The People and Nature Surge

Social media has certainly gone some way to unlocking the monopoly on information/ideas from the traditional media resulting in better prospects for fringe political parties- like the Greens. Surely it only makes sense that the political environment is populated with a wider choice of political parties that represent more complex considerations- the whole two party right/left wing thing needs modernising?

I'm joining the Greens as their policies are closest to what I agree with. I've always voted Greens in the past but mainly because the local candidate was one of our bird group (Derek) or my old geographer teacher (Bob) and I like the colour Green :-).

I think there is a strong link between nature conservation, social inequality and wider political considerations. I think so much of our countries growth is now malignant growth- the benefits going to only a few where the majority suffer from the effects of over-population, loss of green space, dis-connection from nature, marginalisation, poor air quality, poor environmental conditions  etc. It's harmful and resulting in a sick society.

In my opinion, the solution to addressing malignant growth is empowerment of individuals who want to see it stop. It's basically like a counter attack by positive anti-bodies. Individuals need to take positions of political power- particularly local positions (within those positions they can express their main interests- e.g. in my case nature conservation). Individuals can set up businesses that promote social and environmental values. Individuals can look at their consumer choices and focus on supporting producers with social and environmental values. Individuals can challenge planning decisions, protest and stand in the way of anti social and anti environmental actions.

The changes can only occur by focusing on individual problems.  It won't, can't and never will come only from the top down- it all has to work together . Some of that has to come out of the ground.  Individuals cannot simply vote in change, they cannot sub-contract their personal responsibility to a political party, it's not safe to hand over their (our) well being to others. I reckon its better to be an active participator.

It's a better idea to drive the change ourselves, defend ourselves and create the environments we want to see (and yes do that as part of supporting parties, other groups etc). There is no other way for things to change for the better- nothing will be different unless the people who want it to be different start creating that difference. Being a member of a society it a great responsibility. Apathy is deadly- literally- We are part of nature- and nature is tough.

Loss of natural biodiversity and social inequality gets worse everyday. I think it has to be like this. Things have to hit the bottom before they bounce back to the top. Its just a natural rhythm- a natural cycle.  I suspect we are getting pretty close to the bottom but we are not there yet.

Here's what happened to Warwick University students yesterday who were protesting about uni fees. Yes there are complex arguments about state and individual responsibility regarding educational provision but this brutality by the police is increasing evidence that as inequality grows, as past expectations are managed (have people been spoilt in the past) as police resources become stretched and personal strain on those individuals build- the end result could be unsatisfactory.

A kick off at Warwick University 

I reckon there's a risk that things could escalate to a crisis point- features of that being reminiscent of  the riots of August 2011. Hopefully that crisis point will be a bottom point and it will be in that relatively short moment that energy for the bounce back will be harnessed by those who will drive the recovery (the Real Recovery); a recovery that puts social well being and a healthy nature filled environment as core values to society.

Beddington Farmlands Conservation Science Group day

Had the Conservation Science Group (CSG) meeting today- the body that advises on the restoration programme at Beddington Farmlands. A few good bits of news:

1) Over 4000 trees have been succcessfully planted in the last few months and will be maintained as part of a five year programme to get them established
2) Restoraton of the acid grassland habitat has commenced with restoration soils laid down ready for spring seeding (experimental nursery wards will be trailed first).
3) The Environmental Agency are re-modelling the local catchment flood models, a re-modelling that could involve more of Beddington Farmlands being designated/preserved for flood defence (better protection than conservation legislation!)
4) The setting up of the new management body (The Conservation Access and Management Committee)has made progress
5) BFBG will be involved in on site pre-contractor work consultation to fine tune habitat management.

A couple of bits of bad news:
1) A cessation certificate has been issued by Thames Water that the site will no longer be used for treatment of sludge (sludge creates important wet habitats). The decommissiong period is approximately 4 years, after which the south east corner and 100 acre areas (important wetland habitats) will no longer be receiving fresh material and it is likely the areas will dry out. This is actually catastrophic news!
2)The above counts as two bits of bad news.

To end on a bit of good news (bloody good news):
1 or 6?) Works to develop the wet grassland habitat will commence in 2015 and completion of the area south of the pylons is due to be completed by the end of the year,

.... and some pretty pics from last few days to boot:

 Shovelers

 Couldn't make my mind up what the gull in the middle is- a 2nd-winter Yellow-legged (seems too pale) or a northern Herring Gull.

