Natural Beauty

Mark's new article refers to the concept of natural beauty and what has happened to it since the phrase was fundamental to the setting up of the National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Since then there has been a failure at the highest levels to deal with the issues of exploitation of the land through farming and other activities and consequent slippage in conservation industry vocabulary. Anyone wishing to ponder seriously on this and related issues would get food for thought around the gate to the the moor where the cows spend some of their time.

Meanwhile on another part of the moor which I will not specify exactly, an early morning outing for some youngsters brings a taste of natural beauty for the observer.


Apologies for the poor quality of the picture. But that could be seen as an attribute of the wild character. It is very difficult to see deer calves on Blacka unless you get out early and often and have some means of magnification. There looked to be two hinds each with a calf. Zooming the picture just allows a glimpse of the flecks of white which are lost after 10 weeks or so.

A cuckoo was still trying this morning. Two weeks ago was the last heard. Perhaps on his way down from northern parts.

Why We Got In This Mess

Some of us have found it to be frankly incredible that Blacka Moor could have been so badly managed. Nor have we been able to understand why people in the conservation industry could have deliberately thrust aside opportunities for public land to be allowed to become more natural and for wildlife to thrive unhindered. Why and how has this happened?

Many of the answers are to be found in Mark Fisher's latest compelling and disturbing article just published on his own website. This deals with national policies, misguided farming approaches and includes references to Blacka and other local moorland. Read it here.

Bedding?

Bedstraw on Blacka is Heath Bedstraw a relative of Ladies Bedstraw which is yellow. Explanations of the name are somewhat speculative and lost in history, but one of them mentions a supposed link with the mother of Christ and another a link with the norse Goddess of married women who used it as a sedative. Around Blacka this year there seems more of the white Heath Bedstraw than ever and it's a very welcome element in the mix of species on the edges of paths.

But one more extensive patch of it shows evidence that a large animal, perhaps a stag, has been lying on it. So is there something about its scent that encourages relaxation in wilder animals?

What's your 'ology?

We see occasional groups of twitchers in spring and we see magic mushroom gatherers in autumn. But I'm disappointed not to see dung-lovers or perhaps they should be called ordurologists. After all Blacka should by now have become a mecca for hobbyists for whom this is their passion. Where are these people? Defenders of the indefensible sometimes throw away any pretence at honesty and go overboard for insincerity. One such was the warden at North Lees whose self-image was of the bluff no-nonsense sort. 'Lovely muck' he said, the implication being that it was good for the land - yet he was defending the management of heathland with its nutrient-poor soils. I wonder if he ever persuaded anybody of anything?



The area near the top gate should now become a tourist attraction for aficionados of the brown stuff. Blacka as is well known is part of a SSSI which stands for Site of Special S*** Interest.

Further across to the north around Cowsick bog the cattle have been performing more heroic deeds: They have been doing their best to eliminate that vile weed Bog Asphodel which misguided visitors come to photograph in July. It will be interesting to see how successful they have been over the next weeks. Anyway I'm sure SWT will consider this.........




.. to be an improvement on last year (the identical spot).

M of L

In the woods is a fine place to be, surrounded by the silent but companionable presence of trees. Even better when the heat of the day starts to become uncomfortable. Seated on a mossy boulder amid the contrast between deep shade and penetrating shafts of sunlight, this is just the setting to while away time pretentiously contemplating the Meaning of Life. Midges, though, have other ideas and I've not got far in this important project when a retreat is necessary. "Little bu**ers!.. and just when I'm about to hit on an elemental truth".

No great effort to work out that is the elemental truth: Just as a passable level of contentment seems only round the corner an irritant spoils the moment. One neighbour's power mower or another's barking dog. Or Sheffield Wildlife Trust's defecating livestock project. Yes, even they play their part in defining the M of L.

Ceding

Certain places have been favoured by deer in the early mornings earlier this spring and in previous years. Often quite large numbers have been present and one got the impression they could have been there occupying that patch for much of the night. Their body language and general relaxation spoke of it being their territory. Now that same part of Blacka is regularly occupied by the imported farm cattle. Since the cattle appeared in early June the deer seem to have retired from view with only the occasional sighting of one or two in the more secret parts. The larger groups are just not there. I’ve noticed this before when cattle have been brought onto the land. Larger groups of deer which anyway are not always on Blacka, seem even less likely to be found when cattle are in occupation. The deer seem to cede dominance and territorial possession and vacate their spot to the intruders, themselves retiring to fringes or less easily accessible areas. I don’t think I could be dogmatic about this at this stage and I’m looking back over my photos and notes to check whether this might be more than a coincidence. My feeling is that there is something in it and that only very small groups and individuals stay around when the cattle are here.

Today’s deer were well hidden by bracken, a single hind plus a young stag whose velvets were a bit odd. They watched us very carefully while some distance away the part most favoured by larger groups of deer was in the possession of the cattle. Having watched for some time I was rewarded with a sight of the hind walking away head-in-air showing a beautiful red coat.

Vindicated

I'm aware that SWT have put it about that blog posts here are 'one-sided'. While not for one moment admitting this I am dealing with the perception by introducing a new feature below.

One of a new series of guest contributions from Sheffield Wildlife Trust members:

" All right minded people know that Sheffield Wildlife Trust are doing a great job here on Blacka Moor. Now there's welcome evidence to justify their decision to graze with cattle on this precious landscape. And it’s there for everyone to see and enjoy this weekend. Don’t miss the opportunity to see it. We don’t even have to wait for SWT’s staff to report the results of their evaluation - which will be done rigorously and scrupulously as with everything else they do. And I'm sure it will tell us when it comes that scores of rare and threatened species have been safeguarded by this creative project on, as I said, this truly precious site. But why wait for that? The evidence is clearly to be seen at the gate onto the moor and this will be great relief to all those who have backed the wildlife trust against the wishes of their ill-informed detractors. In years when there has been no cattle grazing all of this area has been dominated by unsightly flowering plants and grasses making this part of the site so untidy.


Photos from 2010 a year without the benefit of cattle on site



Now thanks to Mr Robinson’s enchanting cows all that unnecessary growth has been efficiently converted into an attractive substance with great benefits to the planet – by the simple expedient of passing through each cow! Isn’t life wonderful? And there is now a lovely farm smell to go with it and complementing the characterful farm equipment leaning beguilingly nearby. This is what the countryside should be like, and that’s what cows are for of course. As Annabelle says:



Nutrients are what this project is all about of course and I heartily reject the idea that it has anything to do with jobs and grants. That’s just a vile story put about by malcontents with an axe to grind. Just come and look. A preview below. "

B. Rainwash

Photos taken this week