Category: Rural Matters

The Rural Matters section is a special section sponsored and reserved for the local CPRE.

The CPRE or Campaign to Protect Rural England is a charity set up to help protect the rural countryside.

In this section you will find articles mainly by Rupert Hardy, Chairman, North Dorset CPRE. There are ocaisonally guest writers but always from the CPRE.

We like that the subject matter is wide and varied, from dark skies, to planning, hedgerow maintenance to Fingerposts.

Always something new and always interesting to read. The CPRE’s main aim is to help make the countryside a better place for us all to live.

Dorset community news

Village shops fighting back

A long time supporter (and judge!) of Dorset’s village shops, North Dorset CPRE chairman Rupert Hardy visits Child Okeford’s success story COVID was kind to...

Editorial team - 21 May 2023

Rural Matters

Wild thing! Rewilding at Mapperton

Rupert Hardy, Chairman of North Dorset CPRE, takes a look at Mapperton, the Dorset country estate creating its own version of Knepp’s rewilding in...

Editorial team - 24 April 2023

News

Say YES to solar, but NO to huge greenfield solar power stations

Rupert Hardy, Chairman of North Dorset CPRE, shares his thoughts on current planning applications for two huge solar farms in Dorset A few months ago...

Editorial team - 5 March 2023

Dark Skies Dorset

UFOs – or something else tonight?

Richard Miles, Dark Skies Adviser for Dorset CPRE, was chatting with fellow astronomers over a coffee – all missing the fireball shooting overhead! Have you...

Editorial team - 19 February 2023

Rural Matters

EXCLUSIVE interview with Rupert Hardy and the most haunted house in England. Probably.

Another exclusive interview just for podcast listeners this week - Terry has a fascinating conversation with Rupert Hardy from the CPRE about the 'rooftop...

Laura - 30 January 2023

Rural Matters

Rooftop panels versus solar farms

Rupert Hardy, chairman of the North Dorset CPRE, takes a long look into the case for solar panels on roofs or in fields North Dorset...

Editorial team - 15 January 2023

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Bucked in the Yarn

Editorial team - 11 September 20240

Three small Somerset villages had a huge impact on global exploration and trade – Rachael Rowe talks to Professor Terry Stevens “Nothing much ever happened...