 Adult male Wigeon (left) and two first-winter males (note reduced white in coverts)

 The same three male Wigeons as above. Adult in middle- note different intensity and extent of yellow blaze on forehead/crown.

Gulls numbers up to the 6-10,000 mark now. Only a few years left of landfill- going to miss the gulls. 

Work- Different day, different sh#t

Thursday is quoting day for me- when I go out to meet clients, survey and report/price up work. Every week different problems and different things of interest. Here's a few things from today.



 Tulip Tree on a private housing estate. The tree is covered with a preservation order (TPO) and management is carried out with consultation/approval from the local authority tree officer. The tree is close to the housing block so there are potential problems from blocking out light, blocking gutters and also potential for root damage. The tree is a beautiful specimen of a fairly unusual tree so works have to be sympathetic to address issues while maintaining aesthetic quality and health. Works to date include minimal pruning back from property, lifting of lower branches and thinning the density of the crown.  

 On another estate the residents have reported this tree (Sycamore) as they are worried it will fall over onto the property. Again this tree is covered by a TPO. Due to a mass of ivy at the base it's difficult to see whether the tree is showing any kind of up-rooting/movement. Despite a lean the tree could be safe and stable. This problem will require further consulting work. As the tree is TPO'd will call in the Local Authoirty Tree Officer to discuss.  

 Neighbours are often rather good at finding other neighbours problems. This tree was reported to the management company by the neighbouring management company. We spend quite a lot of time in our work getting caught in the middle of neighbour disputes (and do our best to mediate/referee/pick the winning side!). This Sycamore is close to a garage and potentially the tree could cause problems by root damage, excess leaf litter, shade and damp problems and from an intrusive canopy. We've pruned back the lower branches and the canopy in the past and cut the ivy at the base. To mitigate further for the reported concerns will recommend thinning of the canopy and continual monitoring. 

 The owners here want to remove this tree (Lawson's Cypress). I couldn't see any safety issues or concerns, the tree looked okay aesthetically- could do with the top being tidied up a bit and the sides very lightly trimmed. I'll send them a report and quote for that. Unfortunately they weren't in so hopefully will get a further chance to discuss the situation with them.   

 Campanula- flowering today! BBC news reported it was the warmest year on record. The leaves on the trees are doing the main fall only now.

Mixed fungi on a rotten log (at the farmlands entrance)

The work day is not over yet. 7pm Local Committee meeting this evening to represent the neighbourhood development group with the plans to develop a greener neighbourhood. I quite like the mix of meetings and field work so not a bad day. 

LITTLE OAK

Beddington Farmlands New Web Spaces

Just in case you may have missed these new sites that went up over the busy summer and autumn here are links to the new Beddington Farmlands Nature Reserve web spaces (all the wonderful work of Dingers) :

BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS NATURE RESERVE WEBSITE

BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS NATURE RESERVE FACEBOOK

BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS NATURE RESERVE FLICKR

BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS NATURE RESERVE TWITTER

Please follow and join the mailing list on the website if you haven't already.

Obs recycling

Try to be as pro-environment as possible at the obs but must confess to not having a good track record for recycling. Always thought the quicker they fill up the tip at the farmlands, the sooner the restoration will be complete? Anyway, the tip is nearly full so I got myself a mixed recyling container (luckily it appeared on my doorstep from the council just when I was thinking of reforming).

So recycling scheme now added to energy efficient light bulbs, organic food policy, minimum packaging policy, natural cosmetics policy, mail packaging re-use and electricity monitoring (all of which I could do better at).

Trying to put good use to these long winter evenings- so in addition at looking into obs improvements (got some new house plants recently) working on the Beddington Farmlands Plant Systematic List and getting the annual report up to date. Been doing the Azores Nature funding bid today- hopefully can get some money together to fund more exploration/ publications (an improved annual report hopefully too) etc- need to start getting the word out for next years new trip soon- perhaps a promotional article?. Also hoping that by the end of this winter would have completed the Hackbridge Green Space Management Plan (and Neighbourhood Plan) and sorted out a blueprint to try and set up the first Little Oak chain next Spring.  Be good to see the Judicial Review Appeal and Formal Complaint Procedure making good progress. So hoping for productive winter (hope we get some cold weather movements too).

