Carrying on from Seymours thread - this from the Guardian newspaper
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/13/plan-sell-nature-reserves-austerity-countryside
This is the last sentence:
Major conservation groups – likely to include the RSPB, the Woodland Trust and others, but not confirmed by any of those organisations – have been approached by the government to buy or help community groups to run NNRs, but charities also had reduced income from membership and government grants, he said.
Perhaps one of the moderators can confirm whether or not they have been approached to buy land off the council? It seems the government is wanting voluntary organisations (not just wildlife related) to take over in several areas.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
So our goverment want to palm it off onto charities like the RSPB that have to spend even more money which ultimately comes from the tax payers pocket but yet at the same time they then want to cut costs aswell??!! it makes no sense. These people really do not think long term or think at all.
On the basis of just plain old common sense (forget the Masters degree in Ergonomics and ecomonics and all the "models and scenario" think tank jargon) cutting conservation costs will simply lead to a worse off quality of life; species will die out, flooding will occur (drainage of marshland is a big cause of this), polution will increase and thats just a few examples.
My dislike for politians has dropped even more.
These people have no interest in biodiversity - its the same old ego driven, money making, thoughtless, quick fix solution. A minority group of closed circle mates that are only looking after each other; the media spun them as Morecambe and Wise but I dont find them funny or any of this funny.
The whole coaliation thing is a joke and it shows that wether they are a Liberal, Conservative or labour MP they all are singing off the same hymn sheet.
Lets hope that people can pull together and find some good in what is a act of pure madness.
Regards
Craig
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. - Albert Einstein
Hi Craig
I think you have said it all in a nutshell, and only too well all at the same time - this is such a large topic to talk about!
My biggest wish is that the goverment would take Green Issues a lot more seriously than they do. The Green Party is a farce...a pure invention just to keep people happy who are interested in environmental issues. Do you ever hear about Green Issues being talked about in the news or read in the papers no!!!
You have an area considered a Green Belt (noted as a huge issue on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland) and it is a Green Belt until you build houses on it and so forth. It is all money based, and greed, that is all life is ever about.
So the Reserves are a new phase cover up job to purchase more land. I have signed the bottom of petitions more than once over the past 3 years in my local areas to show my disapproval of houses buiding next to a very small Nature Reserve at Putnoe (has Lesser Spotted woodpeckers) which is ruined by people using it for the ever increasing dog tiolet it is used for now. There is a huge park next to the Reserve for people to let their dogs on the loose why use the small nature Reserve?
The Council are at it too - sell of the playing fields for more houses - what do they do with our Council Tax money for goodness sake!!!
I have got to the point I roll my eyes to the sky when it comes down to voting. I am not a strong supporter of political groups anymore as they have too many things that have got my own back up - ie taking money that was theirs to being with etc...
I despair at this world we live in at times!! Money and over population rules!
{Off my soap box now}
Kathy and Dave
I too agree with every word Craig. It seems complete madness and crass stupidity to be making these 'quick fix' cuts at the expense of our and our children's future. And why should charities such as the RSPB have to foot the bill? It makes me sooo mad.
I have been a member of the Labour Party since I was 18, although the past few years have been very difficult!!! Many of my good friends have left the party but I chose to stay to fight from within the party (what am I saying???)
Labour's 'green' agenda is no better than this joke of a mish mash we have now and, on dark days, I really fear for the future.
Many people say they are not interested in politics but my view is that we must try to influence politicians how we can. Democracy is a joke really, but voices together can make a difference sometimes.
In the short term, if the RSPB does start to run reserves and other wildlife areas perhaps membership support is the way forward.
Am I just an idealistic optimist???? I hope so
Pipit xx
Well done for raising this vital issue again Pipit. I become so angry about our governments actions that I find it hard to write coherently about them. However, my feelings have been well expressed by other contributors here so well done from me. I admire you for staying with the Labour party Pip although it is so difficult when they let us down so badly at times.
I have no wish to "hijack " this thread but feel I must disagree with one comment made regarding the Green Party although I am not a member myself. It is certainly not a pure invention but a real party with candidates, a web site, supporters and everything LOL. The link is below.
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/
"The Green Party of England and Wales is one of the oldest Green political parties in the world and has been campaigning for ecological sustainability and social justice for more than 30 years. The party traces its origins to 1973 when it was simply called People. It became the Ecology Party shortly afterwards and finally changed its name to the Green Party in 1985."
Of course, it is everyones democratic right to disagree with their aims and beliefs and regard them as a farce. but also our responsibility to be aware of them before passing judgement. :-)
Kind regards Jane.
Thanks Jef
Wise words.
Please do not think you are hijacking this thread. You have a valid and aposite point to make. I wish more people would consider all angles of an arguement then make an informed choice. IMHO if we all had the chance to get a good political (with small p) education, be encouraged to read all party's manifestos and then choose where our future lies, our political landscape would look very different.
Thanks for your contribution Jef xxx
Governments and councils are becoming a joke. Everything you hear from them is vague and "political-speak" that rarely makes any sense. They don't listen to the people and seem to live in some strange world that certainly isn't connected to reality.
Even when you write to them (which I do alot) they either ignore you (my council stopped replying to my emails and letters because when I pointed out problems I always get them possible solutions and if they argued them I suggested other means... I don't think they liked that so now I am ignored!) or they send you a "pre-prepared" letter that is again just vague and usually contains ths sentence ".... as your (party) representative I too care about the (insert issue) and believe that changes can be made"
They claim they have checked with think tanks to decide what are the bests ways to deal with situations including environmental ones but they are paying people to tell them what they want to hear! Or worse, what regular people in society will often swallow via the media.
It seems less people care about the environment and the wildlife it supports any more. Really its not something that can be ignored, after all the environment is what we live on / in and that sustains us. Do these people both in society and in our own government really believe that money and power will sustain them after we have no more trees or birds or ecology left?