Ecology News
Urgent Appeal: Help Stop this Destruction
http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/savethedrift
Please sign this online petition in support of a permanent, year-round closure to all motor vehicles which are currently destroying the green lane called the Drift (Sewstern Lane) between the A607 and Saltby Airfield. This follows the Leicestershire/Lincolnshire boundary, forms part of the Viking Way and has been in use since the Bronze Age.
The Drift is legally protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest but since this route was cleared of blackthorn in 2009, 4×4 vehicles and trail bikes have largely destroyed the ground conditions throughout the nature reserve.
Precious local wildlife is disappearing from the local landscape and access for other users has become very difficult due to high levels of rutting and fly-tipping, including asbestos.
The local authority has set a deadline of Friday March 9th for objections to the current situation which has allowed the damage to occur.
If you support the permanent, year-round closure to all vehicles on the Drift in order to protect endangered local wildlife and improve access for all other users (walkers, cyclists, horse riders) please sign this petition…..
http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/savethedrift
Current GCS Projects
1. Check over the two Sites of Special Scientific Interest(SSSI) and install information boards at Kinoulton and Harby – Redmile.
2. Prepare presentations to encourage local farmers to join DEFRA Land Management Schemes to create field margins and corners filled with indigenous wild flowers along the towpath and hedgerows. These can provide feeding areas for Butterflies, small insects and with pollen, nectar for bees, and other wildlife.
3. Under the DEFRA Farm Management Scheme, create margins of ground cover for small mammals, field mice, voles, etc thus providing habitat for food for owls and raptors.
Overlaying our work are the many jobs undertaken by The Canal and River Trust (org. replacing British Waterways, to improve and restore the canal.
Tony Pitman
1 Mar 2012
GCS Policy on the Environment and Wildlife
The Society is concerned to protect a sustainable, balanced ecology in the canal corridor, and is developing strategies to enhance the environment, protect biodiversity and create conditions to support the wildlife habitat. Thus providing a foundation for sustainable economic growth, more facilities for the community, and the creation of personal well-being, and exercise.
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Our efforts to produce a sustainable active wildlife habitat take several forms;
• Work parties spend many hours, and much effort collecting and removing rubbish thrown along the canal by a small uncaring section of the local community, particularly into the water. Together with the use of our two narrow boats, water quality/feed has been improved, benefiting the fisherman and wildlife.
• Wildlife habitats are created by layering branches and foliage along the bank opposite the towpath side which is allowed to decay creating a habitat for beetles, insects, worms, and foraging wildlife. etc.
• Culverts/weirs are cleared of rubbish to encourage water flow and possibly improve biological and chemical oxygen demand in the canal. During the Spring an important culvert is to be completely restored by Waterways Recovery Gp., and Canal& Rivers will be repairing the feeder culvert from the main reservoir at Knipton, which currently is completely blocked. Also off-side bank repair work is being carried out at Hickling.
• We are supported by the corporate backing of The Grantham Canal Partnership which comprises riparian councils, other government organisation such as Natural England, C&RT. There is also an Environment Sub Group managed by the chairman of The Nottingham Wildlife Trust, directing our activities.
• Liasing with our Rangers Group, to monitor wildlife and environmental concerns.
Above printed courtesy of Naturescape