The Wildlife Trusts! Friends of our environment, or incubating a serious problem?

The Wildlife Trusts! Friend’s of our environment, or incubating a serious problem? Well needless to say, I think the latter. I believe the so-called Wildlife ‘Nature Reserves’ where many lakes or ponds that were once clean, well stocked with fish and other species where they actually took care of their own lifestyle, have now become a serious threat to us here in the UK. You might well ask why I consider them a threat and exactly what is this developing problem? So do please read on and then take whatever action you consider necessary to make your views known.

Apparently the local Wildlife Trusts throughout the UK, Isle of Man and Alderney number 47 in total. Their website http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/ proudly boasts about how to protect wildlife for the future.

But how about some consideration for us, the human species? How about protecting those of us who frequent these areas of natural beauty only to be confronted by the filthy, stinking, oxygen sapping weed-filled dead pond, or lake, which in fact bears a closer resemblance to a stinking cess-pit! These areas of water, apart from being used as a dumping ground are generally left to stagnate and as a consequence, red and white algae can develop during the hot summer months.

Often the local’s who use these areas as an exercise yard for their dogs are very happy to allow their beloved pets to swim in the water and/or drink from it. I wonder if they would be so happy if they knew that the red and white algae make’s the water very toxic, for dogs especially! Whilst writing, might I suggest that these ‘responsible owners’ clean up after their pets rather than leave faeces on the pathway for the children and others to tread in and ultimately take home! Further, leaving it in little bags hanging on the trees and hedgerow is not acceptable either. It is in fact a despicable thing to do, although I guess you can blame the Wildlife Trust for not providing appropriate bins for disposal.

But there is a bigger problem lurking in and around these filthy waters! Areas such as the C. S. Lewis Nature Reserve in Risinghurst, Headington, Oxford are being allowed to deteriorate by the Wildlife Trust to such an extent that they are in my opinion quickly becoming a health hazard to us all. Local schools are regularly represented by groups of very small children who are totally unprepared for their visit to the ‘Land of Narnia’. The girls can often be seen wearing short summer dresses and a short sleeved blouse, whilst the boys are wearing short trousers and a short sleeved shirt, and often not a sun hat between them! The children can be seen carrying little fishing nets which they will paddle back and forth in the water to catch water shrimps, tadpoles, small frogs at best because the Wildlife Trust refuse to stock the lake with fish, because they eat the flies. Umm, err yes okay! The children naturally, are blissfully unaware of the dangers of the filthy water. However, a far bigger threat comes from literally thousands of Mosquito’s, horse flies and ticks in the area. So apart from the stench of the water, the toxicity of the water caused by the red and white algae, dog faeces on the pathway, a bigger threat are the Mosquito’s who could potentially be carriers of West Nile Virus (WNV) which can affect humans in different ways, although the virus may not be in the UK yet!

West Nile virus (WNV) is a virus of the family Flaviviridae.  See further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Nile_virus

If we escape the threat of WNV in the UK and I don’t believe we will (unless that is the Wildlife Trusts clean up their act regarding these areas) then that will be some sort of a miracle. It really is that serious and I like to think I am speaking on behalf of all UK citizens, the majority of whom wouldn’t ordinarily have knowledge of this time bomb. Am I qualified to comment? Well yes I think I am, having spent over 21 years in the Pest Control Industry. However, don’t rely on me alone why not contact the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) for an opinion.

We then need to consider the Horse fly. I for one (as an adult that is) let alone it being a small child, require emergency treatment in the event that I am bitten by a horse fly and carry medication on a daily basis to counter the effects, as well as having to cope with the after effects; the swelling and itching that soon pushes the poison further around the body as you scratch the area of the bite! Why put your children through this? As a minimum, an insect repellent should be used before you enter such areas.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-fly

Having got this far it occurred to me that there might be a website to answer a few questions on the subject of ‘Ticks’ that you can peruse at your leisure. See http://www.wadhurst.demon.co.uk/lyme/lyme3.htm where questions and answers are very helpful.

Hopefully by now, you are beginning to understand my concerns, but the bottom line is that the Wildlife Trusts are presiding over areas of land and water that if anything like the C. S. Lewis Reserve at Risinghurst will in my opinion, be responsible for West Nile Virus becoming a huge problem here in the UK as our climate gets hotter, as well as the matter of the Ticks and Horse Flies. My message to the Wildlife Trust is clean up your act regarding these stinking areas such as the C. S. Lewis Reserve and let the public enjoy the areas that you own, in the knowledge that you are doing as much as you can to keep them safe from the three potential problems referred to here.

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To be honest they are pretty good around here, i think you must have a bad lot looking after it Ron!! They have a lot to do with the water park at the back of my house, and also a lot of other sites i visit, they are all nice.

Flies etc.. yeah you get a lot of them over the water park, but then i remember loads when i was a kid too, just a fact of life i think, flies warm weather and water go hand in hand. I love been outdoors, but i'm aware it can be dangerous, and you have to be very aware of your surroundings etc... we need to teach children this, it goes for urban areas too, i mean if someone trips on a paving stone they sue the council, instead of thinking, silly me, i need to take more care, be more aware of my surroundings.