The Gentle Revolution

 Champions of the Flyway-  the last few years has seen a growth in campaigning action from the birding community with a closer assimilation between birders, conservation organisations and the environmental sector. Communities taking ownership and custodianship of the things they value most is central to a move towards an improved system/ more advanced alternative system. The trend in the birding community is something occurring over wider society, with a move towards autonomous groups taking control, defending their areas of interest and challenging the mains system. (Photo sourced from Champions of the Flyway) 

  

 The most important reason to detach from the main system (that primarily values capital gain and social class) and connect to the con-current socio-environmental sub-system (that primarily values people and nature)  is needless to say that the main system is rigged for the benefit of a few at the expense of the majority and the environment (so its likely individuals are being manipulated to generate their own decline). As Traditional Capitalism enters its darkest (most brilliant for the masterminds behind it) years the system will exclude increasing numbers of people from society and make increasing challenges on environmental protection so that nature can be processed into capital -at an exponential rate. Its like a black hole maintaining itself by sucking in the energy of everything and anything around it (presumably before it implodes). (Photo sourced from UK uncut) 

 The march of the right wing , the re-emergence of the class war are all setting the scene for an extremely unstable future. UKIP are not a challenge on the establishment- they are part of the establishment- the worst part of it? Some say they are a bunch of disgraced and failed Tories who can see they can get power by turning the people against each other  and scavenging off the remains of the battlefield.  Chaos (to some degree) has to proceed a period of re-organisation and it looks very much like things are heading that way. This lot will quite likely lead the dispossessed and the victims of traditional capitalism into working against the interests of each other in situ- basically its the cheapest way of dividing society. (Photo sourced from UK uncut).

The students are it again. (Photo sourced from UK uncut) 

So the gentle revolution continues at geological pace but things do seem to be building at the moment- might get a bit of earthquake or some kind of sudden release of pressure. I've moved all my personal finances and stocks into bunker mode again. 

Could do with a big break. To some degree its being held up by make believe capital (Quantitative easing) and anti-depressants (Chemical control) and bullshit (that traditional politics has the solution) but how long can an unstoppable force be held back- the longer you hold it back the greater force it will arrive with?
We need a system with the environmental and social conscience well represented in policy and enforcement- i.e. we need a real democracy and not whatever this nonsense we have is?? 

Conservation Fundamentalist?

Red spot is where I came out on the test 

I took this : POLITICAL COMPASS TEST as recommended by Mark Avery . According to the test I come out as a lefty libertarian. 

To be honest- not a big fan of general politics (or these stupid tests which try and undermine the importance of appreciating complexity and are probably rigged too)  - always thought there was something random and nonsensical about the concepts of right wing and left wing- a chaotic jumble of traditional morality, vice, state control and individualism e.g. 

1. Right wing (jumble) : Christianity/War Lust, Anti-homosexuality/Pro-Greed, Racist/ Pro-Globalisation, State Brutality/ Free Market, Poor social and environmental regulation/ Philanthropy, (they love hunting too)

2. Left wing (jumble): Science/ Mysticism, Environmental regulation/ Libertarianism, Anti-authoritarian/ Political Extreme Passive Aggression (Political Correctness), Revolutionists/ Lazy bastards

To me it all looks like a load of shit?? I could move around that model above depending on what issue, what particular situation, what mood I was in, who it was related too etc etc. I just think the whole idea of an individual shackling themselves with political rules or classes  is debilitating. I can see the argument of strength in numbers but societies can be as oppressive as they are liberating.  These modes (right and left wing) of thinking can probably be traced back to particularly influential thinkers (individuals or small groups)- thought modes in much need of modernisation.

The only thing that makes sense to me is learning from experience and applying that experience to every situation- treating every situation/problem in a unique way. When required I'll be completely authoritarian, when not required I'll be completely libertarian. There are no rules (always hold them lightly) as far as I'm concerned.. 

'Political classes' to me seems like the mutant child of the human herding instinct trying to superimpose itself on a group psychosis- choose which mental asylum you're in? I always come to the conclusion that insanity is the only thing that unites humanity and appreciating that is probably a good thing (and not to be intimidated by power or classes- the powerful are as mental and clueless as all of us and individual empowerment and a move towards a true democracy is more possible by appreciating that).   

Nature is one of the most important things in my life and I find myself pretty much at war with the society around me that doesn't value nature in the same way as I do. So if I had to call myself anything it wouldn't be a lefty, conservative, labour, lib dem or green it would probably be a Nature Conservation Fundamentalist? (a non-violent one). I will do anything that is required to protect it and I will align with any group or individuals that share my value and love for nature. (and end up pissing them all off because they probably won't accept my non-political class alignment and mingling with the 'enemy'). Fuck them all in that case- I'll have a go at what one madman can do alone. Nature is my ally- and she is the biggest arse whipping bitch on the planet. Don't really need anyone else.