Rally for Nature

Went along to the Rally for Nature today. A good little day. Memorable speeches from Caroline Lucas and Mark Avery and then walked to parliament to meet our MPs. I met up with Tom Brake (our local MP )and mentioned the importance of the ideas behind the nature and wellbeing act proposal particularly in our local area where one of our most valuable assets are the Green Spaces (our only assets! :-)  )

I like all this campaigning and protesting stuff but often feel some of the higher level stuff is a bit of a blunt instrument that could do with sharpening. Would be good if there was a link to a local project- like trying to achieve one tangible and achievable objective (within a relatively short time scale) to give it more of a point.

The objectives of this rally were to 1) Defend existing laws such as the Nature Directives 2) Implement and enforce  the laws and 3) to establish a Nature and Wellbeing Act.I was left sort of thinking- so the objectives were to highlight the fact that laws are not being enforced and then to make another law to add to the existing ones that are already not being enforced?

Personally I would like the see the conservation movement doing more towards enforcing those laws ourselves, living the philosophy of the Nature and Wellbeing Act and defending protected areas- taking offending parties to court,  blockading, challenging, setting up alternative solutions, examining our purchasing choices and excercising our democratic powers, mobilising large numbers of people to target one problem at a time etc etc.

Would be good if there was a national movement that would harness energy and skills from a wide area and come to aid of local groups that are fighting on the front line- I hope this current trend in conservation towards more activism is heading that way. Could certainly do with some help round here!

Really enjoyed the day- met up with some local London birders and great to see the fight for nature taking to the streets and in Central London.

For BBC coverage click on below. 26 mins in:
BBC Daily Politics