Rules don’t apply. Cut down the woods on George Drive

Rules don’t apply. Cut down the woods on George Drive

By Margaret Pierce

What are rules? What are they for? Do we have to abide by them? These are questions that are frequently asked and as parents we try to explain that rules are what make life easier, fairer, control situations. A world without rules would be dreadful, a bit like the alternative 1985 in Back to the Future 2. Chaos, fear, destruction. It really doesn’t bear thinking about.

Ok, we are taught from an early age that rules are rules and they are there for a reason and if you break those rules then you are going to be in trouble. Of course it has been said many times that rules are there to be broken, and in some cases it’s maybe even acceptable. We are all probably guilty of allowing our kids five more minutes of play time and those of us with grandkids will certainly have given the odd cuddle to a child that has just been shouted at by mum! Trivial things but still rules broken.

Not all rules are so trivial though. Some rules when broken can and do lead to serious repercussions. Most of us will break the odd one, see it as harmless even if it isn’t. Driving at 30mph in a 20mph zone doesn’t seem like much of a crime but those rules have been put in place for a reason and the maddening thing about them is we don’t always understand them, we rarely want to stick to them and we know it’s wrong to break them but we consistently try to get away with it. Don’t get complacent though, you may not see that speed trap up ahead but you can be sure it’s already detected you. The cost of this crime if your lucky will only be a speeding fine and points. Worst case scenario it could end a life.

We have a tendancy to view rules as something that gets in the way of what we want. People telling us what we can and can’t do. We all want to be in control of our own actions, decisions and choices. However, there are times when rules are the voice of things that can’t speak for themselves. They are there to prevent harm, destruction, danger, anything that threatens something that cannot defend itself.

As an educated species we use rules to protect the wonderful and beautiful gifts of nature. Trees, natural water systems, wild animals and of course birds. Mother nature provided us with a stunning and perfectly balanced eco system. We call it the circle of life. Every thing natural on this planet has a reason for being. When left alone nature always finds its own balance. Animals hunt, insects pollinate, trees use up carbon dioxide that animals exhale and give off oxygen that they then inhale. It’s a perfect system and one that works much better when we don’t take more than we give back to the land. Of course, that’s why we have rules to protect nature. It’s to stop bulldozing thugs from wiping out entire eco systems for their own gain.

It’s a sad fact that despite these rules meant to protect, crimes against nature are still committed. Not all intentionally, a bird nesting in a garden tree unknown to the owner might be disturbed during pruning and fly away abandoning its nest, eggs, chicks. How many are aware that this is indeed a crime? Punishable with a maximum fine of £5000 or 6 months in prison. Ignorance is no defence. You disturbed a bird in breeding season, you are guilty of a crime however sorry you may be. What happens if a bird is disturbed intentionally? I guess it depends on who is doing the disturbing. If you are an average person who maybe thinks it might be cool to rouse the birds in the woods because you think it’s funny then you are probably going to be punished very severely. What if you are a building contractor who can’t wait till the end of breeding season to knock down a local woods despite assurances that nothing would be disturbed till August/September. You ignore protesters trying to protect the site and bulldoze everything within days. I guess it depends on who you are bulldozing it for. It seems to me that we are not all answerable to laws protecting wildlife. Well certainly not equally!

So, the contractor uses dirty tactics to get rid of the protest and fence off the area. It’s devastated, losing precious trees is so unnecessary but we can be comforted by the certain knowledge that laws are going to protect the animals. Assurances are given that the correct surveys will be carried out, relevant licences will be obtained before work starts and experts will oversee everything to ensure the correct handling and procedures are used. Has anyone see any specialist’s? Checking for bat movement perhaps? All the locals are aware of at least two species present. They provide wonderful entertainment in the twilight hours. What about bird surveys? It is still breeding season and birds very often return to a nest and rear more young. Has anyone checked and proved for certain that not one tree in the woods contained so much as a nest with eggs in it or maybe chicks? What about hedgehogs? They are dwindling fast and sanctuaries are battling against the odds to preserve what we have left with expensive nursing and soft release programmes. Was anybody brought in to catch them and take them to safety? Many will still have babies in tow and any disturbance means the end for these poor little mites as hedgehogs are not the most devoted of parents and they will without doubt abandon young who will either die of starvation or just plain fear. What about water voles? The highest of all protected species? Are they safe? Has the whole area been thoroughly checked in order to ensure every living breathing thing stays safe? Is it legal to rip up a beautiful carpet of bluebells? Not just Spanish ones, our own native species too that are protected and I hear there were elm trees. Have they been spared or have they been torn down?

Have any crimes been committed? If yes then have they been dealt with by the legal system meant to protect nature? Have all the animals been saved? Did anyone see correct paperwork for everything that’s been done? It’s torture for people like me who adore the wonders of nature and want to protect what little we have left. The loss of those local woods hangs heavy in so many hearts, it shouldn’t be happening. We need to preserve not destroy. Greed will wipe out life as we know it if it carries on unchallenged. Why can contractors get away with crimes against nature? Why do they not have to justify their actions. Is it a question of not what you know but who you know? Can anyone offer any answers cos I’m starting to feel like no one who can change things really cares and no one listens to the small people any more if they ever did.