Talk:Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs
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[edit] Rename
This article was recently moved from "Dunstable Downs" to "Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs" because that is "the official title, listed by English Nature as a Site of Scientific Interest". However, this ignores the general Wikipedia policy on names which is to use the common name rather than an official name.
But first it is necessary to decide what this article is about. Is it about the hill that attracts lots of visitors, which even the National Trust calls "Dunstable Downs", and which happens to be part of an SSSI? Or is it about the SSSI called "Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs"? In the latter case, the article should be clearer about what makes it interesting to scientists (I guess it is the flowers and butterflies), as well as saying it is a popular destination, etc.
In any case it may be desirable to check exactly what area is covered by the SSSI designation. JonH (talk) 16:57, 25 February 2008 (UTC)
- [Copied from User talk:JonH] Hi there, I've just read your comments at Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs and I must admit I've probably made a right royal cock up. To be honest I would support an article that would incorporate that that it's both a National Trust managed area and a SSSI, otherwise we would end up with two articles broadly saying the same thing. Info as to why the area is a SSSI can be easily obtained, from English Nature and added (you're right, it's the flowers and butterflies!). As for the actual article name, well I'm not sure who has the most clout the NT or English Nature so perhaps this is an article for WP:COMMONNAME. Incidentally the NT lists it as Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate. However as an alternative, you could name it Dunstable Downs and have the full title in the intro like this school near me. What do you think? Regards --Starrycupz (talk) 22:19, 25 February 2008 (UTC)
Don't worry, it's not a big disaster that cannot be fixed. I would suggest moving it back to "Dunstable Downs", but I also respect other people's opinions. Google gives the following numbers of hits: "Dunstable Downs" 32000, "Whipsnade Downs" 439, "Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs" 89. If there is one combined article, it should still tell readers the full name used by the National Trust for its estate and the the full name used by English Nature for the SSSI (and in the title of the SSSI infobox I suggest including the word "SSSI" so that readers know what the acreage refers to). This map on the government MAGIC site shows the SSSI as two long thin green areas: one is what I think of as Dunstable Downs, and the other stretches into Whipsnade Zoo. JonH (talk) 18:37, 26 February 2008 (UTC)
