Trust’s edict leads to howls of protest (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Trust’s edict leads to howls of protest

5:17pm Thursday 28th September 2006

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A POPULAR dog-walking area of Winchester will soon have sheep openly grazing on it - meaning that pets will have to be kept on short leads.

The new rule is set to come into effect on Sunday, October 15, after the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust decided to re-introduce open grazing of sheep to St Catherine's Hill nature reserve.

The trust has been grazing sheep on a small scale in pens for the last few years, but will now let them roam freely over the hill in the next stage of their management of the chalk grassland Site of Special Scientific Interest.

As a result, dog-owners have been asked to keep their pets on a lead of two metres to prevent worrying the resident flock.

But people are unhappy about the decision, because they say there has been no consultation, and it means they will have to get into their cars to take their dogs elsewhere to let them off the lead.

Phil Siviers, of The Kings Arms pub, in Chesil Street, has a lurcher called Caine, and has been walking him on St Catherine's Hill for five years.

Mr Siviers said he noticed the sign informing the public of the changes about two weeks ago, and the hill is the only place within walking distance that he can freely let Caine off the lead.

He said: "This will totally affect the dog's exercise. I think the sheep will be killed by stray dogs or other things. We live in a democracy and we are really upset that we were not even consulted and now we haven't really got anywhere to walk our dogs."

Philip Gunner lives in Highcliffe and has been walking his pointer-collie cross, Motley, on St Catherine's Hill for five years.

He said he didn't have the time to drive to somewhere like Farley Mount, and getting in his car would be detrimental to the environment.

"Walking such a fit dog on a lead is a chore for the human and pointless for the dog," he said.

"There has been no public consultation. I spend probably three hours a day on the hill and we feel completely excluded now."

Winchester busker, Frank Williams, who has two dogs, Frankie and Kazoo, said: "Defra, English Nature, Winchester City Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust are all involved in management' of St Catherine's Hill.

"With so many bureaucrats involved, it's hardly surprising that the wishes of the regular people are being ignored."

Dennis Garratt, of The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said people would still be able to walk their dogs on the hill, but the trust is asking for them to be on a lead.

He said: "The Wildlife and Countryside Act does say that if there are grazing animals in an area, people do have to keep their dogs on a lead, so, in effect, nothing has changed, because we have always had sheep grazing on the hill, albeit behind electric fences."

Mr Garratt encouraged dog- walkers to attend the "Born To Be Wild" event at St Catherine's Hill Wildlife Reserve on October 15, at 11am, where more information about the sheep grazing scheme will be available. People are asked to meet in the Garnier Road car park.

* For more information, contact reserves officer, Mark Langford, on 07831 692963.

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