That's the message we are trying to get across to politicians ahead of the decisions on spending cuts which will be announced in October.
We are taking that message to decision-makers in lots of ways, but this week we have taken the message to the constituencies of the Secretary of State for Defra, Caroline Spelman, who has the difficult task of making the cuts demanded by The Treasury, Oliver Letwin who is a member of the Star Chamber which will decide the cuts (and who is generally sympathetic to the environment) and to the Chancellor, George Osborne, who probably has the biggest say in all of this.
Local farmers have enthusiastically allowed us to put up placards in their fields, there are cycles travelling around with signs, helium balloons, banners over the M6 and being unfurled from windows and lots of other things!
Here (below) is an example of a banner - this one on the roof of our visitor centre at Radipole!
In addition, we have placed adverts like the one above in publications as diverse as Private Eye, the Times and Guardian, the Spectator and elsewhere.
A placard never saved a skylark - but a campaign can! Add your voice to those of over 270,000 others in our Letter to the Future campaign.
Well we all agree in a matter of fashion it just takes a bit of discussion Mark and if we looked back a year it just seemed to be me and you disagreeing then thinking we agreed anyway so we have moved a long way forward and still find it surprising you basically allow us diverse views,so many thanks from me.
Sooty. Well said
Hi Sooty
Yes I plead guilty as charged of banging on about the B….. word in connection with TB.
You say Mark sits on the fence – the RSPB doesn’t and hasn’t and everyone else assumes ALL RSPB members are signed up to whatever Mark / RSPB thinks is right.
If Mark did sit on the fence and told every body that this was the case then the RSPB would no doubt be ‘excommunicated’ from the Wildlife & Countryside LINK group.
The RSPB would first have to justify its change of policy to its fellow LINK members …! But the RSPB isn’t independent, big or brave enough for it to do that despite its size, turnover, etc. - it’s a state of mind – it’s ‘safer’ in a pack! "We all winge together".
But Sooty …… I also keep banging about the RSPB (re-)thinking BIG in order to achieve ‘environmental / biodiversity nirvana’.
What I want to see is for all (ALL) farmers to ‘sign-up’ for most things the RSPB is attempting to achieve now and like the Green Party – the RSPB will achieve its mission when the RSPB is no longer required!
A brilliant opportunity - being ‘misread’ at best and ‘mis-managed’ at worst - and quickly evaporating!
Cheers
Sorry should have added Trimbush please lets not go down the route of farmer against RSPB route as we will all be losers especially wildlife and I personally think Mark is really rooting for farmers while trying to get what he wants.The Badger debate is really a separate issue and while I do not agree with them just as many see the Badger as innocent as number see it as guilty.Mark seems to sit on the fence which in the circumstances I find it hard for him to do anything else.Worse case scenario is farmers and RSPB to get in conflict as those farmers in for awards and lots like them get lots of pleasure from increasing bird numbers on their farms.
Excellent points Mark,what a clever way of putting it that it doesn't seem fair to hand on to future generations a less rich environment.Now if only Gordon Brown had thought we must not pass on to a future generation a massive debt we might not have been so worried.
Surprised the RSPB doesn't use some of its artists contacts to commission paintings of say Sea Eagle,Golden Eagle and perhaps others then sell prints,think there must be artists who would do it to promote themselves,perhaps even RSPB members.Perhaps it is not that easy but think lots of us would buy the prints.In these harder times maybe essential to look into such things.
Think quite a lot of us understand the need for freebies to get new members but it seems in a way it is being abused by only being members for a short time to get the freebies but obviously do not know if figures prove this.