March is a time of transition in nature here in the UK. We say goodbye to our winter visitors and wait expectantly for the arrival of our summer visitors. In between things almost seem to stand still...but not for long! It is a type of change that is regular, and self renewing (for most species. Sadly many dont make it back here because of lack of food in their wintering sites, or from being shot en route by low-life hunters who do this for sport. But in spite of this, there is hope that enough will make the journey back here successfully. But there is another kind of change that is wrought by humans in their deep need to carve the country up for their own selfish needs, forgetting that they share it with countless other creatures and plants. In my village of Martley, the big signboards have just gone up around what was (and still is for a short time alas) a beautiful, unspoilt and very productive group of fields. One was a market garden that supplied local shops. The other is Grade 1 agricultural land. Both small fields, but productive. These two fields lie beneath a unique geological and historical feature, which is also part of the Abberley-Malvern Geopark Way. It is one of the counties most beautiful places, called The Nubbins because it was a sandstone quarry. Much of the stone used to build the church and stone boundary walls came from here. The name is comes from an old masonry term, to Nub. It is now a glorious red sandstone quarry face that forms the boundary on one side to what is still designated as an AOLB. (Area of Outstanding Landscape Beauty). And the fields in question are about to have over 50 houses built upon them. The glorious view of the Nubbins will be gone forever...blighted by houses...more concrete..more cars...more security lights etc etc. Cars that our local lanes cannot handle. We fought against it hard, but the local council wouldnt listen. I guess someone is going to make a tidy sum out of this. The second change is at the lakes I regularly visit for nature therapy and photography. I arrived yesterday to find boundary fencing being put up round one of the lakes. That lake and its surrounding land has been bought, and a house will be erected in the one corner. The view I and countless others have loved for a number of years will be gone forever. I hope the swans notice and remember the new fencing...they arent good at changing direction fast and often come to grief on new stock fencing with its barbed wire top. We knew it would happen....but somehow the erection of that fence made a loud statement of Keep Out...echoing the enclosures of a few centuries ago. Somewhere people have walked for years are now out of bounds. Makes me sad. Needing to find somewhere else to walk and breathe that is not blighted by the hand of mankind. Not easy to find round here.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:16:52 +0000
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