Sir,

Mr. Prosser and his supporter Mr. Webb make much of so-called educational benefits of developing St. Catherine's Island. But they would be providing nature at a remove.

Imagine buying your ticket to climb concrete steps and walk to the fort, your every step fenced in by railings, to go inside and view sea-creatures on screens or a display board. Contrast this with free access for children of all ages to poke about in nearby rock pools and crannies finding perhaps anemones, shrimps, shellfish, blennies... with the freedom to climb rocks a few yards away, to explore inside caves, to run screaming and splashing in and out of waves, to find their own treasures (shells, starfish, mermaids' purses...) at the tide-line, to scramble about in the dunes, to lie flat on their backs andmarvel at the myriads of stars without the help of a telescope.

As for the groups of school-children and students visiting the island 'to undertake projects', I doubt if it's feasible because actual accessible space on the island is very limited. 'Nature walks' there cannot compete with the freedom of the Coast Path. The history of the island is already available.

The National Trust publication 'Natural Childhood' by Stephen Moss (2012) uses the phrase 'Nature Deficit Disorder' to describe how today's children lack direct experience of nature, thus leading to physical and mental health disorders.

Local resident

(name and

address supplied)

PS. what is wrong with a 'picturesque ruin'? Tenby's Town Walls and Castle are much loved and admired.