tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-253921802024-03-07T06:16:42.052+00:00Save The RibbleA blog dedicated to preserving the beauty and delicate ecosystem of the River Ribble, and opposing any 'vision' to build a barrage on our River and develop on our riverbanks, floodplains and green spaces, causing damage to wildlife and the environment and increasing the risk of flooding to our homes.
Save the Ribble Campaign is not responsible for the content of external blogs or websites which link here.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger251125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-21713423988930684502023-05-22T17:32:00.002+01:002023-05-22T17:32:49.766+01:00Tidal Barrage proposed for The Wash - another short-sighted Grand Greenwashing Scheme<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Another Tidal Barrier proposal rears its irresponsible head - this time proposed for The Wash between Lincolnshire and Norfolk. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Wash is a <span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">620 km² (240 sq. mi.) biological </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Site_of_Special_Scientific_Interest" target="_blank">Site of Special Scientific Interest</a>,<span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Nature_Conservation_Review" target="_blank">Nature Conservation Review</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">site, Grade I,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"> a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_nature_reserve_%28United_Kingdom%29" target="_blank">National Nature Reserve</a>,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"> an Internationally important <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsar_site" target="_blank">Ramsar site</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; white-space: nowrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Area_of_Conservation" target="_blank">Special Area of Conservation</a></span>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"> </sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">and a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Protection_Area" target="_blank">Special Protection Area</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"> It's in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_Coast_AONB" target="_blank">Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty</a></span><span style="white-space: nowrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"> and part of it is the <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/snettisham/" target="_blank">Snettisham</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society_for_the_Protection_of_Birds" target="_blank">RSPB</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">nature reserve. <b>But somebody wants to build a barrage and huge waterside developments on it. <i>Sound familiar? </i></b></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zDfuACkFRxVURp5h3Vcxa8VkEwfx4p39JYnxL9VzFm3E8yOyp0v7Mrf1XolTzmRboQZ5u-Aw7caX42W4ycFgzW7EpaUw6uF8yhENSBhP-agsGp-eRKb22NH3b341Rsu8zAWckzrZadHQXoheLG3xUWk2ge768Ep8zhLt3S6CrHkylQjHkqk/s1240/The-Wash_Copyright_Nature-Picture-Library_Alamy_GuardianNewspaper_accessed-22.05.2023_2.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zDfuACkFRxVURp5h3Vcxa8VkEwfx4p39JYnxL9VzFm3E8yOyp0v7Mrf1XolTzmRboQZ5u-Aw7caX42W4ycFgzW7EpaUw6uF8yhENSBhP-agsGp-eRKb22NH3b341Rsu8zAWckzrZadHQXoheLG3xUWk2ge768Ep8zhLt3S6CrHkylQjHkqk/w400-h240/The-Wash_Copyright_Nature-Picture-Library_Alamy_GuardianNewspaper_accessed-22.05.2023_2.webp" title="The Wash is a stunning and ecologically important stretch of coastline between Lincolnshire and Norfolk. Photograph: Nature Picture Library/Alamy" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="dcr-1y4fm6e" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #707070; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">The Wash is a stunning and ecologically important stretch of coastline between Lincolnshire and Norfolk.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #707070; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; text-align: start;"> Photograph: Nature Picture Library/Alamy : The Guardian. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Readers of this blog will remember that The Wash and The Ribble Estuary are two of the most important habitats in the UK and beyond </b></span><b style="font-family: arial;">for migrating and breeding birds and other wildlife </b><b style="font-family: arial;">- indeed, important not even "just" in geographical Europe but to the entire Northern Hemisphere. </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">The Wash is a huge area which encompasses a variety of coastal habitats including lagoons, tidal mudflats, shingle beach, and saltmarsh, providing refuge, and breeding and feeding sites, for vast numbers of wildfowl and migratory wading birds, fish nurseries, and seal colonies. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">As well as the small matter of offering a natural flood defence to numerous populated areas and huge swathes of farmland. </span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: arial;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Tidal mudflats alone support more wildlife per square metre than tropical rainforest. </i><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Therefore, permanently flooding an intertidal ecosystem really is just like burning a rainforest to the ground. </i></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>The Norfolk Wildlife Trust believe this plan would be "catastrophic" for nature, they and a broad group of environmental experts, local businesses, and the £3.5m-per-year local fishing industry are:</i></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">"deeply concerned by the proposed new barrage development which threatens to cause catastrophic damage to one of Europe’s most important wetland habitats, turning it into a ‘green, fetid lake’. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: arial;">A tidal barrier on The Wash would release vast quantities of carbon into the atmosphere, exacerbating the impacts of climate change, which directly contradicts the claims of the developer, and could endanger lives by creating increased flood risk."</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial;">Readers of this blog will also remember that tidal barrages have huge economic as well as environmental consequences</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">: </span><a href="http://save-the-ribble.blogspot.com/2007/04/barrages-and-wetland-ecosystems.html" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Barrages and wetland ecosystems: the Environmental and Economic Impacts</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">, and it is disappointing to once again see such an important habitat </span><i style="font-family: arial;">on a global scale</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"> under threat from such a seriously short-sighted and irresponsible scheme. A tidal barrage really isn't as "Green" as it might sound on the face of it! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Yes, we DO want to move away from fossil fuels but NOT at the expense of one of the most important and diverse habitats in the world. Amongst their many and extensive benefits to the global ecosystem, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetland" target="_blank">wetlands</a> are also extremely important carbon storage systems. </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">One can't help but be cynical when you see that this proposed "renewable energy" scheme is yet another case of Greenwashing. The man behind the plan, </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures;">Entrepreneur James Sutcliffe, who has <b>managed and advised port companies in Sierra Leone and Bangladesh</b>,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> actually wants the proposed project to be: </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures;">'<b>a [container] port</b>, powered by tidal energy, which Sutcliffe says would create electricity for 600,000 homes and businesses in the region [... and] <b>create the potential for cruise-ship tourism and a new road</b> that links Lincolnshire to Norfolk in 20 minutes. [Plus...] </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures;">the calm waters created by the tidal barrier would provide opportunities for “<b>marinas and construction of desirable waterside developments</b>” as well as “safe sailing”, and [claims] that the construction would protect the local environment from flooding.'