Hi Chris and all the others who follow this thread.
Firstly i would like to say well done to the staff at Fairburn and you Chris . The reason being that i was able to call in on Wednesday and catch an hours bird watching before the heavens opened. I am please to report that i did not see a single bag of dog mess nor for that matter did I see any litter at all and that includes sites around the walkways where id previously noted this occurring. Then the reason became apparent three cold but non the less diligent litter patrol personnel were out on patrol keeping our reserve in the condition we all want it to be in. Also the newly labelled and easily found bins were clearly being used. All this is making Fairburn - at least near the centre, a much healthier and pleasant place for people and the purpose of the reserve, the wildlife.
I still have issue with the fact that this action is needed but as far as compromises go this one is acceptable. I began the original complaint so I think it only fair to say that things have improved.
On a similar tack I do feel that the balancing act required by the RSPB, to fulfil its primary function-to provide sanctuary and protection for wildlife with the needs of the public/ members who raise the finance for this protection is very difficult and needs close monitoring by the RSPB. Most members i know pay their subscriptions and support appeals to give the birds and other flora and fauna a safe place to live -which isn't going to be flattened with bulldozers and put under tarmac-- not to provide park facilities for the general public. If this delicate balance begins to get out of balance and it becomes about the public using reserves as a park then the reserve becomes a park with nature coming second to public needs. I do realise the need to get families involved and to educate and inspire the next generation so as i said a precarious balance , which is why it needs keeping under close scrutiny. The watch word has to be nature first people next as long as it doesn't negatively affect nature.
Nature is under attack everywhere else and some species will only survive where we protect them.
Finally I have a suggestion -you need some hard data at Fairburn and i suggest you have someone with a clip board in the carpark asking a few quick questions eg
Are you a member of the rspb?
If not will you be joining?
Have you brought your dog?
Why have you decided to visit today?
a) bird watching
b) photography
C) day out with kids
d) need somewhere to go
e) dog walking
f) other activity
This would really help you see who exactly is using the reserve and why.
Thanks for the discussions/ support/ actions
REDWOLF
Thanks Redwolf,
We are always happy to have these sorts of conversations with our visitors. We have actually moved the bins back while we arrange for a better, more level base to be built for them in their new location but I agree, they work better opposite the VC.
It is also good to read your ideas about the balance between the needs of people and wildlife on nature reserves. I suppose the balance will be different at different sites depending on people pressure and the resilience of specific habitats/species. Personally, I feel that nature reserves that have “lots” of visitors like Fairburn have a huge potential to change people’s thinking about how they interact with nature. Historically, we (conservation NGOs) have done this well on some levels. The key to large scale successes in conservation is getting more people to care about wildlife. At the level of a nature reserve, I believe this means making it accessible, interesting and relevant to as wide an audience as possible. Just building safe havens for wildlife is not enough, as the State of Nature report www.rspb.org.uk/.../363867-the-state-of-nature-report rather depressingly confirms.
Nature reserves have a big part to play in conservation both for the habitat that they provide but also in changing people’s perception of their place in the world. To do that we need to get more people to visit who are not yet the “converted” like we are. Very deep eh? But absolutely critical to our cause.
Regarding your suggestion of surveying our visitor demographic, you will be pleased to hear that we have been doing this for some time. We get around 400 visitor surveys done each year and they feed into our management plan for the site.
We also try to ask everyone who is not a member if they will support our work by joining. We have had a record year for new memberships this year, hitting 500 new memberships for the first time ever last weekend! Hooray!
Chris