Archived News February 2005 New Forest becomes National Park Feb 28th This week the New Forest in Hampshire will become the newest member of the National Parks family and the first in England since the 1980s. The decision to designate the New Forest as a National Park was announced in June 2004, following a seven month public inquiry. Equines now need passports Feb 27th Horse passports (England) Regulations 2004 require all owners to obtain a passport for each horse they own. This includes horses, ponies and donkeys but not zebras. As of 28 February 2005 a passport must be presented whenever an equine moves premises, enters a competition, is used for breeding, leaves the UK, is sold, or when it is presented for slaughter. 20 years of focusing on wildlife Feb 26th Since it began in 1985, the RSPB’s second-hand binocular scheme has provided almost 8,000 pieces of optical equipment to conservation and education projects in more than 90 countries. Supermarket Code of Practice Criticised Feb 24th The Government is looking carefully at the rules for supermarkets when dealing with suppliers amidst allegations of 'frightening' abuses of power. Double wind turbine plan scrapped Feb 23rd Controversial plans to build two huge wind turbines in rural North Yorkshire have been scrapped. Planning system for Scottish waters Feb 22nd Planning laws for Scotland’s seas could help Scotland’s economy and encourage sustainable development for businesses such as the oil and gas industry, fisheries and renewable energy developers Helping eels is more than a pipe dream Feb 21st A length of drainage pipe and a piece of netting could be key to the recovery of the fast-disappearing eel population in the North East, according to the Environment Agency. Common land – the way ahead Feb 20th Commoners, landowners and environmental groups are among those who have given the Government their views on the way common land should be managed in the future. A summary of responses to a Defra consultation has been published, which it says will help to shape the draft Commons Bill. Prince's Rural Housing Initiative Feb 19th The Prince of Wales has launched practical support to help businesses deliver local solutions to meet the need for more affordable rural homes. Over 160 companies, government departments and charities will join His Royal Highness at St James’s Palace - their common aim, to help local people remain in their communities and keep their schools, shops, pubs and other services alive. CPS Releases Hunting Prosecution Guidelines Feb 18th The CPS has recommended that prosecutions should be brought against those in charge of illegal hunts in order to 'trigger the highest penalties' in its new guidance for lawyers. Extra bus for isolated villages Feb 17th More than 40 remote villages in rural Cumbria are set to benefit from an improved public transport service after a £10,000 grant from the council. Acting locally for climate change Feb 16th Local communities are taking on the challenge of tackling climate change, thanks to the Community Renewables Initiative (CRI), supported by the Countryside Agency and the DTI. CRI helps communities to switch to renewable sources of heat and power which do not contribute to greenhouse gases. School trips must be saved Feb 15th MPs have demanded the Government acts immediately to prevent the decline in school trips. A report by the Education and Skills Committee recommends the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) introduce a manifesto for outdoor learning that will give children the right to education outside the classroom. Housing crisis Feb 14th A baby boom in Britain’s Blue Tits could cause a housing crisis this year, making it even more important to put up a new nesting box to celebrate National Nest Box Week Draft 'Rural Bill' Published Feb 13th Defra's long-awaited draft 'Rural Bill' has disappointed some who worry that integrating current bodies with very distinct roles may be to the detriment of the countryside itself. Big screens arrive on small stage Feb 10th Big screen movies are being taken to village halls across Derbyshire. Rural Delivery Strategy - an Integrated Agency Feb 9th The Government is due to publish its crucial bill covering many aspects of the Rural Strategy, published in July 2004. Village website's porn link shock Feb 8th A parish council website set up to deal with residents' queries about services or local problems has been targeted by a pornography-obsessed prankster. It’s a farmer’s market Feb 7th Farmland prices are still rising strongly according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ (RICS) rural land survey just published. The fourth quarter of 2004 also saw an increase of farmers moving back into the market as their CAP entitlement becomes clearer. Using force to protect your property Feb 6th Guidance for householders on the force they can use to tackle intruders has been published jointly by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). PPS1 Plans for Sustainability Feb 4th A new Government plan unveiled yesterday gives people in local communities the chance to be in better control of their environment, and aims to make planning proposals more sustainable. Ancient Trees Have New Champion Feb 3rd The well-known author and tree-lover Bill Bryson has joined forces with the Woodland Trust to draw attention to the needs of our ancient woodlands. Just where are you deer? Feb 2nd A survey to establish the presence or absence of each of the six species of deer living wild in the UK within a grid of 10km squares, has been launched by the British Deer Society (BDS). Future for Perthshire forests Feb 2nd Perthshire foresters want to hear the public’s ideas for the future of two of the most important forests in the country. National Trust Goes Green Feb 1st Many National Trust properties are due to spend more energy on teaching people how they can live greener, more environmentally friendly lives SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES: THE GAP BETWEEN RHETORIC AND REALITY Feb 1st 'The reality of the Government's Sustainable Communities Plan is a long way from the rhetoric. Without an urgent change of course by all those involved in its implementation, the countryside, urban regeneration and the quality of life of countless communities are set to suffer lasting damage in the coming months and years.'