Presentation given to the Hampshire Soils Conference
Hampshire Soils, a personal view - Ron Allen, Environmental Project Consulting Group Congratulations to Hampshire County Council for so ably drawing our attention to the importance of soils.
Eighty per cent of Hampshire’s soils have been so cultivated, fertilised, eroded, contaminated or degraded as to hardly warrant the name.
The remaining 20% are wild soils. These are natural or semi natural soils that have survived the worst ravages of man. These soils are a complex, dynamic and sustainable eco system with a flora and fauna like no other.
Wild soils are special. They support and sustain our wildlife. Hampshire has approximately 75,000 hectares of wild soils. This is probably greater than any other lowland County. The wild soils of Hampshire are a very special resource which we have a key national and international responsibility to respect and conserve.
Our wildest soils have potential for further degradation. Disturb or damage an area of wild soil and it is perhaps gone for ever.
I suggest that one role of Hampshire’s soils policy would be to recognise the importance of our wild soils and protect them for future generations.
27 February 2004
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