Erosion is defined as the 'wearing away of rocks or soil by the action of water, ice or wind. In this respect it is a natural process that has been occurring constantly for millions of years.
On the South Downs, however, other forms of erosion occur which are directly the result of man's activities or are associated with those activities, this is called 'accelerated erosion'.
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The agricultural landscape is ever changing; the livestock based agriculture seen on the Downs up to the First World War has given way to intensive cereal growing. This has resulted in the ploughing up of the Downs, exposing the thin, sloping calcareous soils to the elements. During periods of heavy rain and with little or no vegetation to stabilise the soil, particles are carried downhill to accumulate in the valley bottoms leaving a predominance of flints. The sandy soils around Midhurst are also extremely unstable and liable to movement. With the removal of many hedgerows and banks it is not uncommon to see water cascading between fields, across roads and into the River Rother carrying with it vast amounts of soil, organic matter and nutrients. This is a direct loss to the farmer; it damages the fragile river ecology and causes blocked drains and flooding. The answers to soil erosion lie in a greater recognition and understanding of the problem and an acceptance that those agricultural practices causing erosion are unsustainable. Changing policies to counter intensification of agriculture in vulnerable areas, coupled with grant aid, would do a great deal to reduce the incidence and severity of soil erosion. |
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Many more people nowadays use the countryside for leisure purposes. Walking, riding, mountain biking and 4x4 driving are all popular activities. Done to excess they all have a detrimental effect on paths, the landscape and wildlife habitats. Managing problems arising as a result of recreational pressures is an important part of the Sussex Downs Conservation Board and the East Hampshire Joint Advisory Committee's work. Public rights of way and 'honey pot' sites are particularly vulnerable. The disturbance caused by horses hooves and the trampling effect of boots can be severe on some of the steep chalky slopes of the Downs. Solutions to these problems include diverting the flow of water, resurfacing and/or re-profiling the path surface or, if possible, reducing the gradient. On sites where large numbers of people congregate the loss of vegetation from trampling is unsightly and very difficult to rectify. |
