ECO MATTERS

 

Eco Report

Rewilding.                                                                                

I came upon the story of Carrifran Wildwood from a library book I’m reading- “Natures Ghosts” by Sophie Yeo. Carrifran is a project to re-establish native woodland and the associated ecology. It’s a glen north-east of Moffat, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland.

This is all down to Philip and Myrtle Ashmole, and their choice of house not in the city, but to a wild part, an hour’s drive from his job at Edinburgh University. When exploring he found an islet of birch trees by Loch Skene, which gave him the idea to reintroduce a wild wood. His aim was to experience as near as possible nature before humans. He could not reintroduce lynx and bears, but was able to reintroduce plants and trees. He and Myrtle set up the Wildwood Group in 1995 (which later became the Borders Forest Trust). One of the members came across a sheep farmer who had recently bought a large farm near Moffatt, and who consequently sold the group a valley. No public money was used for this. The 1500 acres costing £400,000 were paid by private individuals, firstly by 600 people donating £200 each and charitable trusts.

Studies of pollen from the area (which in the right conditions can be preserved for thousands of years) gave a reliable blueprint of the plants and trees previously grown there. The necessary seeds were saved by volunteers who collected them from remote spots across the Scottish border and the north of England.

The first trees were planted on 01/01/2000 and over 750,000 trees and shrubs have been planted since. Most of the planting has now finished and the woodland will take many more years to establish. Sadly, Philip is now 91 years old so won’t see it mature.  

The good news is that a former area of scrubland is now turning into a woodland and has seen foxes and badgers, stoats and weasels. Kestrels, buzzards, peregrine falcons and ravens are regularly seen (as previously) and now various owl species, willow warblers and woodland species such as black cap, long tailed tit, siskin, tree pipit and reed bunting have made it their home. Sheep and deer are kept out by fencing to preserve the plants.

A dream becomes a beautiful place and a haven for nature. Philip and Myrtle have written books about it, too.    

The 2025 Planning and Infrastructure Bill.   

This Bill has come about as part of our Governments aim to build 1.5 million houses in the next 5 years to address the housing crisis. The Bill is currently going through the final stages in the House of Lords and then returns to Parliament. The RSPB and other nature charities are very alarmed by it and say it will be very bad for nature. It gives local and national public bodies and councils the power to land grab, ie make compulsory purchase orders to buy greenbelt, farmland and allotments at low agricultural value and then sell it on to developers at full value. The Bill (without the HoL amendments) threatens irreplaceable habitats and weakens environmental protections. It would be better for the Government to prioritise building new homes on brownfield sites and to regenerate empty homes. According to the BBC, England has more than 700,000 empty homes, which includes 265,000 which have been unoccupied for more than 6 months. According to the CPRE (the Countryside Charity),

big developers are sitting on land for more than a million unbuilt homes, prioritising their profit over people’s needs. The system should make sure these homes get built. CPRE also says England has space for 1.2 million homes on previously developed land. These homes would be close to jobs, schools, and transport connections, would regenerate town centres and urban communities, and protect green spaces and farmland from development. So based on this, there is no need to target the greenbelt and further deplete nature. The House of Lords passed Amendment 130 of the Bill on 30th October, which keeps vital protection for sensitive habitats and species, and Amendment 94 which creates new protections for our chalk streams (85% of the worlds chalk streams are in England). The wildlifetrusts.org website has more information on this and a page where you can contact your MP to request him to keep these vital amendments.        I will report on the outcome of the Bill when it is finalised.

Maria Boys.

Eco Prayer

Creator God, source of all life

You spoke, and the universe burst into being Abundant, full of wonder and life,

Everything expressing praise to You, God of wonders!

We add our voices to the praises of the created world.

We pray this month that in our journey alongside you

We may serve you by our prayers for our world,

and the challenges we face in the warming climate.

Inspire us by your Holy Spirit To act faithfully

to safeguard Creation in every way we are able,

Not thinking of ourselves But loving our neighbours in all places

So that in our Synod, as in our local churches,

and the whole company of your Church

Your Righteousness, Justice and Peace may flow

In love to all

Amen (from Wessex Synod)

 

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