A ‘Vision’ of what the Somerset Levels and Moors might look like in 2030, intended to guide water and land management policies over the years ahead, has been agreed by a Task Force set up last year to address the area’s problems. The Task Force includes representatives of farming, conservation, local authorities and Government agencies. …
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Breaking News: No Sanctuary for urban wildlife
This evening, the Planning Committee of Derby City Council voted 6:5 in favour of the planning application that is a ‘vile act of wanton vandalism’ despite 1009 responses of opposition and 642 in favour. See previous blogs here, here, here and here. I’d be interested to know the political allegiances of those voting each way….
Worst job in the world?
It used to be said that Home Secretary was the worst Ministerial job to have because you were so at the mercy of events. If someone breaks into Buck House and has a chat with the Queen one night then it’s your fault. Surely, the mantle has long since passed to the Sec of State…
Deselection
If I were looking for a couple of Tory MPs to deselect ahead of the next general election then Tim Yeo and Anne Mcintosh would not feature anywhere near the top of the list. Maybe I ought to come up with that list some time. It’s a bit of a coincidence, and a bit of…
Sanctuary LNR – tomorrow the council decides
Tomorrow evening Derby City Council’s Planning Committee will consider the planning application to destroy the Sanctuary Local Nature Reserve. The cyclists ran out of puff and amassed 642 responses in favour of the ‘vile act of wanton vandalism’ (in the words of Chris Packham) compared with 995 responses against the plan. Thank you to readers…
Forests one year on.
You must remember all that fuss about forests? We all fought to keep our forests didn’t we? Here is an update from FC England on the implementation plan. It’s not a document to quicken the pulse. When you eventually get to the bits about wildlife then Commitment 22 has an unhealthy obsession with pesky deer…
Two jokers and a serious view of the Somerset Levels
An account on Twitter (@PaulThomas992) has kept me smiling with its wry look at the Somerset Levels in recent days. Yes, it’s all very serious and I don’t have a flooded house… SOMERSET BIRD NEWS. Early signs that waterlogged Blue Tits and Hedge Sparrows are evolving Dipper-style preen glands SOMERSET LEVELS, latest sightings: Dead Harbour…
Do, please, remember to…
1. Complete the readers’ survey for this blog. Over 700 responses so far. 2. Sign this e-petition asking for grouse moors to be licensed which passed 8,600 signatures today.
Them and us, and what you want
There has been a lot of nonsense talked about the non-reappointment of Baroness Morgan to Ofsted. Once a political party is in power then it is likely, and well-advised, to appoint like-thinking people to positions of power and influence. They need to be hard-working and able people, and people with other qualities than simply ‘one…
Oscar Dewhurst – Ring-necked Parakeet
Oscar writes: this was taken in May 2011, during my GCSEs. I spend most of the Spring revising so barely had any time for photography, but whenever the weather was good I would do my work outside at our garden table, with my camera beside me in case anything turned up. One evening I…