'Sheepwrecked'

'Sheepwrecked' is the apt term invented by writer George Monbiot to describe the state of our uplands in his new book 'Feral'. Nobody who walks on Blacka and around has any excuse for not understanding what he means. To the shame of the NGO conservation organisations they have presided over and cheered on a controlled attack on the natural state of our upland vegetation using armies of woolly assault troops. The substitution of cattle is no better and can be worse. So it's now time to stop.

Interesting that reviews of Monbiot's book from all quarters including the right - Spectator and Times - are persuaded by the argument that we need a much more natural and less prescribed upland environment. Is this the tide turning? If so it's not a bit too soon. SMP did not want any debate on this. Neither did SWT.

So we now need to ask what SWT are up to. They claimed that they would be consulting on a new management plan last autumn. It didn't happen. Then they said March or earlier. No sign. Is there a re-thinking going on? Have they and Natural England realised they can no longer go on with the appalling conservation grazing that they have resolutely defended up to now? Is intelligence beginning to break through? Don't bet on it.

And of course we know that the outsourcing of management of public assets means we don't get to find out. Private organisations like SWT keep their cards close to the chest. Sheffield's Council is hardly exemplary in this but these NGOs are opaque.