Important Butterfly Site Destroyed

[Neil Jones]

In article <60F1FEB31CA3D211A1B60008C7A45F43A41475 at blaze.bcsc.gov.bc.ca>
           Norbert.Kondla at gems3.gov.bc.ca "Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX" writes:

> This is depressing news. It would not likely be well received in your
> country but I think this is the kind of situation where expropriation and
> government ownership would have been better when it appeared that the
> negotiated approach was not working.  There is of course the 'tragedy of the
> commons' issue on publicly owned land but at least then it is not subject to
> the whims and personal values of the landowner. Keep fighting, nothing else
> will matter without habitat.  The watchers will have nothing to watch and
> the collectors will have nothing to collect.

They do actually have this power. They can force the landowner to sell
them the land at its market value. It isn't used because of political
reasons. Of course if they cannot get access to the land in the first
place without the owner's permission it all becomes academic.

This why they are asking for a right of access. This would not be
perfectly reasonable since it is currently given to council planners
and a range of other officials.



> 
> > ----------
> > From:         Neil at NWJONES.DEMON.CO.UK[SMTP:Neil at NWJONES.DEMON.CO.UK]
> > Reply To:     Neil at NWJONES.DEMON.CO.UK
> > Sent:         Wednesday, October 06, 1999 1:09 PM
> > To:   leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> > Subject:      Important Butterfly Site Destroyed
> > 
> > 
> > This is a Press Release from English Nature which is a government
> > conservation body.
> > 
> > _________________________________________________________
> > English Nature NEWS RELEASE   NEWS RELEASE   NEWS RELEASE
> > 
> > EN/99/39
> >  5 October 1999
> > 
> > Rare grassland destroyed
> > 
> > Agricultural improvement has seriously damaged a Site of Special
> > Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Devon, containing rare herb-rich
> > grassland and scarce species such as the marsh fritillary butterfly
> > and wavy St John's-wort.  Southmoor Farm SSSI is a nationally
> > important example of culm grassland, a particular type of grassland
> > confined to the South-West of England and a priority habitat in the
> > UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve