A SPECIALIST from the other side of the world has been brought in to help plan for the future of England's largest lake on the eve of the 10mph speed limit.

Carissa Lough is originally from New Zealand and is using skills she honed in her home country in her new role as the Lake District National Park Authority's Windermere project officer.

Her role will involve helping to put together a new lake management plan, which has not been updated since 1981.

The controversial speed limit, which is due to be introduced in 2005, is only one part of her remit, which will also include biological issues, conservation, as well as the needs of business and recreational use.

The focus on the speed limit has sometimes been at the expense of some of these issues, she believes: "The speed limit has had such a very public profile, people have forgotten the lake is more than that."

She said she had yet to be challenged on why someone from New Zealand should be involved with an issue as divisive and emotive as the speed limit.

"In some ways it's probably an advantage I'm new to the issues because I have not been involved in the last few years. So I'm coming into a role that's looking to the future."

Her job will involve producing a public discussion document about the lake's development before a draft management plan is drawn up.

An honours graduate in horticultural technology and business, Ms Lough was until recently teaching German and French in Birmingham. Before moving to the UK she worked for Fish and Game New Zealand, which is the statutory organisation that manages fisheries and game birds and which also focuses on conservation and recreational management. She was involved in looking after 13 lakes.

The largest lake in her home area is twice the size of Windermere but does not have nearly the same number of visitors as the Lake District. This is one of the differences she is having to adapt to, as there are 11 million visitors a year to the Lake District National Park, compared to a total population of four million in New Zealand.

Ms Lough was attracted to the Windermere job because it was an opportunity to use the experience she had gleaned working in New Zealand, and also to enjoy outdoor activities like walking and climbing during her free time.

n Letter, P12

May 16, 2003 11:00