The Somerset Wildlife Trust recently asked members to complete a questionnair on the subject of: "Access to the Natural Environment for All, Prioritising Reserves for Improved Access."
I thought it might show something of the behind the scenes activity by the Trust to share my response on this blog. My comments,shown below, reflect the fact that we, as a new conservation group, have limited experience of the Trusts reserves but we are learning.
Here are some of the questions.
How many visitors use your reserves?
How are reserves used currently?
What are the main age groups of visitors?
What are the main benefits to the public of reserves?
What if any are the barriers to people visiting the reserves?
Are there any disadvantages of the public visiting the reserves?
Are there other users of the countryside that have caused problems in the past?
"My comments on the reserves are limited because neither I nor most of our committee have much awareness of our reserves. That's not very good I know but now we have the Heart of the Levels Group we are conscious that we need to rectify the situation. Last summer I tried to find out where our nearest reserves were and at least find the locations from the grid references. No small task I found.
You sent me four sheets. Aller and Beer Woods, Westhay Moor, Catcott Heath, Catcott Lows.
I have been to the first two, on two or three visits only.
I have no info on how many people visit the reserves.
I can only make general comments on the benefits of reserves and possible barriers to visits.
I also will attach my listing of reserves that are either in our area or nearby which includes the last three above. There are 20 reserves listed.
All the Westhay areas are out of our local area in any event. Beer and Aller Woods is probably our largest , most accessible and scenic local reserve. The list includes info I have been given about managers which I know is out of date now as David Reid has retired.
I have taken the opportunity of checking through the new booklet and comment on the entries there.
The booklet is very neat, handy size and well produced.
It took a little while to work out the way to use it though. I started by looking at the map, finding a reserve and noted the ref number.
I eventually realised that the ref number is not the page number and you need to go to the contents page which provides the page number but not the reserve ref number. Once I'd got that straight it is fine.Perhaps the contents page could say at the top left, page number and have on the right Reserve Map Ref Number.
I find the location map very useful but now it doesn't show the "other " reserves. Some of the others are our best sites i.e. Babcary Meadows and Dundon Beacon.
The individual maps are the same as for the old booklet. As I tried to find our reserves I found the maps too restricted in area and references to local roads. Hence it took a little effort to find them from grid references and the diagrams and to tie them down on OS maps.
Some don't have notice boards i.e.Fivehead Arable fields.
Despite the references to cycle and foot access many people will approach them by car and car parking arrangements are a bit limited in most cases so people really need to be forewarned with best, nearest, places to park. In some cases this is given.
Some reserves don't have diagrams at all, e.g. Beer and Aller Wood, Green Down.
I appreciate that it seems the intention to concentrate on a limited number of reserves which covers 8 of my list of 20. We could also include West Sedgemoor RSPB site and no doubt others. Then there are private reserves which we may try to identify and seek permission for visits.
Even with the new book I think we might be able to add detail for our local members to make it easier for them to get out to the reserves. Perhaps we will end up concentrating on a few.
If you ask me again in 12 months time I hope to be better informed.
What do we members get out of reserves?
The Westhay starlings display is out of this world on a good day! It really makes you realise how amazing the natural world is and its on our doorstep.
Seeing the herons nesting at West Sedgemoor is impressive.
Going on a fungus foray in Aller and Beer Woods in remarkable and fascinating.
"Clouds" of butterflies in a wild flower meadow can be quite startling for its unexpected beauty.
Places like Westhay even on a quiet day are so peaceful and natural with occasional sighting of birds getting on with their lives.
I must get to Green Down next summer on one of the visits to see the Large Blue butterfly.
What are the barriers?
All the points I mention above might help to reduce barriers.
Area Groups and Reserve Managers could perhaps cooperate more to get members to visit. Once they have had an escorted tour they will be much more likely to visit on their own initiative. This is our aim as far as possible.
It should help to be better informed about climate change issues and farming methods and management of the countryside.
I think Carymoor should be useful for us locally as an educational resource and I hope to visit soon. ( Dec 8th in fact).
School visits arranged by Area Groups might help.
As much information as possible about the best times to visit and what to look for must be important."
