Should The South Downs Have Been Turned Into A National Park?

The South Downs National Park is the newest national Park in England. It became fully operational on 1st April 2011 and covers 628 square miles stretching for 87 miles across Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east through the counties of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex. The park covers the chalk ridge of the South Downs and the Western Weald with its heavily wooded sandstone and clay hills and vales. The only National Trail that lies completely inside the national park is the South Down Way which spans the entire length of the park.

These worksheets highlight the purpose of national parks and the pros and cons put forward by different groups which the new status would effect. The students are then asked to weigh these opinions up and debate whether they think the South Downs should have been granted National Park status.