As the dreadful 2002 foot and mouth outbreak took hold, the countryside was closed. One place that was less affected was the tip of Romney Marsh where the shingle spit of Dungeness juts out into the English Channel. I was there one day and was amazed at the numbers of people that had turned up. It was a time when we all were reminded just how important our countryside is. I like to think that some of the people that discovered Dungeness that day realised they had found an unusual and special place.
So it’s good news (if not surprising to a Dunge fan) that a recent survey has shown just how much the place is valued by visitors. The survey was carried out by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) at our nature reserve
The visitor survey was commissioned by the HLF following their funding for the Dungeness Shingle and Wetland project, a joint venture between the RSPB and the Romney Marsh Countryside Project to conserve and open up access to Dungeness.
We’re proud of the work that has gone into making our reserve at Dungeness a top visitor attraction – but it is the wildlife that tops the bill. (The wintering bitterns are a highlight at the moment – but there’s much else besides).
Here’ s some of the highlights from the survey:
Nearly all of those asked (97%) said that they had “an enjoyable visit” and over half rated it “excellent” for overall satisfaction.
RSPB Dungeness reserve is seen as a place where there are lots of things for people to do with three quarters of respondents agreeing. The site is also regarded by visitors as a peaceful place with nearly three quarters saying it gives them somewhere to relax.
It is seen as a hugely valuable resource with 88% of respondents strongly agreeing that the site is important to pass on to future generations. Three quarters of respondents said they would definitely recommend the Dungeness nature reserve to friends as a place to visit.
Over three quarters of respondents agreed that this was excellent use of Lottery Funding for this project. Gareth Maeer, Head of Research and Evaluation at HLF, commented on the findings: “The results from our research can show some of the many successes of the projects that we fund. Dungeness is obviously one of those and it’s great to see how much the people who visit the reserve get out of their trips.”
What of the future? My colleague Sarah Farney, our Project Fundraising Manager wants to see more people discover the special nature of Dungeness: “There is no doubt about the importance of this site in offering people outdoor space to enjoy nature. We hope even more people will come and visit the reserve, and the wider area. As the survey shows, there is plenty for everyone to see and do.
“The RSPB will continue to work to protect this wonderful place for wildlife and people. It would be terrible to see many of the area’s assets that have been highlighted by the survey diminished or destroyed if the current plans for an expanded airport at Lydd are allowed to proceed.”
Sarah makes a good point – the proposed airport sits uneasily alongside the appreciation of what makes Dungeness special. There haven’t been many updates on the case on these posts recently; certainly not a reflection of the amount of work colleagues are putting into the preparation of our case ahead of the public inquiry still scheduled to start on 15 Feb. We’ve now heard that it is likely to on for 8 days more than originally scheduled – inevitably adding to the costs for all taking part.
I’ve been asked if individuals can still add their own objections – and the answer is yes, pretty much up to the eve of the inquiry but clearly the sooner the better. You can find out how to go about it here.
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