Saturday, February 08, 2014

Fancy a swim?

Following on from our posting below which describes a 103 per cent increase in badger 'dens' and as our fellow farmers in flooded Somerset - (link) struggle with the effects of a couple of decades of computer modelled environmental hogwash, we ponder on the fate of all the subterranean mammals, caught up in these 'designer floods - (link).

For centuries, the Somerset Levels were kept dry in summer (the clue is in the name: Summer - settlers?) by the judicious clearing and management of the 'rhynes' or ditches which fed the tidal rivers.  And 'tidal' rivers inevitably empty into the sea, twice a day.

 The result was a fertile and bio-diverse habitat, supporting loads of different species - including our stripey friends.  But as our co-editor points out, if your aim is to create a wetland habitat, take a low lying area, and just add water. - (link)

The result of the Environment Agency's valiant efforts over a couple of decades, is a stinking lake of stagnant, polluted water in which nothing can live.
It's a pity they didn't inform any of the inhabitants of the Levels of their long term plans.

It is not the badgers who have 'moved the goalposts'. By deliberately flooding 30 sq. miles of their habitat, the Environment Agency has destroyed the playing field and everything around it.


Isn't it against some other Directive or the Bern Convention to drown badgers, because this is exactly what the Environment Agency, in pursuit of a different agenda, has done so spectacularly well?
 In fact it could be yet another 'pilot cull'.

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