Sunday 17 February 2008

Wadsley and Loxley Common

A letter in this week's Sheffield Telegraph reminds us that it's not just on Blacka Moor that valuable green spaces are being despoiled by professionals. It is seemingly a badge of faith for those who manage green spaces to refer to birch trees, even mature ones, as 'scrub' especially when this native tree spreads onto or is simply adjacent to land which has once been 'heathland'. It's this that enables conservation professionals to make common cause with other managers and come up with schemes which finish up making favourite walking places less welcoming and frankly just a mess.

I walked over Wadsley and Loxley Common recently and littered everywhere there were felled mature birch trees waiting to be transported and incinerated. Not the kind of industrial process that adds to one's enjoyment of a country walk.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

The so called 'friends of groups' are being so selfish yet again.

Stop being so selfish. It is about time we thought about the bigger issue here- The massive decline in a 'Biodiversity Action Plan Habitats' that is incredibly rare and needs management to survive.
Put simple birch removal and Grazing is the preferred management option for maintaining a mosaic of heathland structure and biodiversity.
Lets for once try and put nature first, instead of ourselfs and our dogs. But saying that the long term effects fo this management will be for the benefit of everyone. Lowland heath, is the home to some amazing wildlfowers, invertebrates and birds.
Let the Rangers do their jobs, they know how to manage the common in the right way.