I began last week a little nervous of the fate of key environmental legislation.   But I ended the week with a smile on my face - the Environment Secretary had confirmed the Government's commitment to the EU Birds and Habitats Directive.  There was no guarantee that the Habitats Regulations (which transfer the EU Directives into English law) would come out unscathed - it has been reported to us on a number of occasions that the Birds Directive  is seen as the most hated piece of legislation in Whitehall.  I always take this with a pinch of salt, but it is clear that emotions run high when wildlife protection laws are discussed. 

Even with the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework due tomorrow, I am determined to remain upbeat this week.  There were more positive noises in the media over the weekend and I know that we are able deal with whatever comes our way.

So, with much respect to Ian Dury and the Blockheads, here are three other reasons to be cheeful...

Part 1 - Spring has arrived.  The chiffchaffs are back, nests are being eagerly constructed, the woodland flowers are bursting into life and  the butterflies have taken to the wing.  Nothing brings optimism and hope better than a Brimstone butterfly.

Part 2 - Knowing when to stop.  At the end of my management team's meeting on Friday, we took a little time out to find a pair of Black Redstarts that had turned up on the Lodge nature reserve.  The day that we stop taking time to notice nature is the day that we might as well give up and go home.

Part 3 - More land for more heathland wildlife.  On Friday I received, on behalf of the RSPB, a lease for phase two of a major habitat restoration programme at Sandy Heath - land opposite the Lodge.  The lease was handed over by Tim Deal from Lafarge (the aggregates company).  This is another example of how we are working with the aggregates industry to turn quarries into nature reserves.  Our ambition is to create new heathland for species including Woodlark, Nightjar, Dartford Warbler as well as many rare plants and invertebrates such as the Spider-eating Wasp.  It complements the major restoration programme that we are doing at the Lodge and is part of our ambition to try to provide stepping stone habitat for heathland specialists likely to need to move north due to climate change.  Perhaps the Chancellor would like to come up to Sandy Heath to see that it is possible for development and environmental protection to work together.   I make absolutely no comment at all about our failure to secure a meeting with the Chancellor or indeed the Prime Minister since the election.

Whatever you are doing this week, make sure you take a little time out to enjoy the weather and the onset of Spring.  I promise that it will cheer you up. 

Sandy Heath - view of restored phase 1 area (Andy Hay rspb-images.com)