Back in 1997-1999, as most people will know, I was asked to be the wildlife consultant for Terry Adams Ltd and their plans to turn the old Yanley tip into a park for Ashton Vale.
SAVE (Save Ashton Vale's Environment) and those involved at the time were opposed to this plan which would have seen a small woodland park with benches, a water and wildlife features. I received a lot of verbal abuse and even vandalism to my garden and planting projects -which the City Council knew about. I stuck with it but Terry Adams Ltd decided against the project.
I have recorded and observed wildlife in Ashton Vale since 1994 and I have never stopped recording. I observe the changes caused by work to build new homes and so on.
When the Longmoor 'village' project was announced I found that no one was interested locally. The same thing still applies but I put in objections based on the impact of building based on the 1998 survey which showed the presence of protected species (a couple others have appeared since 1998).
I had no idea that SAVE was still going and asking neighbours they were unaware that it was still going so I assume that this is a localised area SAVE?
The question is, if you are objecting to a development based in part on the potential impact to local nature WHY do you not contact the local wildlife record keeper? My being in Ashton Vale is no secret and I am easily contactable.
Then there is a wildlife map apparently put together by the "Greater Bedminster Wildlife Group" -again, I have posted frequently on BS3, BS4 and other wildlife groups so I assume there is no interest in the records already available.
I have had some nasty "you ought to retire and pass all the info on to the GBWG" messages in the past and I just do not understand WHY wildlife groups do not cooperate unless it is because of ego and "this is MY/OUR group" stances.
I will stop doing what I do when I am unable to and I don't intend that to be any time soon. I've been doing this 50 years so ....
No comments:
Post a Comment