Having recovered from a serious injury I am at last walking again on the Downs in Eastbourne – it is nice to feel a different kind of fresh air, but since the Eastbourne Borough Council have got rid of “The Downland Rangers” who looked after the different tasks that needed to be done on such a vast area of woodland and the open spaces, the pathways that were once wide enough for two people to pass each other in comfort are now losing their width due to grass, brambles and stinging nettles taking over and in some cases the paths have disappeared altogether.
If the EBC were thinking that walkers would be enough to equal the work of a Ranger – think on, it’s not working! We need these Rangers back to monitor the trees for a start as I have noticed that some trees are dying and it doesn’t appear to be a specific type of tree – it appears to be wide selection. I had expressed my concerns to the department under the auspices of the EBC regarding this, but they seemed rather complacent about the situation and the answer I received was: ‘They couldn’t do anything about it.’ I wasn’t expecting this answer so, if we go by the EBC’s attitude we could all expect the Downs to be treeless in a hundred years hence.
The television programme “Countryfile” seem to be able to find volunteers who are willing to give up some of their valuable time and help to maintain their part of the countryside and that is what Eastbourne and all the towns and cities who share the Downs need urgently.
There is one thing for sure that never seems to fail. Some members of the public throw their litter on the Downs which doesn’t help the environment at all. This, unfortunately also includes some dog walkers who don’t pick up their pets poo as they should. They may think it is a fun thing to do, but if a child of a very young age should come by that same spot and if they fell over this could spell unwanted health problems. Persons of that ilk never seem to think ahead to what circumstances may befall an innocent party that on a daily basis enjoy the beauty of the Downs. As a friend of mine constantly reminds me, “we are lucky to live in such a beautiful place as Eastbourne where the seaside and the countryside are closely knitted together.”
Let’s try to keep it looking beautiful!