A Plea to Respect Knole Park’s Beauty
Getting outdoors amongst nature has provided a much needed solace for many of us during lockdown. Knole Park has proven to be an enticing sanctuary to escape the stresses and strains that this Pandemic has inflicted. Whether that be a long leisurely walk or energetic run through the bountiful landscape, Knole has certainly helped soothe many souls in these somewhat uncertain times.
However, escaping the confinements of our homes has unfortunately come at a cost to the animals that inhabit Knole’s stunning parkland. Concern has mounted throughout this Pandemic among those who work for the National Trust in preserving this place of natural beauty. With more people now venturing outdoors as restrictions start to ease, the issue of unnecessary litter is causing a devastating impact to this once immaculate environment. This issue has been raised by Hannah Kay, the Property Manager at Knole who stated:
“The parkland at Knole is a precious and rare surviving medieval landscape. It has been an important green open space during the Pandemic, enabling visitors to exercise and connect with nature. I urge all visitors to Knole to respect the parkland and the wildlife it supports by taking their rubbish home.”
With rubbish being mindlessly littered by numerous visitors, the repercussions to the deer in particular can be upsettingly tragic. From plastic bags to paper coffee cups, tin cans to glass bottles, such an unsightly trail of carelessness is becoming extremely problematic. Although bins are provided at various points around the park, due to the site being of special scientific interest and a listed medieval landscape, it is important they are kept to a minimum. As a charity, Knole wishes to invest the funds they raise in historic building repairs, engagement events and much more, as opposed to having to pay for the collection of large volumes of commercial waste that accumulates each week. In order to continue to preserve this beautiful park, Knole are desperately urging visitors to help look after and respect this wonderful area before it is too late. The simple act of taking rubbish home again is a small effort in return for the tremendous benefits that this treasured landscape offers.
As a great tonic for people’s mental and physical well being, Knole looks forward to the coming months when they can welcome visitors to enjoy the warmer weather, alongside the picturesque countryside. It is therefore crucial that the present and pressing problem of rubbish is one that every individual who visits the park should address, so that it can return to once again being a clean and tranquil haven.
