Park management

We are located in the main visitor centre complex. Staff includes administration, reception, education and ranger staff, a manager and an assistant manager. The same building houses the South East Hampshire Rights of Way Manager, the South Downs Way Officer and three Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty staff.

In addition Forestry Commission staff, based at Alice Holt near Farnham, operate all the commercial timber contracts within the Park, including the Christmas tree sales and contribute to other projects where relevant. Within the Park various franchises exist which include the Cafe, the kiosks on Butser and in the forest. These work for the Park but exist as independent business units.

Management aims

The Country Park is committed to the continued development of recreation, conservation and access as an integrated system of management. The 1972 Joint Management Agreement, between Hampshire County Council and Forest Enterprise, outlines seven primary aims:

• To manage the Country Park to a high standard in a way which reconciles the demands and needs of the visitor with the conservation and land management requirements of the site and surrounding countryside.
• To raise revenue in order to minimise the costs of the Country Park.
• To conserve the landscape and wildlife of an important part of Hampshire natural and man made heritage.
• To play a role in the wider recreation of strategy of the area and by doing so to take pressure off more sensitive areas.
• To provide for the visitor through effective management continually improving and interesting visitor services, interpretation, special events and education.
• To provide for a range of outdoor recreation activities and events as long as they do not conflict with the primary objective of quiet enjoyment of the countryside.
• To carry out regular evaluations and audit procedures to ensure that these objectives are being met.

Key events in the recent past

• November 2007 - new wood fuel boiler is commissioned.
• December 2006 - wins News 'Do it All' award for care of the environment.
• July 2005/06 - The Green Flag award is the National standard, managed by the Civic Trust, for Parks and green spaces. The award is assembled annually by independent judges on eight key criteria including quality of welcome, safety and heritage. Hampshire County Council supports the demonstration of excellence in this way and was the first County Council in the South East Region to secure this prestigious award for its largest Country Parks.

• August 2004 - gains ENCAMS Eco Centre status.
• December 2003 - Work is completed on 38 acres of newly purchased land thanks to a Heritage Lottery Grant
• June 2003 - Butser Hill gains organic status
• February 2002 - Approximately 40 acres of conifer plantation on Holt Down are designated as a new Scheduled Ancient Monument to preserve Romano - British and Iron Age buildings, field systems and hollow ways.
• September 2000 - Butser Hill is proposed as a new Special Area for Conservation. (SAC)
• August 2000 - QECP receives a regional award from the English Tourism Council for " Sustainable Tourism".
• September 1999 - The designation of Buster Hill as a National Nature Reserve. The first to occur within a Country Park.·Autumn 1999 - a MORI POLL, commissioned by Hampshire County Council gives the site the highest public awareness rating of any countryside site in Hampshire.