Audio Coffee: August 2009

This weeks show downloads…

No surprises!!

Podomatic

Filesavr

This weeks show downloads

Slightly higher bitrate than usual…

Podomatic

filesavr

Todays show downloads…

Podomatic

Filesavr

The Importance of Gardens Being in ANY State…

They mentioned it on Springwatch last year about leaving your garden messy for wildlife… the RSPB would like it if you had a bird friendly garden… Scientists and the likes are finding that bird and some general wildlife numbers are dropping because we’re paving everything over and putting decking up in our gardens.

The truth is, gardens – no matter how big or small are all as equally important as anything. They’re food providers, shelter, security, safety, places for freshly fledged birds to learn the trade off their parents… grassy wonderlands full of essential insects to keep the population of birds in your area going throughout most of the year.

So when a ‘green’ council decides that it’s going to diminish the amount of grassy areas and put down flags and tarmac, you have to question what their green policy actually is.

I live where the garden borders country park, so there’s always some form of wildlife in and around the garden. I’ve spent many years attracting the wildlife in and the neighbours love it too – it’s something to watch, it’s a surprising comfort that an animal can feel relaxed in the garden – enough that it chooses it to bring its young up there – you’re not just introduced to the family, but you’re also somehow part of that birds family..

If one bird feels comfortable with that, then many more do. Then the garden becomes an extension of that country park.

I’ve managed to get the wildlife as close as I dare let it get and although we have a natural boundary, sometimes, animals choose to cross it when they don’t feel safe.

But if this garden – and others like it in the area – were left to the plans of the council, we’d lose that precious link to the wildlife. The animals would definitely lose out for sure. We’d be depriving them of established plants that hoard the insects that feed them. We’d lose the animals that eat the slugs and the snails too. We’d lose birds because those that have nested here in the past, just won’t nest here again. I’m looking at birds on the decline such as sparrows, which are *by law* PROTECTED.

The state of the country park though behind the garden fence is more of a higher concern. It is used as a dump by people who just don’t care at all about the wildlife and the area they live in. It’s a great shame they feel they have to do the things they do without so much as a single care or thought. But if THAT area was given the overhaul over our gardens, then not only would I feel better, but I’m sure the wildlife would too.

Nobody has to lose if the right thought strategy was used!

Even though our gardens flood when there’s torrential rain, it’s no big deal really… it just needs the drainage sorting out and made to look good here. It doesn’t need everything ripping out – thats for sure. Where would that craziness end if we let them have their way? How much worse could the flooding get in our gardens if we let them take the good green stuff out? I really do have problems with that. In fact, there are drainage issues across the estate here that I would count as a higher cause for concern than ensuring every communal garden comprised of concrete, flagging and tarmac.

There’s no real justification for doing it. And I’m urging Stockport MB Council to rethink what it’s doing and to listen to what the people say, not the planners or designers who don’t have to live here!