Thursday 9 June 2016

Incinerator/Restoration Update

Bad news in the local media (A couple of stories that take stock of where we are at the moment)  :

SUTTON GUARDIAN
INSIDE CROYDON
and in case you missed the MARK AVERY GUEST BLOG

The comments are actually as interesting as the main articles so please read too.

Just to clarify a couple of points from the local media stories:

1) I'm not the warden at Beddington Farmlands- I'm a conservation volunteer.
2) I'm not quitting- just stepping back (following various set ups) and trying to push professional and more qualified people forward to take on the lead roles in developing one of the most important conservation projects in London. Also want to do a bit more travelling (got some mega trips planned and also literally shipping out on the Azores next week too) and concentrate on other projects. Its limited what a conservation volunteer can do and the good will can be abused and exploited by others too so just standing back a bit and trying to assist with others fulfilling their obligations and also enlisting other professionals (and I mean that in an 'unofficial' and 'official' ((the great paradox also assumed to be taken for granted here))  sense) for support. As a project champion- that's my job.
3) The Tree Sparrow information- there were 1000 birds after the breeding season (not 1000 breeding pairs)

Good news:
1 ) Progress is being made with developing the wet grassland habitat (although to get this in context this should have been completed in 2011 and maybe we wouldn't have lost the Tree Sparrows, also we could be loosing more wetland in 100 acre and southeast corner so the wet grassland is absolutely essential or else we are going to loose the few conservation targets species that we have left ).
2) There has been some agreement to increase the number of public walks and public engagement with the completed areas of the restoration
3) Talks are also under way of how the Hackbridge Neighbourhood Development Group can access a community fund to pay for various projects that will help to link Hackbridge, the Wandle (and wider regional park) and Beddington Farmlands with green and wildlife corridors.

Plan for the wet grassland habitat 

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