Monday, December 04, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
Stop the Chaos rally
press releases: Climate Chaos: Hottest Issue, Coolest Event of the Year
PRESS RELEASE
STOP CLIMATE CHAOS: 25,000 gather in Trafalgar Square, London
‘I Count’ event: Saturday 4th November, Trafalgar Square
More than 25,000 people packed Trafalgar Square and closed surrounding roads today to make their voices count, each one calling for urgent action on climate change.
The carnival-like event was the first of its sort for ‘I Count’ - an unprecedented and rapidly growing public campaign which brings together a huge range of supporters from the Women’s Institute members to Razorlight.
Tens of thousands of ‘I Count’ supporters travelled from across the UK, some by bike, canoe, on foot and even in biofuel green taxis to highlight what many believe to be the greatest man-made threat ever. Surfers Against Sewage arrived wearing wetsuits and carrying surf boards.
The I Count Campaign calls on the UK government to provide:-
• Action internationally: ensure that global greenhouse gas emissions are irreversibly declining by 2015.
• Action for justice: deliver assistance to developing countries to adapt to climate change and give access to clean energy to meet their developmental needs.
• Action in the UK: introduce a Climate Bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 3% per year.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Shopping over the internet can raise money for the Trust
I've been checking out the Trusts shopping link and because it seems a good idea here is some information to help you look for yourself.
Shopping over the internet is growing in popularity and if you wish to let the Trust benefit all you need to do is to start from the Trusts web page as shown below.
Click here to go to their web site. http://www.somersetwildlife.org/
Many of the big names can be accessed from this web site. By using this link from the Trusts web site the retailer automatically registers your purchase and makes a small contribution to the Trust. If all internet shoppers in Somerset used this device it would add hundreds of pounds to the Trusts finances. Look for the "Buy At" link.
Help raise funds for our vital conservation work by shopping on the internet.
Click here to visit 'Buy At', where you can purchase gifts from retailers including Marks and Spencer, John Lewis and Amazon and earn the Trust commission at the same time. And don't leave without visiting our shop where you can 'Adopt a Dormouse'
http://www.buy.at/somersetwildlife
Shopping over the internet is growing in popularity and if you wish to let the Trust benefit all you need to do is to start from the Trusts web page as shown below.
Click here to go to their web site. http://www.somersetwildlife.org/
Many of the big names can be accessed from this web site. By using this link from the Trusts web site the retailer automatically registers your purchase and makes a small contribution to the Trust. If all internet shoppers in Somerset used this device it would add hundreds of pounds to the Trusts finances. Look for the "Buy At" link.
Help raise funds for our vital conservation work by shopping on the internet.
Click here to visit 'Buy At', where you can purchase gifts from retailers including Marks and Spencer, John Lewis and Amazon and earn the Trust commission at the same time. And don't leave without visiting our shop where you can 'Adopt a Dormouse'
http://www.buy.at/somersetwildlife
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Climate Change news
A feature of producing a blog is that it reflects the interests of the blogger. What I am finding interesting is the wide ranging views and debates in progress around the world on global warming and climate change. Here are some brief reviews of two of today's news stories.
As you may know a world conference on this subject has just ended in Nairobi. Run by the United Nations and called the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. ( UNFCCC) This particular meeting is called the COP12. That is short hand for the 12th Conference of the 189 parties(countries) to the UNFCCC. To no doubt save aviation fuel it is also the COP/MOP2. That is the 2nd meeting of the 166 parties to the Kyoto Protocol. This complex organizational nightmare was of course all started back in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit.
Here is an extract from a BBC report shown on their web site at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6161998.stm
Last Updated: Saturday, 18 November 2006, 18:42 GMT
Climate talks a tricky business
By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News website, Nairobi
"Busting the jargon
So let us look behind the jargon of COPs and COP/MOPs and SBSTAs and Ad-hoc Working Groups and Joint Implementation and Base Years - believe me, I could go on - and look at what the Nairobi talks actually agreed.
The headline outcomes include:
* a less than firm commitment to begin negotiations on further Kyoto Protocol emissions cuts in 2008, and no target date for concluding them - despite an acknowledgement that emissions need to fall by about 50% in the near future
* a decision that the protocol has been reviewed at this meeting, as its original wording demanded - many of us must have missed the review when we blinked
* a commitment to have a full review in two years' time
* an extension of work on technology transfer to the developing world, but only for a single year, which brought condemnation from the Chinese delegation
* agreement that Belarus can enter the Kyoto Protocol's trading mechanisms in a way which could allow it to make money without reducing emissions; this decision will have to be ratified
* a decision that carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects should not yet be eligible for money from the Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism
* agreement that the Adaptation Fund, a pot of money to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, should be primarily under the control of developing nations
Away from the main negotiations, a number of other initiatives were announced, the most striking being a UN fund to build capacity among African governments, enabling them better to bid for clean technology projects and protect against climate impacts."
