SUSTAINABILITY

FEATURES
The roots of a sustainable MOD
The 1971-73 Nugent Committee looked into the necessity
and management of Defence land holdings. It recognised
the importance of military land for supporting wildlife and
heritage and recommended that the MOD should do more
to reduce environmental impacts of its activities.
Looking back over the past four
decades of Sanctuary provides an
insight into the origins of sustainability
in the Ministry of Defence. It also
tracks 40 years of the changing
approach to achieve sustainable
use, with environmental protection
in balance with development and
socioeconomic needs; and for the
MOD Defence needs.
(especially noise, ‘eyesores’ and
unexploded ordnance); and to actively
manage wildlife, heritage and the
increasing demands for public access
on the Defence estate. The first MOD
Conservation Offcer appointed in 1973
was tasked with forming links between
MOD land managers and civilian
organisations, and co-ordinating
conservation activities.
First editions of Sanctuary were illustrated by Jean
Clayden, wife of the first MOD Conservation Offcer,
Lt Col C N Clayden © Crown
The origins to our approach can be
found in 1973. Prior to this, habitats
and wildlife were managed, but often
as an incidental result of the main
function of the land, and because
of the enthusiasm of amateur
conservationists. The 1971-73 Nugent
Committee looked into the necessity
and management of Defence land
holdings. It recognised the importance
of military land for supporting wildlife
and heritage and recommended that
the MOD should do more to reduce
environmental impacts of its activities
10th Anniversary Edition of Sanctuary Conservation Bulletin © Crown
MOD conservation groups were
formed to liaise between MOD and
the external organisations, develop
conservation management plans, and
implement practical measures. These
were formed with a core of academic
and amateur naturalists, archaeologists
and members of the Service branches
of the Ornithological Society and the
British Deer Society.
Thirty-five groups had been set up
within two years and work started
on a newsletter. The first edition
of Sanctuary was issued in January
1975 and ran to 300 copies, with the
aim of providing the conservation
groups and interested societies with
a roundup of conservation activities
across the estate, and addressing the
issues identified in the Nugent Report.
The distribution steadily increased to
25,000 at its peak in 2004 when it was
sent to a range of MPs, conservation
organisations and members of the
public, until in 2011 when publishing
also moved online.
The forty-four editions of Sanctuary
provide a record of the responses
to environmental issues of the time
and how the MOD has contributed;
such as in 1978, when Sanctuary
reported on the conservation group
at Pendine helping the clean-up
following the oil spill from the Cristos
Bitas; or the amendment of byelaws
to take account of metal detectors
and the protection of archaeology
in 1982 (it is never a good idea to
go digging up metal items on MOD
sites!). It also shows some of the more
unusual issues or requests, including
a request in 1977 from the Scottish
Offce for wood from the MOD estate
in Scotland to re-roof the great hall
of Stirling Castle; how Royal Navy
divers, along with the Egyptian
Navy, helped recover the Gateway of
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Sanctuary 44 • 2015