Hands Off Hartlebury Common

#325: - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yawn

We tell everybody about this site, we just warn them about the comments page. They understand. My best advice to you is to get all your supporters together and have your own campaign. Stand up in front of the press like we have, give out your personal details, you will be so popular!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stand up in front of the press like we have, give out your personal details, you will be so popular in hartlebury and stourport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We tell everybody about this site, we just warn them about the comments page. They understand. My best advice to you is to get all your supporters together and have your own campaign. Stand up in front of the press like we have, give out your personal details, you will be so popular!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We tell everybody about this site, we just warn them about the comments page. They understand. My best advice to you is to get all your supporters together and have your own campaign. Stand up in front of the press like we have, give out your personal details, you will be so popular!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve,

I wish you well in fighting this environmental vandalism.

Here in Surrey and neighbouring Hampshire & West Sussex, thousands of acres of woodland (most of it naturally regenerating) have been decimated since 1998 (when "SPAs" were first designated).

In addition to massive loss of wildlife caused by the deforestation (there is not much left alive after the bulldozers beloved by organisations such as the National Trust, Surrey Wildlife Trust and the MOD go in, and which is often followed by soaking the land with glyphosate and asulox herbicides); many of the areas also now burn every time there is a dry spell (which is more and more often here).

The Forestry Commission recently published stats on woodland loss stating that (at least) around 10,000 acres of woodland have been destroyed in the pursuit of "open habitats" since 1997. However this will not be classed as permanent loss until 10 years of deforestation have been confirmed.

In most cases there were no consultations, and such consultations that have taken place have been a sham, either by circulating publicity to as few people as possible or by the ignoring of the responses of local people, Just like Hartlebury Common now, so I fear your resistance is destined to fail.

Good luck anyway.



Surrey resident.

I've walked on the common for many years and hate to see what's happening, it looks like carnage, I have a horror of the coloured marks on the trees which mean that beautiful aged trees have the kiss of death!
The common is now a dog walking area and as such is a very valuable and much needed space for people and dogs to socialise. I've noticed that as soon as any non council notices go up they are torn down, do the those in charge not want free speech? They seem to have a conscience about the damage they are doing and want to stem the tide of opposition.
I attended the meetings when the council outlined their plans, the second one was packed yet when it came to asking questions of 'the experts' we were not allowed to ask from the floor we were parcelled up into the groups where we were supposed to ask questions in isolation, there were a great many protests to no avail - if the questions were asked in front of everyone we would've learnt more and it would have been much fairer to us who felt so strongly that we turned out to hear the case for and against. Why were the powers-that-be so frightened? Maybe they knew as they must that this is a very unpopular move and they would come in for a great deal of flack - quite rightly. I also attended the appeal and was disappointed to see that not many of the dog walkers attended, but then it was held on 2 week days meaning that those working couldn't attend. The council had 8 people on their side including a barrister, presumably being paid by the tax payer? We who were there to oppose the move didn't stand a chance. As everyone said at the public meetings - it was a done deal! So much for democracy and localisation!
Why has the common been left for so long without being managed? Were they being paid to manage it and just didn't until it became a real issue resulting in the horror we see now?
Also There are notices telling us to pick up our dog mess yet there are only a few receptacles in which to put the bags - in response to this request I've seen a lot more plastic bags left by the side of the paths and by the gates - presumably to be preserved for posterity (it takes upwards of 500 years for plastic bags to break down) - could the council not supply more bins and maybe bags and then empty them regularly? No-one wants to walk that far with a bag of poo!

Hello All,
My garden fence backs on to the Common and I walk our dog most days on it, and I must admit I feel 'stuck between a rock and a hard place'...I'll tell you why.
I have been informed by a local (very local) Councillor that this has all got to be done to maintain the SSI status?? and if the Common looses the status then houses will be built on it as Wychavon District Council are desperate for building land. Is this true?
If this is the case then I agree it shold be managed in some shape or form, but I to was shocked at the extent of the felling. I am aware the contractor felling the trees feels a little uneasy doing the job but hopes the 10 year management plan will continue and what he is doing will be worth while.
I notice that the area felled has no regrowth all be it some ferns which I believe are to be erradicated and the ground is extremely dry, dusty and exposed, this I believe has also been demonstrated with the latest fuel pipe line root (laid many years ago)which people assume is a central path running through the length of the Common.
Recently I have enjoyed watching a nest of lesser spotted woodpeckers fledge in the afore mentioned area, a lone dead silver birch tree, is this a site I will not see in the future?.
Keep up the challenge.

I lived by Hartlebury Common as a child and the diversity of woodland, heathland and manmade plantations should be maintained not changed to reflect the current ideas of one organisation.

my wife & I & others have fought this subject before very publicly & with results that were favourable, but time moves on & now another generation fights the same battle, best of luck, at least we won at the time.

Heathland restoration in the southern counties of England makes more sense because of trying to restore suitable habitat for the Nightjar and the Dartford Warbler.Here in the midlands we are way beyond the range of both these birds so heathland restoration has no real benefit.