George Osborne obviously sees the countryside as feminine and cities as masculine, as he's delivered a sugar and spice budget for farmers and and a snips, snails and puppy dogs tails budget for wildlife loving Londoners.
After much campaigning and lobbying by the RSPB and others, he halted the axe,mid-swing, to save the Higher Level Scheme for farmers. This funding stream helps farmers manage their land to keep our traditional rolling hills rolling and our patchwork quilt fields from unravelling. It means the good work that's been put in to reversing declines of farmland birds can continue and that there's plenty to sustain the birds and bees that pollinate and protect our food as it's grown in our now continuing green and pleasant land.
Life in the gritty city won't be getting any smoother though. DEFRA is the government department that has funded, either directly or indirectly, a lot of the work to maintain and improve our parks, streets, waterways and green buffer zones. The Chancellor's cut their budget by about 30%, the second biggest slashing seen in Government today (20 Oct). It's bad news for the Environment Agency and Natural England, who deliver much of DEFRA's work in London and other urban areas. The head of Natural England London has already gone.
It's going to be nigh on impossible to fill the void this cut will create. Local council's can achieve great things with limited resources, our support and the goodwill of Londoners. Maybe some of the banks or big corporates will see the funding blackhole as an opportunity. If so, I'd really like to hear from them so we can get together to start attacking the vacuum. It's not just a sad loss if London's wildlife starts to shrink. It's a warning.
Thriving wildlife is an indication of a healthy environment. That means it's healthier for us mere people; boosting our physical and mental wellbeing. It also means allotments, gardens and windowbox growbags will produce food and flowers. What do you think looks nicer to tourists and which would you prefer to live in? A barren concrete wasteland or a green leafy capital, full of cleaner air, fresher waterways and vivid, vibrant life. I may have overstressed the good points and over-egged the bad, but those are the extremes of reality and because I love London, it's what I would say, isn't it.
It's been put more diplomaticallly by our Conservation Director Mark Avery (left), who's said... "The Government still has a long way to go to prove it can be the 'greenest ever', so it's vital we kick start a debate on how nature conservation is funded in the future. There are many innovative ideas including conservation credits systems and a great role for the private sector and communities, but the political will needs to be there to make these things happen".
Let's start the debate today! Post your thoughts on my Facebook page and let's find ways to make more of London's wildlife together. Alternatively, drop by our trailer in Greenwich Park this weekend near the Pavillion Cafe.. where there's a great view down the hill and across the Thames. Volunteer, join us or if you want to help put the green in Greenwich and flick the 'ons' in London, leave your contact details. You'll also be able to find out more about Feed the Birds Day on 30 and 31 October, a great chance to join the Big Society by doing your own thing at home to support wildlife.