********************************************************************************
Meanwhile the Independent newspaper has published an interview with Tony Blair in which he defends his governments progress in green issues. Here are some extracts from the article.
Blair: Who says I'm not green?
by Michael McCarthy, Environmental Editor
Published: 18 November 2006 Here is the web site address.
"Britain is seeking international agreement on a global target for stabilization of greenhouse gases, which would halt the progress of global warming, Tony Blair has told The Independent."
"The target Mr Blair and his officials have in mind would seek to halt the growth of greenhouse gases somewhere below 550ppm CO2e, perhaps between 500 and 550 - the figures are still being discussed, but 550 is regarded as the upper limit.
It would involve legally binding cutback agreements from those who signed up to it, and has been put forward by the UK to be taken on during the German presidency of the G8 next spring. The initiative - which has German support - would offer a major way forward for when Kyoto comes to an end in 2012."
"He also implicitly ruled out aviation taxes, another measure favoured by the green lobby, insisting that a much better way forward was to deal with aircraft emissions under the European Union's emissions trading scheme."
""I've given my view that if we want to deal with energy security and climate change, we've got to have the right policy for the future, and it's got to include nuclear.""
"Mr Blair also revealed that Britain would seek agreements to make future EU coal-fired power stations carbon neutral through improved technology."
"And he hinted that a planned Energy White Paper would address the issue of personal carbon allowances - the idea that each individual would have a carbon "budget" to spend on motor fuel, electricity and other activities that impact on the environment."
As you may know a world conference on this subject has just ended in Nairobi. Run by the United Nations and called the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. ( UNFCCC) This particular meeting is called the COP12. That is short hand for the 12th Conference of the 189 parties(countries) to the UNFCCC. To no doubt save aviation fuel it is also the COP/MOP2. That is the 2nd meeting of the 166 parties to the Kyoto Protocol. This complex organizational nightmare was of course all started back in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit.
Here is an extract from a BBC report shown on their web site at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6161998.stm
Last Updated: Saturday, 18 November 2006, 18:42 GMT
Climate talks a tricky business
By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News website, Nairobi
"Busting the jargon
So let us look behind the jargon of COPs and COP/MOPs and SBSTAs and Ad-hoc Working Groups and Joint Implementation and Base Years - believe me, I could go on - and look at what the Nairobi talks actually agreed.
The headline outcomes include:
* a less than firm commitment to begin negotiations on further Kyoto Protocol emissions cuts in 2008, and no target date for concluding them - despite an acknowledgement that emissions need to fall by about 50% in the near future
* a decision that the protocol has been reviewed at this meeting, as its original wording demanded - many of us must have missed the review when we blinked
* a commitment to have a full review in two years' time
* an extension of work on technology transfer to the developing world, but only for a single year, which brought condemnation from the Chinese delegation
* agreement that Belarus can enter the Kyoto Protocol's trading mechanisms in a way which could allow it to make money without reducing emissions; this decision will have to be ratified
* a decision that carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects should not yet be eligible for money from the Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism
* agreement that the Adaptation Fund, a pot of money to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, should be primarily under the control of developing nations
Away from the main negotiations, a number of other initiatives were announced, the most striking being a UN fund to build capacity among African governments, enabling them better to bid for clean technology projects and protect against climate impacts."
********************************************************************************
Meanwhile the Independent newspaper has published an interview with Tony Blair in which he defends his governments progress in green issues. Here are some extracts from the article.
Blair: Who says I'm not green?
by Michael McCarthy, Environmental Editor
Published: 18 November 2006 Here is the web site address.
"Britain is seeking international agreement on a global target for stabilization of greenhouse gases, which would halt the progress of global warming, Tony Blair has told The Independent."
"The target Mr Blair and his officials have in mind would seek to halt the growth of greenhouse gases somewhere below 550ppm CO2e, perhaps between 500 and 550 - the figures are still being discussed, but 550 is regarded as the upper limit.
