 Christchurch residents are to get a chance to give their views on a proposed Dog Control Order for Stanpit Marsh Nature Reserve in a public consultation starting on 18 January. The Order would mean that dogs would have to be kept on a lead when being walked in the nature reserve. The current by-laws for the nature reserve were written in the 1970s. Since then the Marsh has become much busier and wildlife has come under pressure from a number of factors. Council officers have spent a long time talking to users of the Marsh and the Harbour nearby to ask them to modify their use of the nature reserve so as not to disturb wildlife. However, there are still concerns about the general level of disturbance, specifically the impact that dogs running off a lead are having on resident and migratory birds. Birds coming to the Marsh need to be able to nest, feed and rest before they migrate and being regularly disturbed prevents them doing this. Birds are aware that dogs are predators and are therefore immediately on the alert. Many people walking their dogs do keep them under control. However, there is evidence which shows that there is disturbance which is having a significant negative impact on the reserve. This also has the effect of spoiling the enjoyment of other visitors, including other dog walkers, who wish to see the wildlife undisturbed. The current by-law concerning dogs on the Marsh states that dogs should be kept ‘under proper control’, but Countryside staff have found this ambiguous and difficult to enforce. Cllr Sally Derham Wilkes, chairman of Christchurch Council’s Community Services Committee, said: “We want to hear what users of the nature reserve have to say about these proposals. It’s important to state that dog walkers and dogs will still be welcome on the reserve and dogs will also still be able to run freely off a lead on the 17-acre recreation ground which is immediately adjacent to the Marsh. However, on the more sensitive area of the nature reserve the order would require dogs to be kept on a lead no longer than 3 metres in length.” There will be four "drop-in" events at Stanpit Marsh Information Centre when people will be able to talk to Countryside officers about the proposals and find out more about the consultation. They will be from 10am to 12.30pm on Saturday 23 January, Saturday 6 February, Tuesday 16 February and Saturday 20 February. The public consultation lasts until 1 March and copies of the consultation can be viewed at libraries, the Civic Offices, Stanpit Marsh Information Centre and the Information Centre in the High Street. The consultation document is also available on www.dorsetforyou.com. All responses will be taken into account by the Council’s Community Services Committee when deciding whether to implement the Dog Control Order. |
