| The adage missing the woods for the trees describes | | | | return... |
| a situation where the focus on the big picture is lost by | | | | 1. Reedbeds already dry and clogged with brambles |
| one's short sighted preoccupation with relatively less | | | | 2. Heath lands have vanished and scrubs taken over |
| important small details. The UK government's decision | | | | their place |
| to sell national reserves, forest land and withdrawal of | | | | 3. Wetlands have dwindled with rivers and canals |
| grants to British Waterways which manages 2,300 | | | | being clogged by invasive plants |
| miles of canals and rivers as part of the 40% cut in | | | | 4. Farmland birds are on the verge of extinction |
| the budget of the Department for Environment , Food | | | | 5. Meadows and the country's bat population are |
| and Rural affairs seems to be a typical example of | | | | vanishing |
| this syndrome. | | | | 6. Uplands have become degraded and their ability to |
| The proposed cut threatens to impact the environment | | | | provide clean water drastically reduced |
| in two ways. A cut in welfare expense to 1/3 of the | | | | A budget cut would mean the end of coastal habitats |
| present outlay to Natural England the principal nature | | | | like salt marsh and saline lagoons, reefs and other |
| conservation agency responsible for the country's | | | | marine systems so vital for flood control and |
| waterways, air, soil, pollution control, waste control and | | | | prevention of erosion. If paths and bridleways are not |
| river protection will have a degenerating effect on all | | | | kept open huge swathes of the famed English |
| of these vital conservation activities. On the other hand | | | | countryside and the coast would be closed to millions |
| such a step would also set back nature conservation | | | | permanently |
| by many years and hinder the creation of new marine | | | | The Secretary General of the UN Council of Biological |
| nature reserves. | | | | Diversity has warned that it would be very short |
| While granting over key nature reserves to big | | | | sighted to cut biodiversity spending. There cannot be a |
| business would ring the death knell of eco protection | | | | more emphatic caution than what the Secretary |
| and natural heritage, we can be prosecuted by the EU | | | | General has conveyed in the following words 'You |
| for not complying with the European birds and habitats | | | | may save a few pounds now but you will loose billions |
| directive. Leading conservation groups have made a | | | | later, biodiversity is your natural asset, the more you |
| joint statement to the government on the profound | | | | loose it the more you loose your cultural assets too. |
| and irreversible consequences for wildlife, landscapes | | | | There could not have been a better way of putting |
| and people and have cautioned how short term | | | | across the perils of neglecting nature. We could only |
| savings would translate into huge long term costs for | | | | hope that it makes the powers that be realize what |
| the economy and national well being. | | | | they are doing to the natural heritage of this country in |
| These groups have highlighted that the countryside | | | | the name of cost cutting and they realize the gravity |
| and environment are not in the pink of health today | | | | of their actions before it is too late. |
| and a cut in cost could take things to a point of no | | | | |