Then and Now

I've mentioned numerous times the cavalier ways in which the wildlife trust misleads the public. A list is called for at some time. It would amount to a guide book on ways to say one thing and mean something quite different, and how to get away with it without really trying, simply relying on the general indifference of the public and its elected representatives.

Here's one I had nearly forgotten. Email received 31st Jan 2014

Dear Reserve Advisory Group members,

I hope you are all well. We wanted to let you know that we are now reviewing and re writing the management plan for Blacka Moor and we will be organising some workshops in the spring. The workshops will cover: reviewing the work done so far, gather information about how people value the nature reserve, discuss any issues and look for solutions, and see how to involve people in the future. The dates are to be arranged, but meetings will likely be held at Totley Rise Methodist Church, starting in the Spring.

As we know this did not happen. Instead a puerile exercise was set up in the autumn called a public engagement in which managers were not allowed to answer questions or encourage discussion in public.

One of the most unlikeable aspects of humanity in its desk bound form is its habit of calculating ways of managing people through tricks of language. People actually sit down together and ponder whether to use words like consultation, public engagement and workshop. They determine that most people will only vaguely understand the distinctions. Nevertheless where was the review-of-work-done workshop? or the discussing-of-issues-and-looking-for-solutions workshop? 

We know don't we? They started to think about things a bit. Some of the trustees woke up and asked some questions. They even read this blog and realised they had a very sticky case to defend. And they said "we can't do that; we're likely to be found out". But they were found out - long ago. The fraud is there for all with eyes to see. What's lacking is the consequences.