Forum Topic

Biodiversity

I was very surprised to see the UK in the bottom 10% of the world for bio diversity. I know very little about the subject but the BBC report seems to paint a grim picture. I expect or rather know there will be many correspondants on this forum who will have a considered view on this report.

Nicholas Beard ● 1841d14 Comments

Apparently the UK's bio diversity is only 53% rest of world is 75%, much of of this loss in UK has been caused by building developments and large scale intensive farming, thus eroding the natural habitats of fauna and flora - quite shocking

Loraine Pemberton ● 1841d

At the risk of upsetting those who object to any subject that isn't 100% Chiswick based, can I point out this is precisely the reason why there are so many objections to the Duke of Northumberland's planning application to build over the Park Rd. allotments in Isleworth. The allotment site is adjacent to the ancient churchyard of All Saints and provides a safe and convenient connection between the two which allows all sorts of wildlife to flourish and find a home. This is an important biodiverse area in a largely urban setting. What is the point of us working with the council to 'green-up' and have wildflowers planted on various small areas around the borough to support and encourage our insect life and biodiversity to flourish, if that same council is prepared to allow this wholesale destruction of building 80 homes?

Vanessa Smith ● 1841d

Sir David Attenborough is clearly not up to the job...

Bobbie Carnegie ● 1841d

Life's good - you should get one.

Vanessa Smith ● 1841d

Unfortunately the developers seem to have sold the idea to Hounslow Planning that the site has a low ecological value ! "7.273 Despite the site having a low ecological value, due to the proposed removal of a number (a total of 22 individual trees and 10 groups of trees) of trees, scrub and grassland, the EIA makes a number of recommendations to mitigate impact from the development and ensure that the site is enhanced for wildlife and a gain in biodiversity is achieved."However, the Biodiversity Net Gain claculation does not appear to have been provided and the plan to plant 71 saplings of diverse trees will not in my view compensate for the wholesale felling of many mature trees on the site.

Tim Henderson ● 1841d

Am assuming your sarcasm is aimed at me for first being sarcastic? But, isn't it true that the UK throws up all these wondrous national treasures who it turns out make not a ha'porth of difference after all these decades of wallowing in nature stuff like Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winterwatch and with the delightful quirky dirty finger-nailed personalities that go with it all?

Bobbie Carnegie ● 1841d

Nicholas Beard explained"I was very surprised to see the UK in the bottom 10% of the world for bio diversity."First this country has  relatively high population density. All of whom require housing which consumesland surface area.  In order to feed that population with arable crops at prices they all can afford its neceesary to make use of large amounts of pesticide in large fields capableof being harvested mechanically. So that both insects are lost, upon which birds and small mammals feed: butalso the hedgerows are lost which provided them with shelter.I used to grow my own vegetable and plants such as hostas. One thing you learn early on in gardening, is that in order to grow plants its necessary to kill"pests" - aphids, slugs, earwigs, whatever, Thus when people speak about "bio-divesity" what they actually mean is the "right" kind of species.Thus while they may bewail the decline in certainspecies of birds they may be among the first to want to rid all their roses of aphids - on which some birdsdepend for their diet. And no organic solutions aren't the answer either. One organic remedy for aphids is dilute washing up liquid. What bird is going to eat aphids doused in washing up liquid ? Basically if you want to create a "wildlife haven"just throw up a ten ft chain link fence around any patch of ground without any gates just mammal flapsat ground level - thus keeping all humans out. And just leave it for two or three years Anyone who goes for night time walks will have doubtless seen the numerous foxes there are around.The sort of "bio-diversity" which isn't welcome in the countryside. But which like a lot of wildlife seems quite capable of looking after itself. Letsjust hope the same can be said of badgers which supposedly pose such a threat to cattle farmers - and ultimately to the price of Big Macs.michael adams

Michael Adams ● 1841d

Michael ~  You say "One thing you learn early on in gardening, is that in order to grow plants its necessary to kill "pests" - aphids, slugs, earwigs, whatever"? Except averse as one might be to murder of our fellow species you can instead skulk about during dark dank nights of snail and slug snackings 'amongst your prize petunias' and collect them all, as I do with snails at least, to drive off with and deposit through the local cemetery railings. Also, I have tall potted purple toadflax inclined to be infested sorry 'visited' and munched upon by a pretty Toadflax Brocade Moth caterpillars which I'm very happy for them to do giving me, as they do, many gazing moments upon their doings on my potted flowering plants of which are plenty to accommodate hungry plant stripping pretty caterpillars.

Bobbie Carnegie ● 1841d

Bobbie Carnegie explained" you can instead skulk about during dark dank nights of snail and slug snackings 'amongst your prize petunias' and collect them all...deposit through the local cemetery railings"But surely all that does is lower the bio-diversity of your garden, by removing a potential food source for hedgehogs ? *Also whoever is responsible for the upkeep of the cemetarymight have no qualms about using slug pellets. In which case before they even get to work on any floral tributesleft to "loved ones" they may already be providing poisoned snacks to any passing hedgehogs or birds.Far better IMHO to collect them up in a bucket along with lettuce leaves or whatever for sustenance and advertise locally for anyone with hedgehogs in their garden. 10p each sounds reasonable  " Also, I have tall potted purple toadflax inclined to be infested sorry 'visited' and munched upon by a pretty Toadflax Brocade Moth caterpillars  "Whereas that clearly adds to biodivesity by introducing two new species one plant, and one insect/caterpillar. Such that your interest now appears to be directed as much on the insects/caterpliilars as on the plant they rely on for their food,  Now as to aphids...michael adams* And that's assuming you are successful. One feature to be found in almost all "pests" everything from mice to slugs appears to be "dogged inhuman persistence".Which alone may account for their survival in the face of universal unpopularity throughout history.So that basically as soon as you switch off the torch and head for the car...

Michael Adams ● 1841d

Thanks. Very clear and detailed.

Nicholas Beard ● 1840d

'Am assuming your sarcasm is aimed at me for first being sarcastic? But, isn't it true that the UK throws up all these wondrous national treasures who it turns out make not a ha'porth of difference after all these decades of wallowing in nature stuff like Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winterwatch and with the delightful quirky dirty finger-nailed personalities that go with it all?'So is your answer/solution just to sit back and let development run riot over anything and everything? My response is - we have to try.

Vanessa Smith ● 1840d

What is a "Hedgehog" please? :-)

Bobbie Carnegie ● 1839d

Don't cut everything back in the garden.  We keep overtidying our gardens and patios and decking.  Sometimes I think people have confused outdoors for indoors.The RHS has a pull up a paver campaign:https://pulse.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/1490312/gardeners-paving-slabs-RHS-climate-change-plant-trees-save-plantThis year's Big Butterfly Count was really depressing:https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/big-butterfly-count-2021-sees-lowest-ever-number-of-butterflies-recorded

Philippa Bond ● 1839d

Look at what they are doing to Duke's Meadows and much elsewhere in Chiswick.  Hardly surprising that we are one of the least biodiverse countries, down to greed and overcrowding.

Claire Moran ● 1839d