Friends of Wom Brook
July Events 2009
Thursday 2nd July - Work Party (10:00-12:00, meet at the picnic benches, Gravel Hill section)
Saturday 11th July - Work Party (10:00-12:00, meet at the picnic benches, Gravel Hill section)
Saturday 18th July - Event: Butterflies of Baggeridge, a joint meeting with the Butterfly Conservation. Meet 10:30 a.m. outside Baggeridge Visitor Centre.
Friday 24th July-Event: Bat Walk-meet Civic Centre car park, 9:30 p.m.
Following numerous complaints about the extent of dog mess being left along parts of the Wom Brook Walk, particularly in the Poolhouse area of the village, enforcement officers from South Staffordshire Council yesterday launched a high profile campaign to introduce themselves to dog owners, and to make owners aware of the campaign which will be ongoing for the next few weeks.
Initially dog owners are asked very politely whether they carry plastic bags with them in order to remove dog deposits. If a dog owner proves to be uncooperative, then the enforcement officers have the power to issue an on the spot fine.
Regrettably it has become necessary to resort to this strategy, as increasingly a minority of irresponsible individuals are disregarding the safety of others, particularly children, who are at risk of contracting serious illness if they accidentally come into contact with dog excrement.
The open spaces within Wombourne are for the enjoyment of everyone, and a little fore thought will make a visit to our village’s outdoor spaces a pleasurable experience for all.
This forthcoming Saturday-
The Friends of Wom Brook are staging a trip along the South Staffordshire Railway Walk-a local safari on foot, where local flora and fauna can be observed.
The BBC weather forecast is at the moment of posting this announcement, predicting a light rain shower for the area on Saturday. Therefore please come prepared with suitable clothing. If you have any questions about the walk, please post a comment below.
A
BIG
THANK YOU!
To those kind persons who cleared up the empty cans and bottles
left at the picnic benches yesterday.
Recession-what recession? Does the photograph below indicate that there’s a credit crunch?
It could be the recent news indicating that the UK economy may at last be in recovery prompted last night’s party at the picnic benches on the Wom Brook Walk in Wombourne.
This disgusting scene greeted villagers this morning-regular walkers who passed it expressed disbelief and annoyance that a site of natural beauty-and a designated local nature reserve-should be left in such a condition. Unfortunately, this is a familiar scene in the United Kingdom, but paradoxically a rare sight abroad.
The above photograph is an example of what follows when a group of individuals cannot take responsibility for their actions, and is symptomatic of a wider, collective culture of malaise that pervades certain sectors of society at the moment. Perpetrators of these acts have no pride in their village, and more worryingly, have no self-respect.
What are the consequences of this?
The majority of us are left to clean up the mess.
Last week the following scene greeted a number of Wombourne residents who regularly walk along the Giggetty section of the Wom Brook.
The area of the Wom Brook Walk previously praised by Green Flag judges in the recent inspection for its contrasting natural habitat compared to other sections of the Wom Brook, has now been radically transformed. Members of the Friends of Wom Brook have been regularly approached since the tree cutting episode by other Wombourne residents, concerned and angry over the South Staffordshire Council’s actions. Unlike the positive comments received in relation to the new wooden pedestrian footbridge and the impressive carved signpost, Friends Group members have been phoned or approached along the Walk by very discontented residents, critical of the District Council’s actions.
The Friends of Wom Brook (the ‘Group’) collectively and unanimously share local residents’ concerns over the District Council’s actions, and the lack of prior consultation about the tree cutting plan with local residents. Primarily the Group agree with the one comment from the last blog entry relating to grass-cutting; specifically, no apparent thought was given to the impact that cutting trees would have on nesting bird life.
The Friends Group do more than clear rubbish from the Brook-they are an eclectic group, drawn from all walks of life, who are able to make use of their collective specialist knowledge and expertise in furthering conservation work along the Brook in Wombourne. All members of the small group are volunteers, who meet monthly to engage in a variety of activities that further this aim. The Group have no executive powers, and cannot make decisions that control strategic work undertaken by the District Council.
The Group does meet with District Council officers, and are usually invited by the officers to comment on planned developments, and aspects of landscape management-in the case of the tree-cutting, this did not happen.
A number of Wombourne residents have understandably voiced their concerns over the apparent ‘neglect’ of certain areas of ground adjoining the Brook; some areas are closely mown, while other parts are left to go wild (see the photo above). This is however a deliberate strategy on the part of the Council.
The South Staffordshire Council, working with the Environment Agency, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and the Friends of Wom Brook have for some years monitored the Wom Brook and its adjoining banks for the occurrence of different plant and animal species. Significantly the Brook forms an important habitat for an endangered UK mammalian species-a water-dwelling rodent, namely the water vole.
Over the last ten years, numbers of water voles in the UK have declined alarmingly by 90%. This decline has prompted legislation to be passed which empowers Natural England & the Environment Agency to prosecute any individual or organisation that is found removing or killing water voles, or damaging their habitat. Fines up to £5000 may be imposed by the courts in such instances.
Leaving buffer zones of uncut grass, nettles and other plants on the fringes of the Brook provides natural shelter and camouflage for the water voles, helping them to evade predators such as mink, buzzards, dogs and cats. Elsewhere, larger areas of land have also been left uncut, in order to provide habitats for bees, butterflies and a range of insects that some of our dwindling number of bird species can feed on.
Reducing natural open spaces to lawn-like areas in order to make them appear tidy also destroys vital plant and animal habitats, which in turn has a knock-on effect for bird life-denying them food and ultimately life.
The above photo is taken from near the new Wom Brook finger post where the Wom Brook Walk bisects the South Staffordshire Railway Walk. The pathway leads down to the footbridge over the Wom Brook. Right of picture is the uncut area where a variety of bird life may be observed.
Here are some related links:
Wildlife & Habitats in the West Midlands (Environment Agency)
This afternoon representatives from the South Staffordshire Council along with local residents gathered near the ford on Giggetty Lane, Wombourne for the official opening ceremony of the new pedestrian bridge.
In keeping with the Winnie the Pooh theme associated with the new bridge, one of Pooh bear’s relatives was present (centre of picture) to ensure the tradition of testing the floating qualities of Pooh sticks was strictly carried out.
Pooh Bear’s cousin was assisted in this process by landscape architect Pat Davies, (pictured on the left) from South Staffordshire Council’s Architectural & Landscape Services, and one of the bridge’s builders, Tom Storey (right of picture), from Sandon Garden Products.
The Winnie the Pooh bridge concept was Pat’s idea, and Tom and his colleagues sourced the wood from a Staffordshire-grown oak tree, fully utilising it to build the footbridge.