It would involve legally binding cutback agreements from those who signed up to it, and has been put forward by the UK to be taken on during the German presidency of the G8 next spring. The initiative - which has German support - would offer a major way forward for when Kyoto comes to an end in 2012."
"He also implicitly ruled out aviation taxes, another measure favoured by the green lobby, insisting that a much better way forward was to deal with aircraft emissions under the European Union's emissions trading scheme."
""I've given my view that if we want to deal with energy security and climate change, we've got to have the right policy for the future, and it's got to include nuclear.""
"Mr Blair also revealed that Britain would seek agreements to make future EU coal-fired power stations carbon neutral through improved technology."
"And he hinted that a planned Energy White Paper would address the issue of personal carbon allowances - the idea that each individual would have a carbon "budget" to spend on motor fuel, electricity and other activities that impact on the environment."
Thursday, November 16, 2006
A talk about the facinating life of Dragonflies
Dr Mike Parr a local member of the Trust talked about his experiences in the UK and Africa whilst studying dragonflies. His often amusing accounts of the habits of these remakable creatures left us wanting to know more. Above is a photograph showing Dr Parr and our blog editor before the meeting started. Below is our press note sent to our local paper and we look forward to its publication.
"Members of a new wildlife group for the Langport, Somerton and Curry Rivel area became so engrossed in the topic of dragonflies at their latest meeting, they decided to go on a field trip to study the creatures in the summer.
Expert Dr Mike Parr told the Heart of the Levels group that the biggest threat to dragonflies and damselflies is habitat loss, followed by pollution, drainage, and road vehicles which kill “a lot”. But the Somerset Levels are a hotbed for certain types of these insects, he said.
So many people asked questions about the water-loving creatures – which predate the dinosaurs by “a long way” – that Dr Parr, who has spent much of his career studying the insects, offered to organise a field trip for members next July, a suggestion readily taken up by the meeting, in Curry Rivel."
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Green Power!!! "Stop the Climate Chaos" rally
As people travel to London today for the environmental rally in Trafalger Square I felt the least I could do was to offer my support and encouragement.
The daily papers are covering the event and I was impressed that the Daily Mail should publish good news photographs of the countryside looking at its best including views of the Somerset Levels ( my home ground and two of my local photos included above). The Independent gives details of the lead up gatherings and interviews with a 72 year old lady from the Bury St Edmonds WI alongside a comment from Johnny Borrell (no age given), the lead singer from Razorlight. That is covering the generations and social standpoints in a big way. They even mention our own local Wildlife Trust member Bill Butcher who has cycled all the way from Somerset to be there( I hope he has made it).
If anyone reading this has attended the rally or any other such event please share the experience with us.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Blog features
While I'm posting I'll add a photo showing the start of the Fungi Foray in Beer Wood. It wasn't raining at the start but did get a bit wet by the end but mild.
Searching this blog can make it more user friendly and easier to find items of interest to you.
Since starting in Jan 2006 there have been 61 posts. To see earlier posts you can either work your way through the archives or you can use the "search this blog" button on the top of the page. Select a post reference and click on it which will bring up the actual post.
If you use the search button this is part of what you will see:
Sorted by relevance - Sort by date. 61 posts matching blogurl:heartofthelevels.blogspot.com - showing 1 through 10
GM crops and DEFRA consultation
28 Oct 2006 by David
My post dated 27th Sept 2006 (which can be seen in the Archives section below) drew attention to the consultation by DEFRA on the proposed introduction of GM crops. Somerset County Council has just published its own submission to the ...
Heart of the Levels Wildlife Group - http://heartofthelevels.blogspot.com
test post
28 Oct 2006 by David
in case you are interested. I have found that after writing a post I wasn't able to publish it and got an error message to do with a java problem which I don't understand. I'm writing this from another computer to see if it publishes ok. ...
heart of the levels wildlife group - http://heartofthelevels.blogspot.com
Difficulties posting to the blog
28 Oct 2006 by David
Apologies for some disruption in the posts. I hope to clear it soon.
Heart of the Levels Wildlife Group - http://heartofthelevels.blogspot.com
GM crops consultation
28 Oct 2006 by David
I read in the local paper that the County Council had had its own consultation. A large number of individuals and organizations attended a meeting of the Councils Executive Board on 11th October at which the Council’s policy position ...
