Eco polices harming wildlife

[Brithunter]

For several years now the large farming concern who bought the land behind us has been growing maize for bio fuel. of course they get a nice subsidy for doing so but since they have grown this "crop" we have noticed a severe decline in the wildlife as it seems there is nothing in it for them.

Until this change we had Grey partridge on our files, Pee-wits (Plovers), Gold Finches, Green Finches, the Barn owl visited daily. I used to take my spotting scope out and watch the Marsh Harrier and sometime even a Hen Harrier or Montagues Harrier. Al summer we used to have skylarks singing above the fields but not any more and have not heard one in years. More than once we had a Hobby here but not seen any since this change and they tell us this is to save the planet.

Bull it's to fill the coffers with subsidy money and I seriously doubt any would be planted with out the subsidy.

Another negative for us is that due it to being wildlife unfriendly it's pushed the rabbits onto us and our neighbours fields and gardens. The maize it seems has no benefit for them so they have come into ours and created quite a problem. We have lost several shrubs ad the holes they are digging is causing concern for the neighbour who has Welsh Cobs. Until this crop change we saw rabbits occasionally now it's a battle to save our garden.

​So much for being eco friendly.

 

[Moray Outfitting]

Relax - all those Wind Turbines will save the day.... oh hang on

Sadly, the Eco banner is simply an extension of the marketing/ accounts department for most organisations. The best of intentions have been subverted and the eco industry became self aware on....

 

[perdix]

Have you noticed any increase in the number of rats you are seeing Brithunter?
I spent a lot of time dealing with rats after maize had been harvested or even along game crop hedges

 

[caorach]

Because most of the eco- warrior/green nutter types have several agendas it is rare that they do anything for the good of the wildlife or countryside, almost everything they do is to drive forward some political or, more likely, financial, agenda. Most of the big "green" organisations are simply big business (HUGE business) and their interest lies only in making cash and they don't care what they have to kill or the lies they have to tell to get the money flowing.

There is no question in my mind that the sort of intensive "conservation" practised by such organisations is at least, and probably more, harmful to our countryside than intensive farming or intensive industry.

 

[Brithunter]

Have you noticed any increase in the number of rats you are seeing Brithunter?
I spent a lot of time dealing with rats after maize had been harvested or even along game crop hedges

Yes it's a constant war on them. They invade the roof space every winter now. new Builds are crap in this respect.

 

[timbrayford]

BH, I couldn't agree more.

Here on the Isle of Wight the Forestry Commission are apparently busily engaged in exterminating our native Red & Roe deer at public expense.

They claim that these deer will "damage populations of rare animals and plants such as Red Squirrels, Dormice, Bechsteins Bat and narrow leaved Lungwort" and have likened them to Grey Squirrels in terms of environmental destruction.

Having done a considerable investigation into this myself I have uncovered scientific studies by recognised UK academic institutions which provides strong evidence to the contrary.

Environmental damage by deer is largely density dependent and to a lesser extent species dependent. At low density deer have been shown to increase biodiversity and very rare Bats such as the Greater Horseshoe feed on the coprophagous invertebrates found in deer dung.

In fact apart from the Red Squirrels which research shows have been displaced by the Grey, the New Forest has all these "rare" species co-existing with relatively high density deer populations.

The " Guidance for Public Authorities on Implementing the Biodiversity Duty" places certain obligations on organisations like the Forestry Commission amongst which is "Conserving biodiversity includes restoring and enhancing species populations and habitats, as well as protecting them."

atb Tim

 

[JabaliHunter]

How is a crop of maize for biofuel (presumably silage maize for biogas) any different to a crop of maize for cattle feed?

 

[reiver]

Maize is good for Badgers as they love to eat it

 

[Brithunter]

How is a crop of maize for biofuel (presumably silage maize for biogas) any different to a crop of maize for cattle feed?

Tis very simple it's created a great whole in which very little wildlife can live and it's creating problems for those who have it foisted on their doorstep. Of course those making these decisions don't live locally as this is a big farming concern who service many super market contracts and do little to nothing for the local area.

With out the fuel subsidy not one stalk of this would be grown also in transporting they are don on open topped carriers. our car got covered in this on the A16 coming back from the hospital this morning. it is only time before a cyclist of motor cyclist loses an eye or more through this.

But hey who cares as long as huge profits are involved.

They say about food shortage then they turn over hundreds maybe thousands of acres over to producing crap which is only worth while because the government in their greed and stupidity pays them to do so. Cattle don't need such huge acreages of this muck either. Once they start harvesting down this road it will be almost impossible to get out due to the mud carpeting the road but of course the few locals living here don't matter a they are mostly elderly.