Any one got any thoughts on the RSPB’s central management decision to categorise all their woodland reserves as Category 4…Of no value to the RSPB strategy… and is mothballing (at best) or SELLING (at worst) despite the fact that woodland has, as a resource for nature, been identified as poorly managed nationally and, since the 1970s 70 to 80 percent of the birds living in woodland have been lost to us? A free thoughts come to mind for discussion: 1. RSPB management have forgotten what they are about, 2. Birding ids much more difficult, and therefore not as profitable as it is in Category 1 and 2 reserves… Wetland, Estuarine, Cliff
They are currently in the process of sacking many of he assistant wardens, not sure of he actual number but he majority of assistant wardens are affected either by losing their jobs completely or having their hours cut, making the job untenable. In effect the entry level to conservation is being wiped out. Not a single manager, at any level, has lost their job. Throughout the process the top management has done no consultation with anybody until after the decisions were made; the whole process has been kept secret from he membership….hence his post.
With the AGM of the RSPB in less than 2 weeks any RSPB member who does not normally register for the online AGM who is cconcerned about this and concerned should register and ask questions about this. That is what the AGM is for. This has been building up to this for at least the last 5 with some redundancies. The National Trust when they had to make redundancies where open about this and members did have a chance to put questions to the council of the National Trust.
Regards,
Ian.
Have managed to get access to the full document. I will comment(s) at the AGM. But again for any members who have an interest or concerns about this should register for the the online RSPB AGM which takes very soon Mark Avery made some fare comments about the RSPB’s AGM in recent years. You never know how many members of the RSPB’s council are at the RSPB’s online AGM. In my opinion it should be a combined online and also audience in person AGM. The National Trust’s AGM does exactly that. The National Trust’s AGM is being held in Newcastle Upon Tyne this year in early November of which I’ve registered to attend in person.
Hello Andrew,
There's so much I want to say, but time won't facilitate, and I don't expect anyone to fully grasp my meaning.
There’s a lot of finger pointing going on as powerful organisations get on to the AI gravy train, and dispense with real jobs.
More so than ever before, today it’s all about money, not nature or the people, so there is nothing that surprises me in the document, though the pain it will cause is only going to increase, something I'm already seeing local to my area.
I note some of the educational links to local schools and communities, the open gateways to early and long-term understanding of nature are to be negatively impacted, another example of the more struggling communities becoming abandoned. One of those reserves I know well, and engages very proactively with the local community, and I’m sure the others no less so.
The community and nature setbacks will be huge and long-lasting.
Repairable?
I doubt it.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
Given the RSPB's stated commitment to transparency, I think there should be more clarity about this. Credit to Andrew for blowing the whistle. Unfortunately, I couldn't open the link. Perhaps it has been taken down. Is there any other option for viewing the RCE summary?
Sorry Jim… i was told, through the manager of the reserve where i volunteer, that he had been told by RSPB management that i was to remove the link as it was a private internal document that they did not want anybody outside rspb employees and active volunteers to see. My suggestion is that you contact the RSPB and ask (demand) a copy because it is a very depressing document, especially if you care about woodland birds… which the RSPB regard of lowest importance.
Thanks Andrew. Likewise, I love woodland birds, and would be immensely sad to see any moves by RSPB to downgrade their status. Unfortunately, there's no chance of the society letting me, as an ordinary member, have sight of the document. Can you give any alternative pointers/clues? I wasn't able to Zoom into the AGM last Saturday. Did the chief executive give any insights? Also, what is meant by Category 4 - is there a formal definition?
A category 4 reserve is one that is to be "mothballed" or "disposed of". If you volunteer on a reserve then you should have been sent a link to the document in the email called "RSPB Connect October 2024". If you don't volunteer and you know somebody who does then they will have access to all the documentation. This is part of my issue with the RSPB's behaviour, they are informing selected groups of individuals who contribute, in one way or another, to the running of the RSPB, but leaving out the vast majority of the membership, who do not have the time or inclination to take on a voluntary role, but want to make a contribution to what has, in the past, been an amazing, upstanding organisation showing outstanding conservation behaviour taking great positive action for wildlife conservation.
Maybe before anyone else replies. Maybe you should all read Mark’s Avery”s lates blog! I trust Mark Avery more than anyone else. His latest blog gives common sence and makes interest reading and report from the RSPB’s AGM. I had problems getting on to the AGM on Saturday But did manage. He just posted his latest common sence report on Saturdays AGM of which is more reliable than these posts on this subhead on this forum and an interesting read!
Thomo - I did read Mark Avery's blog. It was his own personal response to what he describes a 'sanitised' event, but he has not given any detail about what was actually said. To its credit, the RSPB has now posted a recording of the meeting online for the benefit of those who were not able to Zoom in last Saturday. Regards - Jim