</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ah, so it's actually just a massive development scheme with a bit of greenwashing thrown in. Same old, same old. And no, it wouldn't protect the local environment from flooding. The saltmarsh and mudflats of The Wash itself already does just that. </span></span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">You can read more below:</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/19/tidal-barrier-proposal-for-lincolnshire-and-norfolk-sets-off-wave-of-opposition" target="_blank">Tidal barrier proposal for Lincolnshire and Norfolk sets off wave of opposition | Environment | The Guardian</a> ; </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-63708269" target="_blank">The Wash: £2bn tidal barrage plan including road and port unveiled - BBC News</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/wash-barrage-developers-urged-to-rethink-plans/" target="_blank">Controversial Wash barrage plans resurface as developers urged to rethink (rspb.org.uk)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/news-and-articles/news/all-news/2023-05-12-controversial-wash-barrage-pla" target="_blank">Controversial Wash barrage plan - Norfolk Wildlife Trust</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/plans-revealed-for-2bn-tidal-barrage-featuring-container-terminal-flood-defence-and-rail-and-road-links-22-11-2022/" target="_blank">Plans revealed for £2bn tidal barrage featuring container terminal, flood defence and rail and road links | New Civil Engineer</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.washbarrier.org/" target="_blank">The Wash (washbarrier.org)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-56180249165726787782014-03-26T15:05:00.002+00:002014-03-26T15:05:57.601+00:00Central Park - official announcement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYNyFIYqMmt9aRclJygOj4pObFpmmgb-GjBY-rRRoQHl3D2LQEKn3qSs18a2CsaiLsP4afhcYmcON98qhEaY0RHDBDxE_uuuDYIBb8XsoMxHhc7ZmGDpN25gTo9gQDynXsdnQfA/s1600/Councillor%2520Cliff%2520Hughes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYNyFIYqMmt9aRclJygOj4pObFpmmgb-GjBY-rRRoQHl3D2LQEKn3qSs18a2CsaiLsP4afhcYmcON98qhEaY0RHDBDxE_uuuDYIBb8XsoMxHhc7ZmGDpN25gTo9gQDynXsdnQfA/s1600/Councillor%2520Cliff%2520Hughes.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
We are thrilled at today's <a href="http://www.southribble.gov.uk/content/major-new-park-plans-revealed">official announcement by South Ribble Borough Council</a> that the fabulous expanse of fields and woodlands and floodplains running alongside the River Ribble from Penwortham to Lostock Hall and Bamber Bridge is now OFFICIALLY <a href="http://ribble-cycle-diaries.blogspot.co.uk/2008/04/new-ribbleside-country-park-announced.html">the new <strong>Central Park</strong></a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFFY2KCDMZFAFAGEyq6rXhsLcnVXpC6ZvrsBnpHsb1I1qqWGN-wv7GhQtVnVHI2BoIH_TrC0RAVaml6_azM4XAK5pLZewvyqR__ZdvBo8j4i6uHOIw3lu1qH130zYPiV0jOSE0w/s1600/wildflower+meadows+and+may+blossom+on+Penwortham+bank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFFY2KCDMZFAFAGEyq6rXhsLcnVXpC6ZvrsBnpHsb1I1qqWGN-wv7GhQtVnVHI2BoIH_TrC0RAVaml6_azM4XAK5pLZewvyqR__ZdvBo8j4i6uHOIw3lu1qH130zYPiV0jOSE0w/s1600/wildflower+meadows+and+may+blossom+on+Penwortham+bank.jpg" /></a></div>
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Cllr Cliff Hughes has announced that this area will now be preserved as a massive "green spine" across the borough, protecting and enhancing this fantastic green ecosystem for future generations. It will also link to the new <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/">Ribble Coast and Wetlands Regional Park</a> along the Ribble Way, and connect across the River Ribble to Avenham and Miller Parks in Preston. <br />
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<em>This is a real shout for people-power, and a fantastic cherry-on-the-top of the successful community campaign to <a href="http://save-the-ribble.blogspot.co.uk/2007/12/ribble-is-saved-for-now.html">save the River Ribble</a> and its remaining green corridor from damaging barrages and inappropriate floodplain and green field development. </em><br />
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A huge THANK YOU to Cllr Hughes and South Ribble Borough Council for listening! <br />
<span style="color: white;">~</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf5bGJT24p-JsFulM2iR3krE00BjMbrq7t7kBpa5PjS5GduJcRK31QbCzKsb1VLvA6qwXBNibrB5nyzAQh-eVPOm5ROHp9cNapKkhxwBYQ3WEBa39_XUs32sVd4sA3lixTHBDBw/s1600/courtesy_andy_ihnatko.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf5bGJT24p-JsFulM2iR3krE00BjMbrq7t7kBpa5PjS5GduJcRK31QbCzKsb1VLvA6qwXBNibrB5nyzAQh-eVPOm5ROHp9cNapKkhxwBYQ3WEBa39_XUs32sVd4sA3lixTHBDBw/s1600/courtesy_andy_ihnatko.png" /></a></div>
Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-56879991729821563892011-12-03T09:47:00.002+00:002011-12-03T09:48:01.271+00:00Ribble Estuary Against Fracking talk about Fracking in Lancashire on Countryfile Sunday 4th December<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUO1GQXR16AvJnPhyp-PMngAiCt1lEn-uSChb7DxR14AEbQCCIrEzbAE9b0M5H5Jf8uGYyGXVWbRsvp6iufBANhN-qVFq3Z5A1zooP-UgtrJALR1qDAM1XzOc_H8cCIrYA5kalQ/s1600/REAF_Countryfile.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUO1GQXR16AvJnPhyp-PMngAiCt1lEn-uSChb7DxR14AEbQCCIrEzbAE9b0M5H5Jf8uGYyGXVWbRsvp6iufBANhN-qVFq3Z5A1zooP-UgtrJALR1qDAM1XzOc_H8cCIrYA5kalQ/s200/REAF_Countryfile.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://reafg.blogspot.com/"><strong>Ribble Estuary Against Fracking</strong></a><strong> have had a busy week of interviews as the debates about Fracking in Lancashire heat up. </strong><br />
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They have been <a href="http://reafg.blogspot.com/2011/12/reaf-feature-for-bloomberg-news.html">interviewed by Bloomberg News</a> who are covering Fracking in the UK; <br />
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<strong>and by </strong><a href="http://reafg.blogspot.com/2011/12/reaf-on-bbc-country-file.html"><strong>John Craven</strong></a><strong> who is looking at the issue of Fracking in Lancashire on this Sunday's </strong><a href="http://reafg.blogspot.com/2011/12/reaf-on-bbc-country-file.html"><strong>Countryfile programme BBC1 (Sunday 4th December at 6.25pm).</strong></a><strong> </strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Find out more about </span><a href="http://reafg.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Ribble Estuary Against Fracking here.</span></a></strong>Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-24744045422889522182011-11-27T19:01:00.003+00:002014-04-27T09:58:37.593+01:00Fracking Meeting at Poulton-le-Fylde Mon 28th November<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Nx-bx2__geSWiD06xkslsFC9-nEXeAj4rmoRBh2i-AesPMfhuG7yrigCddZ_wnhLs1BiBlcUKwk9EWXErAmcxnLBGbUzQ6VJymvcISnNEhi9ivCd3PR4FIFVbphI4y2ueaRBbw/s1600/Fracking28.11.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Nx-bx2__geSWiD06xkslsFC9-nEXeAj4rmoRBh2i-AesPMfhuG7yrigCddZ_wnhLs1BiBlcUKwk9EWXErAmcxnLBGbUzQ6VJymvcISnNEhi9ivCd3PR4FIFVbphI4y2ueaRBbw/s400/Fracking28.11.11.jpg" hda="true" height="400" width="287" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ribble Estuary Against Fracking</strong></div>
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<strong>have organised a public meeting</strong></div>
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<strong>for Monday 28th November at 7pm</strong></div>
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<strong>at the Church Hall,</strong></div>
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<strong>Vicarage Lane, </strong></div>
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<strong>Poulton-le-Fylde FY6 7BE. </strong></div>
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<strong><em>Come along and find out more about the Fracking issue. </em></strong></div>
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<strong>See <a href="http://www.reaf.org.uk/">http://www.reaf.org.uk/</a> for more information.</strong></div>
Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-89211779266301660522011-11-09T15:42:00.002+00:002011-11-09T15:45:21.049+00:00Marine Conservation Zones AT RISK <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xEXn9tgo4LiKm071pid6TwATTYO6YHZCafvcGrBh3wgbQ81UpKDI9hk0i6F0nDiNAVK-FEXDAhPTpbjs6EzDujY17dhujeizqZsJvhHKvqn4ORi6Ol27F8X9vaRRLKxvvdlYGg/s1600/1694812_hermitcrabpaulnaylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="146" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xEXn9tgo4LiKm071pid6TwATTYO6YHZCafvcGrBh3wgbQ81UpKDI9hk0i6F0nDiNAVK-FEXDAhPTpbjs6EzDujY17dhujeizqZsJvhHKvqn4ORi6Ol27F8X9vaRRLKxvvdlYGg/s200/1694812_hermitcrabpaulnaylor.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Paul Naylor <br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <strong><span style="font-size: large;">Our Seas need your help! </span></strong><br />
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<strong>The Wildlife Trust and Save Our Seas recommended network of 127 Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) is under threat. </strong><br />
<br />
'We need to demonstrate the importance and urgency of the MCZ network to the Parliament Under-Secretary for Natural Environment and Fisheries, Richard Benyon MP today, and ensure that Defra does not reduce the number of MCZs going forward for consultation in 2012.<br />
<br />
After years of pressure, and with huge public support, the Marine and Coastal Access Act of 2009 promised a coherent network of protection around the coasts by 2012. Now 127 marine sites around England’s coast, including seven in the North West, have been recommended by four regional stakeholder groups to become MCZs next year.<br />
