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.
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.
If our environment suffers we will ALL suffer!
Friends of the North Kent Marshes
Truly there’s no better ‘supporter’ of bird life’ than I – and I believe that any one who visits the RSPB website equally cares about bird life.
Mark says “I don't remember any bird, mammal, insect or plant getting into debt but they may suffer greatly. That doesn't seem very fair to me. And it doesn't seem very fair if we hand on to future generations a less rich environment. I guess that is a starting point for this discussion”
Bob (P) – do you realise that the RSPB – with its deserved following of 1Millon – has a policy which outrageously impedes the livelihoods of many thousands of farmers and land owners in the SW of the UK – did you vote for it?
The RSPB has an arable farm in East Anglia – about as far away from Badger TB as you can get(?)
Mark has acquired a recently published book ‘Badger’ written by Prof Tim Roper (and is available on Amazon at less than £25). Thank you Mark! But unless Tim Roper has ‘new science’ he will not add very much to the debate – and – without me yet reading it – he may be tempted to believe non-peer reviewed reports - and this may, in turn, influence Mark and thence the RSPB.
If Tim Roper knows the Truth (bTB-wise) then all’s well – but I fear he doesn’t! Pro Tim is in danger of saying nothing or getting it wrong which is surely the subject of another more specialist book – not a classic book in the being – we shall see!
Meconopsis – during the last week I met two women – one 50 – t’other 65 ish – lovely women – both had suffered from abuse and had been ‘battered’ by their respective spouses – the younger one had been abused by her father and brother at the age of THREE – she married – had children – and was ‘battered’. She lived in a refuge until her spouse discovered where she lived and sent ‘round druggies the beat her up! Following a recent attack by her husband fracturing her skull – she now suffers from epilepsy. She has lived alone for just over 1 year – she met t’other lady in the refuge. She has had her womb, etc removed following cancer (all the family - male and female have had it).
She wanted - and I got her - a framed picture of a POPPY – meconopsis – funny that!
Mark’s job is to promote the RSPB and I’m sure he’s bloody good at it and 300,000 or so ‘clicks’ is significant. But ……..
Do I back cash for the badger induced sick cattle and the battered and abused wives or get the wasteful DEFRA to support comfortable land owners sponsoring skylarks and lapwings?
It really is time to get real
• The Lifeboat has now been launched
• Women & Children First!
MAN is overboard!
I am sitting here stunned £4.8 TRILLION in debt. Lifeboats will soon be cut up for fuel better make a raft ! Now where are those old barrels.
Hi Mark, I think we should also email our local MP to put pressure on the Star Chamber, especially if they're coalition mps. My local MP recently opened the New Hide on our reserve and showed great interest and concern in the environment and conservation. I've sent him a copy of the letter and added a bit of local interest to it. Keep up the pressure.
Richard.
Sooty - I think the phrase 'our share of cuts' is the crucial one here. I don't remember any bird, mammal, insect or plant getting into debt but they may suffer greatly. That doesn't seem very fair to me. And it doesn't seem very fair if we hand on to future generations a less rich environment. I guess that is a starting point for this discussion.