Heart of the Levels Wildlife Group - http://heartofthelevels.blogspot.com
RHS Rosemoor. Lichens
27 Oct 2006 by David
Having mentioned lichens, see my last post, I should add a few notes to go with these photographs. I had of course seen many lichens during our recent fungus foray but they were ignored whilst we concentrated on the fungi. ...
Heart of the Levels Wildlife Group - http://heartofthelevels.blogspot.com
more fungi, some lichen and a short story
26 Oct 2006 by David
its often surprising how we meet unexpected coincidences. This short story starts on the Sunday after the foray into the woods. During the clearing up in the village hall, after the expert identification display I saved some of the ...
heart of the levels wildlife group - http://heartofthelevels.blogspot.com
Fungi Foray II
26 Oct 2006 by David
Here are a few photos taken during our Fungi Foray, first out in the woods and later in the local village hall where the collected fungi were laid out for identification.I hope to get the correct names soon.
Heart of the Levels Wildlife Group - http://heartofthelevels.blogspot.com
Beer Wood Fungi Foray
22 Oct 2006 by David
If you have never been on an autumn trek into the woods in search of fungi then I can assure you, you have missed a treat. Today I was in Beer Woods, one of the best reserves in Somerset with about 60 other enthusiasts. ...
Saturday, October 28, 2006
GM crops and DEFRA consultation
My post dated 27th Sept 2006 (which can be seen in the Archives section below) drew attention to the consultation by DEFRA on the proposed introduction of GM crops.
Somerset County Council has just published its own submission to the DEFRA on the subject.
Here is a link to the SCC web site.
SCC is opposed to GM crops.
Below is a condensed version.
*********************************************************************************
Somerset County Council response to the DEFRA consultation document on proposals for managing the co-existence of conventional and organic crops October 2006
There is great concern in Somerset over the governments intention to allow GM crops to be grown in the UK. The term GM is used rather ambiguously in the consultation document and Government Policy statements, the Councils concerns relate to plants in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.
A large number of individuals and organizations attended a meeting of the Councils Executive Board on 11th October at which the Councils policy position on GM crops was discussed in addition to the response to the DEFRA consultation. The public speakers included representatives from:
* Yeo Valley Organics
* Friends of the Earth
* The Castle Hotel, Taunton
* A farmer and worker with the Bath and Wells Diocese
Written representations were received from:
* Friends of the Earth
* Bowerings Animal Feeds, Bridgwater
* Somerset Wildlife Trust
* Somerset Organic Link and Somerset Organic Link Producers
* Somerset County Federation of Womens Institutes
* Keinton Mandeville Parish Council
All public speakers and all of the written submissions expressed the strong and unanimous view that there should not be any GM crops grown in the UK. In considering the Councils position on the commercial growing of GM crops in Somerset the special characteristics of the Somerset countryside and economy are important:
* Somerset is a rural County with a national park, 3 areas of outstanding national beauty, 3 environmentally sensitive areas, 126 site of special scientific interest, 11 national nature reserves and 19 local nature reserves
* The total area of Somerset is 345,233 hectares, 269,371 hectares (78%) of which is under agricultural management employing a total of 14,000 people.
* 38% of the total organic land area in England production is in the South West.
* 3000 hectares of organic land in Somerset is used for organic crops
* Somerset is home to 23% of all farmed bee colonies in the South West
Councillors on the Executive Board were unanimous in their view that GM crops must not be grown in the UK. They also want the government to press for a change in current EU law to give legal recognition and protection to local areas that wish to remain GM free.
The Board agreed the following resolution:
(a) That the Council does not believe that GM crops should be grown.
(b) To require all new tenancy agreements for County Farms to contain a clause prohibiting the growth of GM crops.
(c) To request that existing County Farm tenants be requested not to grow GM crops.
(d) To ensure that all County Farm tenants be kept informed of the Councils policies on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
(e) To recommend that the Government adopts a zero tolerance to labelling genetically modified foods.
The Councils stance on the development of GM crops in the UK is one of zero tolerance on co-existence. There are no circumstances under which GM, non-GM and organic crops can be grown together.