<br />
However, there is now the very real fear that only a fraction of these will be recommended for designation, which would be a disaster for our marine wildlife as it would leave a smaller and effective network of protection.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWM0Aq6BJlwdqTpRH-k_OajoTRC9ikbMs-oS8wXSlWRUEqEEBdlPmpxykNFVCXAtsSBn0Ke1hPlhbEgZUU9Rvuc1aGgjbtupDoXNOe1Jz4ZUpvpQwk76Jktsj40eJfyeFNAL6hA/s1600/Jewel_anemones_Sally_Sharrock_low_res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="115" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWM0Aq6BJlwdqTpRH-k_OajoTRC9ikbMs-oS8wXSlWRUEqEEBdlPmpxykNFVCXAtsSBn0Ke1hPlhbEgZUU9Rvuc1aGgjbtupDoXNOe1Jz4ZUpvpQwk76Jktsj40eJfyeFNAL6hA/s200/Jewel_anemones_Sally_Sharrock_low_res.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jewel Anemones by Sally Sharrock</td></tr>
</tbody></table> This is a once in a lifetime chance for us to protect the wildlife in our seas, and we can't let it slip away.' <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/saveourmczs"><strong>Find out how you can write to Richard Benyon here</strong></a><strong>.</strong> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/petitionfish"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">And sign the petition here</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></strong><br />
<br />
<em>Thank you to Cheryl Nicholson, Marine Conservation Officer, and everyone at the North West Wildlife Trusts, for bringing this to everyone's attention. </em>Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-81995677952551630472011-11-02T17:17:00.001+00:002011-11-02T17:20:26.959+00:00Fracking along the Ribble 'likely cause' of tremors, and protestors tell Cuadrilla to Frack Off<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlpSfntH7eIsJ4XCXgLsSl5pNaLFzF1w1Ov_X2-5ILwXVdtm68X24666DoLBh9DErRvvUMtHrYdMCFLoRTVn0ryELj0mPPF7tHoVmROpoJ2RxRKG4QWytfG_b-WvsCHJglbLuCg/s1600/FrackOff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlpSfntH7eIsJ4XCXgLsSl5pNaLFzF1w1Ov_X2-5ILwXVdtm68X24666DoLBh9DErRvvUMtHrYdMCFLoRTVn0ryELj0mPPF7tHoVmROpoJ2RxRKG4QWytfG_b-WvsCHJglbLuCg/s320/FrackOff.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><strong>Frack Off protestors invaded the Cuadrilla fracking site at Hesketh Bank and Banks this morning, climbing the drilling rig in a protest against Shale Gas extraction in Lancashire, <em>on a day when a report commissioned by Cuadrilla itself announced that it is "highly probable" that shale gas test drilling triggered earth tremors in Lancashire. </em></strong><br />
<br />
Of course it isn't "just" the potential risk of earth tremors that concern people about shale gas extraction, it's the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Portal:Water">potential risks of water contamination by a cocktail of toxic chemicals</a>, and the small matter that shale gas extraction is as far away from reducing our national carbon emmissions as other fossil fuel extraction and use is. <br />
<br />
"In a separate protest as part of a day of action against the controversial extraction method, 50 anti-fracking activists gathered outside the Copthorne Tara hotel in Kensington, west London, from around 3pm in an attempt to disrupt an industry conference organised by SMI international.<br />
<br />
Demonstrators dressed in yellow fire hazard suits they shouted chants including: "Flaming water from out tap, we don't want this Fracking crap." <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/02/fracking-protesters-storm-shale-gas-site">The Guardian</a>. <br />
<br />
We've been told there is a PUBLIC MEETING organised by Cuadrilla, who have invited residents to a meeting this Friday 4th November. <br />
<br />
If anyone would like to attend here are the details:<br />
Public question and answer meeting<br />
Friday 4 Nov 6.15pm onwards<br />
he Roman Catholic Church Hall<br />
152 Hesketh Lane<br />
Tarleton<br />
PR4 6AS<br />
<br />
If there's any change to these details, we'll let you know. <br />
<br />
