Stop the Latchmore Brook stream “restoration” project

Petition to halt the Latchmore Brook stream “restoration” project Prepared by the Friends of Latchmore (28 March 2012) www.friendsoflatchmore.org Key Questions a) What precisely are the actual ecological benefits that the project is intended to achieve ? b) What is the evidence that the works proposed will achieve these benefits ? c) What is the evidence that the expected benefits would outweigh the ecological damage ? Major points of Concern 1) There is no clear statement of the actual purpose of this project. The intention “to restore the stream to its natural state” is ambiguous and unrealistic, since the valley has been managed (largely for grazing) for centuries 2) No assessment of the specific problems in the Latchmore valley that may require “restoration” has been made. The “restoration” work is simply not needed. 3) No analysis of what work would actually be required to the whole brook to address any problems has been undertaken. 4) No site-specific assessment of the environmental and ecological impacts of the scheme has been undertaken. The only assessment is a generic EIA (for the whole New Forest, dating from 2006) 5) It is claimed that no EIA is required because the work is “restoration”. It is highly debatable whether importing 10 000 tons of gravel is restoration or construction 6) The impacts of the traffic required to import 10 000 tons of gravel will be massive. 7) No analysis of the balance of benefits, costs & risks of this specific project has been prepared or published. Other locations that have been “restored” are still in a very poor state. The intended benefits are extremely uncertain, while the damage to the environment is certain and will be extensive. We call on the Forestry Commission, the Verderers and the National Park Authority to suspend all further work on the Latchmore project until a full Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out and published.