* GM contamination of conventional crops, organic crops and the food chain is unacceptable
* GM crops present a major threat to organic farming which is an important and growing industry in Somerset and one which DEFRA itself promotes
* Honey production is threatened by GM crops as there is no way that any coexistence measures will prevent the contamination of honey with GM pollen
* The rights of gardeners and allotment holders to grow their own GM free produce have been completely ignored in the consultation and dismissed as unimportant
The Council is also very disappointed that in launching this consultation on coexistence the government has chosen to ignore the results of its own national debate on GM which found that
“There is little support for the early commercialisation of GM crops.........."
We look forward to the governments response to these comments and trust that the overwhelming wish of the UK public, that GM crops have no place in British agriculture, is acted upon by the government.
Somerset County Council has just published its own submission to the DEFRA on the subject.
Here is a link to the SCC web site.
SCC is opposed to GM crops.
Below is a condensed version.
*********************************************************************************
Somerset County Council response to the DEFRA consultation document on proposals for managing the co-existence of conventional and organic crops October 2006
There is great concern in Somerset over the governments intention to allow GM crops to be grown in the UK. The term GM is used rather ambiguously in the consultation document and Government Policy statements, the Councils concerns relate to plants in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.
A large number of individuals and organizations attended a meeting of the Councils Executive Board on 11th October at which the Councils policy position on GM crops was discussed in addition to the response to the DEFRA consultation. The public speakers included representatives from:
* Yeo Valley Organics
* Friends of the Earth
* The Castle Hotel, Taunton
* A farmer and worker with the Bath and Wells Diocese
Written representations were received from:
* Friends of the Earth
* Bowerings Animal Feeds, Bridgwater
* Somerset Wildlife Trust
* Somerset Organic Link and Somerset Organic Link Producers
* Somerset County Federation of Womens Institutes
* Keinton Mandeville Parish Council
All public speakers and all of the written submissions expressed the strong and unanimous view that there should not be any GM crops grown in the UK. In considering the Councils position on the commercial growing of GM crops in Somerset the special characteristics of the Somerset countryside and economy are important:
* Somerset is a rural County with a national park, 3 areas of outstanding national beauty, 3 environmentally sensitive areas, 126 site of special scientific interest, 11 national nature reserves and 19 local nature reserves
* The total area of Somerset is 345,233 hectares, 269,371 hectares (78%) of which is under agricultural management employing a total of 14,000 people.
* 38% of the total organic land area in England production is in the South West.
* 3000 hectares of organic land in Somerset is used for organic crops
* Somerset is home to 23% of all farmed bee colonies in the South West
Councillors on the Executive Board were unanimous in their view that GM crops must not be grown in the UK. They also want the government to press for a change in current EU law to give legal recognition and protection to local areas that wish to remain GM free.
The Board agreed the following resolution:
(a) That the Council does not believe that GM crops should be grown.
(b) To require all new tenancy agreements for County Farms to contain a clause prohibiting the growth of GM crops.
(c) To request that existing County Farm tenants be requested not to grow GM crops.
(d) To ensure that all County Farm tenants be kept informed of the Councils policies on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
(e) To recommend that the Government adopts a zero tolerance to labelling genetically modified foods.
The Councils stance on the development of GM crops in the UK is one of zero tolerance on co-existence. There are no circumstances under which GM, non-GM and organic crops can be grown together.
* GM contamination of conventional crops, organic crops and the food chain is unacceptable
* GM crops present a major threat to organic farming which is an important and growing industry in Somerset and one which DEFRA itself promotes
* Honey production is threatened by GM crops as there is no way that any coexistence measures will prevent the contamination of honey with GM pollen
* The rights of gardeners and allotment holders to grow their own GM free produce have been completely ignored in the consultation and dismissed as unimportant
The Council is also very disappointed that in launching this consultation on coexistence the government has chosen to ignore the results of its own national debate on GM which found that
“There is little support for the early commercialisation of GM crops.........."
We look forward to the governments response to these comments and trust that the overwhelming wish of the UK public, that GM crops have no place in British agriculture, is acted upon by the government.
Test post
In case you are interested. I have found that after writing a post I wasnt able to publish it and got an error message to do with a Java problem which I dont understand. I writing this from another computer to see if it publishes OK. Here goes.
That went through OK. I'm now trying the edit mode which also refused to work.
That went through OK. I'm now trying the edit mode which also refused to work.
Difficulties posting to the blog
Apologies for some disruption in the posts.
I hope to clear it soon.
I hope to clear it soon.
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