PLANS are in the pipeline to declare the Deadwater Valley a local nature reserve in time for the QueenÕs golden jubilee.
The Deadwater Valley Trust is putting together an application to submit to English Nature, in a conservation move which on Monday was supported in principle by Whitehill Town Council.
The trust came up with the idea of declaring the 38 hectares of wood and heathland in Bordon as a local nature reserve after the Liss Railway Walk was awarded that status earlier this year.
This has helped the walk to secure vital funding for improvements and conservation projects.
Chris Wain explained to the council that the DVT was hopeful that the Deadwater Valley can enjoy the same benefits.
She said: ÒThe Deadwater Valley has much better biodiversity than the railway walk and a representative from English Nature has come down and looked at what we have got and been impressed.Ó
Mrs Wain explained that if the trust is successful it would be able to apply for funding from sources other than the town council - including English Nature.
She explained that this would help the trust improve paths, build bridges and carry out a range of conservation work which the valley ranger and local volunteers were currently unable to do.
ÒThere would be no end to what we could do with the extra money,Ó she said.
ÒWe thought that it would also be nice to have this as part of the jubilee celebrations next summer.Ó
Mrs Wain explained that the trust was consulting with East Hampshire District Council and Hampshire County Council, which both own part of the valley.
She said that once both had agreed to the trustÕs land management plans, it would be able to ask Whitehill Town Council to support the plans officially.
Town councillors supported the idea enthusiastically and agreed to assist the trust, which is in the process of putting together a dossier on the valley to submit to English Nature.
Council chairman Neil Ockenden said: ÒI think that it is an absolutely brilliant idea and it would be great if it were successful.Ó