Picnic Time

Nobody walking on the higher grassy parts of this 'public walks and pleasure ground'  would think of  bringing children here for a picnic. This area has for long been given over by the management to the production of sheep defecation - defining the land as neither nature reserve nor for recreation, whatever the signs and notice boards may say.  And one quickly tires of games of avoid-the-turd hopscotch.

It's a pleasure though to report that a recent article in the Guardian from a farmer and apologist for sheep farming repeats the delightful idea that sheep droppings are so good for insect life (suggesting that there could be serious biodiversity problems if sheep were withdrawn from the uplands??!!).**

I've always wondered whether similar cases might one day be made for the tsetse fly and various problematic microbes.

When vested interests are challenged they can resort to serious dishonesty and dissimulation to defend their position and denigrate their opponents. One time this happened was in 2007 and the subject, amazingly, was picnics!! A letter was published in the Sheffield Telegraph from an anonymous writer who wished to defend the policies of SWT/SRWT. I've always believed that this anonymous writer was either Nigel Doar, SWT's Director at the time, or a very close ally of his in the field of landscape managerialism trying to pass him/herself off as a "member of the public". I published it on this blog here:

http://theblackamoorsite.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/letter-in-sheffield-telegraph.html

And I published my responses here:

http://theblackamoorsite.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/response-1.html

and here:

 http://theblackamoorsite.blogspot.co.uk/2007/07/response-2.html

Around Blacka the most determined picnickers this year are the birds anxious to take advantage of the bumper harvest of bilberries.

Some study the prospect intelligently beforehand but at other times wave after wave of blackbirds sortie out from the shelter of trees to delve into the shrubs.

We occasionally come across large parties of mistle thrushes in excitable mood determined not to miss out on the fruity harvest.

Others are also to be seen including linnets and stonechats.

** The link to this article:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/21/farmers-sheep-lake-district-preserve-environmentalists


A link to one of the better comments responding to the article.