We will always be prone to disease and infection, its just a fact, yes your right, we can take precautions, but we must still live, we can't run scared from everything, or worse sterilise everything, we live on a dirty planet full of bacteria/fungus/germs etc.. we have to rely on our immune system to see us through it.

I do agree though Ron, if they have just left it to stagnate, maybe they need to do something about that!

Hi Ron:  Is the Wildlife Trust a government agency or an NGO?  Do people have to pay for fishing licenses over there?  It seems to me that license fees should be used to maintain fisheries and from what you describe, that should include harvesting weeds from ponds and lakes.  And stocking fish.

We have both Lyme disease and WNV in the US.  Lyme disease is more prevalent in the eastern states, but we've had many cases of WNV in Arizona.  My dental hygienist's husband was very ill with it - spent 7 days in intensive care at the hospital and was out of work for 6 months.

Ron - I'm never leaving the house again! LOL

I must say that speaking from my own experience of Saltwells Nature Reserve - the locals here are to blame. The wardens are fighting a losing battle trying to stop the build up of rubbish, illegal dumping, shopping trolleys, chemicals getting into the brook, vandalism, and as you mentioned the incomsiderate dog owners who do not clear up after their pets the remains of which seems to attract my children's shoes like a magnet!

I agree - this country (the mess it is in) needs to clean up it's act. The people responsible for maintaining these sites (like the Wildlife Trust you mentioned) no doubt need more funding and the British people in general need to be made aware of what they are causing - all the litter and dumping are causing all the probelms you mentioned and the spread of rats. I remember the Litter campaign of the 70's - it made a huge difference. Whether it would work on this society who knows.

Hi Ruth. The Wildlife Trusts are a Non Government Organization (NGO) and yes people do have to pay for a fishing licence here, but that would be to no avail in the pond/lake that I refer to because there are no fish! The fermenting weed is draining every bit of oxygen out of the water, it's disgusting!! Many years ago Douglas Gresham (stepson of C S Lewis) and I used to pull the weed from the lake, and it was well stocked with fish!

I doubt that many have heard of Lyme disease, until now of course, and thanks to POE there will be a lot more people now at least thinking about it. That's the power of POE!!

Thank you for giving the example of WNV because this will bring it home to the 'Brits' who probably don't want to believe it. So let's just say that again.....SEVEN DAYS IN INTENSIVE CARE and out of work for SIX MONTHS!!

I have been in touch with the local paper, the Oxford Mail and we shall see just how important they think it is.

Stephanie, the locals are responsible for dumping all sorts of rubbish in this pond/lake also. In fact, in my book published 2005/6 I list everything that I could see including a wheelbarrow, shopping trolley, bicycle frames, car seats, beer cans, butter dishes, scaffold boards, steel rope, concrete, timber, fermenting weed.....the list goes on.

As for the responsible pet owners, it's a joke! They obviously think it very funny to hang the offending package on tree's and hedgerows. Some leave it in piles (but bagged thankfully) at the entrance to the Reserve. Why aren't bins provided?

I told the Wildlife Trust through my book that they should be ashamed of themselves for allowing it to get so bad. Soon after they got volunteers to remove the rubbish from the lake/pond and surrounding area, but the fermenting weed remains to attract the mosquito's and ultimately WNV. There is still an amount of vandalism, despite the Wildlife Trust cutting down at least 14 tree's (see pictures of the destruction of Narnia on POE) and removing all non-native species, which did okay whilst C S Lewis lived there. I could go on for a lot longer yet, but I will allow others to take in what is being said. However, the WARNING to the people of this beautiful land is keep it clean, or suffer WEST NILE VIRUS! Lyme disease? You just need to be aware of what is lurking in the hedgerow!

Ron

While you must have had a very poor experience with a Wildlife Trust in your area, please do not lump all the various organisations together.

For instance the Durham Wild Life Trust, of which I am a member, does sterling work in replacing industrial dereliction with viable wildlife santuries. The Rainton Meadows project is a case in point, a once derelict industrial area, it is now the home of at least 50 different species of birds and other types of wildlife.

Another success is Herrington Country Park. Look at my pictures of that area. Swans, Geese, various ducks, Herons and gulls are to be seen every day. Would you believe that only 10 years ago the area where these species now live and breed, was buried 100s of feed beneath one of the largest colliery spoil heaps in this country.

The WWF Trust, another organisation of which I am a member, has a site in Washington, again you will have seen my pictures of the varied wild life that reside here. These woods, ponds and lakes, where you can see birds ranging from the Avocet to Whitethroat, are built on the site of an old chemical and asbestos works.

Without the works of wildlife organisations and the very hard work of their volunteers, these areas would still be industrial waste lands. Further, all these sites encourage school and educational visits. Where could children from large towns and cities have the chance to see all the varied wildlife that these areas attract?

So while you have to make up your own mind as to the use of these organisations you have to admit that without them, the area where I live in particular, would a far less attractive place now than it was only ten years ago.

Regards Roy J.

Ron.......you need to get your wellies on and get your hands dirty before you criticise others.

 There is a case for leaving it to nature to do what it wants to do.