging baskets because of safety fears. More of us are watching birds Apr 26th So many people are taking up birdwatching as a hobby that a Code of Conduct has been produced to protect certain species. Rural bus routes threatened Apr 26th Bus operators in rural areas are threatening to axe hundreds of routes as a result of a European directive which defines a bus driver on a route of more than 31 miles as a long-distance lorry driver. Demand for Game Soars Apr 25th Game is proving to be a hit with health-conscious consumers, who are increasingly buying it thanks to the CA's 'game-to-eat' campaign. Rubbish: Renewable Energy Alternative? Apr 24th Both our landfill and renewable energy targets could be easier to meet if we use biodegradable rubbish to create energy, experts have claimed. Newsagents Next in Line Apr 20th New recommendations from the Office of Fair Trading could mark the death knell for one of the last viable types of rural business: the newsagent Spring Bamboozles Nature Apr 20th Evidence from the general public has indicated that spring is continuing to arrive earlier each year, as the presence of frogspawn in October surprises rural dwellers House buyers ignore real risk Apr 19th House buyers are more concerned about nasty neighbours than a threat from flooding Water ways in rural transport Apr 18th A guide to help local authorities incorporate canals and rivers into rural transport plans has been launched Mind the gap Apr 17th A conservation charity is concerned at the UK's growing tourism balance of payments deficit Children involved in village development Apr 16th A scheme trialed in Shropshire schools to involve children in community development in rural villages was so successful that their experiences have been used to produce a free resource pack for schools around the country. 'Roof Tax' to Fund Town Expansion Apr 15th A new 'roof tax', to be paid by developers, will fund the infrastructure expansion needed in Milton Keynes to cope with the town's planned growth, and could be employed by other councils across the country. CPRE Calls for SE Rethink Apr 14th The public consultation on the South East Plan ends tomorrow, but drastic changes are needed if the countryside is to be protected, CPRE has urged. Are the parties doing enough for rural areas? Apr 14th Rural affairs have come under the spotlight following the ban on hunting. Do you live in the countryside? Are you happy with the parties' policies? It add-ers up to a lot of snakes Apr 13th A 'Make the Adder Count' Spring Census has been launched to record sightings of the UK's most distinctive looking snake. Digital future in rural areas Apr 13th The digital divide concerning the availability of broadband in rural vs.urban areas, appears to be closing, according to a future-gazing report by the new Commission for Rural Communities – an operating division of the Countryside Agency. Pub plans to serve post and pints Apr 12th A pub in Cheshire is going to serve customers with stationery as well as pints. Shops Reject UK Organic Produce Apr 11th A new study from the Soil Association finds British supermarkets with a long way still to go in representing the UK's organic farmers on their shelves Saviours for Britain's Buildings Apr 11th Damned Beautiful, SAVE Britain's Heritage's latest inventory of the priority houses on their list which needs saving has just been published. Pro-hunters Join Countryside Agency Apr 10th Three high-profile hunt supporters have been made board members of the government's agency for rural issues, the Countryside Agency No more blinding by the light Apr 9th Intrusive lighting will now be treated as a statutory nuisance with the passing yesterday of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act. Rogue pheasant attacks villagers Apr 7th A rogue pheasant is believed to be behind a series of attacks on unsuspecting walkers in Wiltshire. Historic liberty stone vanishes Apr 7th An historic stone marking the boundary of a North Yorkshire village has dissappeared, police say. Winter Stubble Boosts Threatened Birds Apr 6th Retaining stubble fields over the winter could help boost numbers of threatened farmland birds such as the Skylark and the Yellowhammer, a new BTO study has shown. Labour Launches Shooting Charter Apr 6th Labour's first Charter for Shooting suggests ways in which the sport could be developed if the present Government wins a third term, and aims to reassure country dwellers that the sport is not, in fact, next in line to be banned Collection of fallen stock proving costly Apr 5th The NFU is calling for a fair price structure for collecting and disposing of deadstock under the National Fallen Stock Scheme, ahead of the upcoming tendering deadline for collectors. Non-agricultural land use agreed Apr 4th Activities such as school trips and scouts and guides camps will still be allowed on agricultural land without financial penalty to the farmer after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) decided not to add extra bureaucracy to the Single Payment Scheme. Small towns and rural economies Apr 3rd Investing in rural areas provides economic benefits both for the area and linked small towns, according to a Scottish Executive-funded study just published. Listing has changed Apr 3rd From 1 April 2005 English Heritage became responsible for the administration of the listing system. New notification and consultation procedures for owners and local authorities have been introduced, as well as clearer documentation for list entries. Changing faces of villages Apr 2nd Challenges of changing climates and economies in this country and across Europe has left an indelible marks across the character of village communities. Country Life is about to launch a new series into these changing times but would like to hear from you first Digital TV take-up rise continues Apr 1st Nearly six out of 10 UK homes now have digital TV, with the first two villages in Britain shutting off analogue signals.