Wuthering Moors 64 – a crowdfunder

Mark 19 Comments

 

Walshaw Moor – part of the site of the proposed track. Photo: Bob Berzins

 

I’ve been writing about Walshaw Moor for years – this is my 64th blog on the subject!

But now I am asking for your help to protect this site from further damage.  In fact, I am asking for your help to protect this site from Natural England who have reached a management agreement with the Walshaw Moor Estate that will allow continued burning of heather on blanket bogs and will drive a new 5km track through this site and through its ‘protected’ blanket bog habitat.

I am seeking a judicial review of the management agreement and will claim that Natural England have not carried out the appropriate assessments properly.  I need to raise £5000 quickly to take this case forward and another £21,000 to be able to see it through to the end.  I’ve started things rolling with £250 and I see that someone has already generously chipped in another £100 so we are off to a good start!

We have a strong case – but I can’t guarantee success.  I can guarantee that taking this case will send a strong message to Natural England that they cannot cut corners because the public is watching them.

Please consider supporting the crowdfunder on the Crowd Justice website – every contribution helps protect our upland habitats.

 

For more information on Walshaw Moor and the mismanagement agreement that Natural England has signed see Wuthering Moors 62 – this deep!, Wuthering Moors 61 – Natural England How deep have you sunk?,  Wuthering Moors 58 – Natural England fails to regulate burning on blanket bogs, Wuthering Moors 57 – Natural England paving the way, Wuthering Moors 56 – the shameful capitulation of state nature conservation.

Click here to help this legal challenge – thank you.

 

 

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19 Replies to “Wuthering Moors 64 – a crowdfunder”

  1. I went online to pledge a tenner but on seeing you were only £40 from your first £1,000 I couldn’t resist bumping up my donation so you hit four figures ASAP. I’d scarcely done so before it hit £1,075. The question isn’t whether you’ll hit £5,000 but whether you’ll do so by the w/e. Shared on FB & Twitter. Good luck!

    1. John – many thanks! I fear this one may be a struggle as mosses and bogs are a bit less sexy than hen harrieres… But maybe they aren’t… And maybe all those bog-lovers will empty their pockets (please!).

      For me, it’s about making our public servants do their jobs properly for the many and not the few, and for the mosses and birds, not the rich industries.

      Thank you for your generous donation! You arrived at just the right time from my point of view!

      1. Entirely my pleasure, Mark. Your fears appear to be groundless as £3,500 exceeded by 19.15. Whether that’s because people DO care about mosses and bogs or that public servants should serve us all rather than a minority, I couldn’t say. I’ll revise my estimate – will you hit £5,000 by the end of this evening? A very good chance I’d say.

  3. Pledged £25 and sent to all those in my address book who will be sympathetic.

    1. Paul – many thanks. That’s kind and helpful.

      You look like you know a lot of very wealthy people!

      1. Really what makes you think that, also many of those I know who are wealthy are firmly on the other side. Saving up to contribute to a review of the Raven cull in Scotland too, as I think SNH will fail to see sense.

  4. I will donate anyway Mark but please could you tell us what happened to the RSPB involvement and the European courts?

  5. Mark, thank you for taking this on. You didn’t forget the frogs!
    As if burning our amphibians isn’t bad enough, this moor has butts that are flush with the land. Basically, comfy boxes set deep into the peat that the frogs fall into and die a lingering death. The rich have absolutely no shame whatsoever.
    Pledged and shared.

    Enjoy your time away in your ‘big’ year, you more than deserve it.

  6. Fantastic, so glad you are doing this. It is vital that NE’s assessments are challenged when they are no good – otherwise they have no incentive to do better.

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