For more on the report and the Frack Off protest, see <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2011/nov/02/fracking-cuadrilla-hesketh-bank-oil-preston-lancashire">the Guardian news coverage here</a>, and the <a href="http://www.lep.co.uk/news/lep-business/fracking_protestors_occupy_rig_1_3927958">Lancashire Evening Post</a>, and <a href="http://frack-off.org.uk/">the UK Frack Off campaign here</a>, and <a href="http://dont-frack-with-the-fylde.blogspot.com/">the Lancashire Frack Off campaign here</a>.Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-70079669311064219462011-08-31T18:15:00.005+01:002011-09-03T10:33:25.534+01:00Fracking: News, Events, free film showing of Gasland, and WHAT YOU CAN DO: UPDATE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIgZbD241VNp4EnsfWqZOx-LxKOvej50Tbp689QJaN9cwrGxPCWbBqxCF9MVM0v78-e-iHdzFd8mUKOlgPhOa8og-bT9VDfwP-07XoZxKCmXBuieUzQ8VHV0r-C1iOtreV046xQ/s1600/gasland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIgZbD241VNp4EnsfWqZOx-LxKOvej50Tbp689QJaN9cwrGxPCWbBqxCF9MVM0v78-e-iHdzFd8mUKOlgPhOa8og-bT9VDfwP-07XoZxKCmXBuieUzQ8VHV0r-C1iOtreV046xQ/s1600/gasland.jpg" xaa="true" /></a></div><strong>Update:</strong><br />
<em>The North West fracking issue featured on Granada reports NW England Regional News at 6pm Thursday 1st September, where significant concerns were discussed about the fracking problem in the North West, including by a leading academic. </em><br />
<br />
<strong><u>NEW:</u></strong><br />
<strong>There is a public event at Manor Farm, Hesketh Bank, Near Southport, Lancashire the weekend of 16th - 17th - 18th September:</strong><br />
<br />
What is fracking?: The process – called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking - involves pumping a mixture of water, sand and drilling fluids at high pressure into the rock, to split it apart and release the natural gas it contains.<br />
<br />
<br />
This process has already, in its relatively short history, caused a great deal of controversy, due to environmental problems and risks posed to human health, including water contamination and higher rates of air pollution than that of coal production.<br />
<br />
And now ‘fracking’ has recently begun in the UK – starting with several sites near Blackpool.<br />
<br />
<strong>Camp Frack Info</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>What</strong>: The camp will include a day of workshops on shale gas, and on planning an ongoing national campaign against it. It will involve raising local awareness about the problems with shale gas and an a_ction day of peaceful protest mainly focused on the nearby active drilling rig, but we also hope to have the option of expeditions to take the message out to Blackpool and Preston as well.<br />
<br />
<strong>Where</strong>: <strong>Manor Farm, Hesketh Bank, Near Southport, Lancashire.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>When</strong>: <strong>16th - 18th September</strong><br />
<br />
For details see <a href="http://northern-indymedia.org/events/2175">http://northern-indymedia.org/events/2175</a> <br />
<br />
More information: campfrack@gmail.com<br />
<br />
websites for info: <a href="http://frack-off.org.uk/">http://frack-off.org.uk/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.campaigncc.org/fracking">http://www.campaigncc.org/fracking</a> <br />
<br />
~<br />
<br />
<strong>And if you haven't seen Josh Fox's Oscar-nominated film <em>Gaslands</em> yet, there's a FREE showing at </strong><a href="http://www.newcontinental.net/whats-on/gasland-oscar-nominated-film-about-gas-shale-exploitation-and-its-impact-communities-monday"><strong>The Continental</strong></a><strong>, </strong>South Meadow Lane, Preston PR1 8JP on <strong>Monday 12 September 7.30 pm.</strong> <br />
<br />
Don't miss it - it's a REAL eye-opener. <br />
<br />
<strong><em><a href="http://www.newcontinental.net/whats-on/gasland-oscar-nominated-film-about-gas-shale-exploitation-and-its-impact-communities-monday">'Gasland' - gas shale exploitation and its impact - Monday 12 September 7.30 pm – FREE. </a></em></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
~<br />
<br />
<strong>Concerned about Fracking along the Ribble Estuary?</strong> <br />
<br />
Send your OBJECTION to Lancashire County Council by 14th September: <a href="http://frack-off.org.uk/send-your-fracking-objections-to-lancashire-county-council/">http://frack-off.org.uk/send-your-fracking-objections-to-lancashire-county-council/</a><br />
You can do it by email - takes no time at all.<br />
~<br />
<br />
Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-39808857124478182102011-06-23T17:51:00.003+01:002011-06-23T17:54:08.516+01:00Reprieve for Wetland Wildlife on the Mersey Estuary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUk5pOLRGnR3MKfgDpvC0f0iQjkLMFOoXO9clroHsHsjdG1NOn_EDlfU2ZJ4hQ6Pq46FaYmKy80jQe6EKOp3FEmcGq8eVnqzNOeHa32LliIOlD-GENWWPY35bpTURMp7oomoNvg/s1600/liverpoolbay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUk5pOLRGnR3MKfgDpvC0f0iQjkLMFOoXO9clroHsHsjdG1NOn_EDlfU2ZJ4hQ6Pq46FaYmKy80jQe6EKOp3FEmcGq8eVnqzNOeHa32LliIOlD-GENWWPY35bpTURMp7oomoNvg/s1600/liverpoolbay.jpg" /></a></div><strong>We are very pleased to see that the proposals to build a tidal barrage across the Mersey have been put on hold. </strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=165&cntnt01returnid=15">The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside</a> report that they and other "conservation charities have raised serious concerns over the proposal for a tidal barrage due to the potential impact on thousands of birds and newly established populations of migratory fish. The Feasibility Study Report issued by Peel Energy Ltd found that the estimated £3.5bn initial construction costs were ‘not competitive’ in current markets.<br />
<br />
"The announcement comes after plans were also dropped for a larger £20bn tidal energy generation scheme on the Severn estuary less than a year ago.<br />
<br />
"The Mersey estuary is designated as a European Special Protection Area (SPA) and is a critical autumn migration and winter refuge for up to 70,000 birds. Following water quality improvements in the last 20 years, the estuary is now also home to migratory salmon and acts as a nursery for other fish species." <br />
<br />
<br />
<em><strong>Like the Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, and many other organisations who are keen to see a commitment to renewable energy OF THE RIGHT SORT and IN THE RIGHT PLACE, we have highlighted the unsustainable nature of tidal barrages - in terms of the impact on delicate intertidal ecosystems and the wildlife that depend upon them in particular - but also in terms of economic cost and the very real threat of increased floodrisk to vulnerable communities. </strong></em><br />
<br />
The Mersey proposal, like the much larger barrage proposed for the Severn, has been suspended because of the unsustainable initial construction costs of the scheme, and you can read more on this story on the <a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=165&cntnt01returnid=15">Wildlife Trust's website</a>.Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-91371761213651609952011-03-16T16:31:00.009+00:002011-06-23T18:09:19.275+01:00Fracking along the Ribble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviUT6bDCxqPF63vjKljEajW5cWh8cfL-0nM0_VPfAhF1JOtz4L-dyVxfjIRA8ngmQ2PxLHjNOR33kOGlDWdUAMBSR-bGe6pm_9AH3qm8AJOMFeAyIR9nROSd7hPwRqXwwoHFx5g/s1600/fracking_1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviUT6bDCxqPF63vjKljEajW5cWh8cfL-0nM0_VPfAhF1JOtz4L-dyVxfjIRA8ngmQ2PxLHjNOR33kOGlDWdUAMBSR-bGe6pm_9AH3qm8AJOMFeAyIR9nROSd7hPwRqXwwoHFx5g/s200/fracking_1.bmp" width="200" /></a></div><strong><u>UPDATE on Fracking in Lancashire: </u></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>We will be joining other residents along the Ribble in keeping an eye on the situation as, despite calling a halt to the fracking process at Preese Hall on the Fylde while investigations are carried out into the tremors in the Blackpool area, the drilling activities are continuing, as are plans to drill on the South side of the Ribble in the Banks area between Preston and Southport. See the <a href="http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2011/06/09/shale-gas-firm-cuadrilla-resources-hold-hesketh-bank-meeting-over-drilling-plans-101022-28843983/">Southport Visitor</a> for more on this. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">There is a well-organised campaign against Fracking on the Fylde, so do check out their blog </span><a href="http://dont-frack-with-the-fylde.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">http://dont-frack-with-the-fylde.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> for further information and to find out about any further developments as they are leading the campaign against this highly controversial activity in the area: </span><a href="http://dont-frack-with-the-fylde.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">What the Frack?</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></em></strong><br />
<br />
~<br />
<br />
<strong>Philip Mitchell from the Blackpool and Fylde Green Party gave a talk about the Shale Fracking/Coalbed Methane issues at </strong><strong>Lytham YMCA, Mythop Rd, Lytham</strong><br />
<strong>Tuesday 22nd March (UN World Water Day) 7:30pm </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>The meeting was well-attended by local residents who raised significant conserns about the potential impacts of the fracking - not least to their fresh water supplies in the area. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>Please sign the PETITION at </em></strong><a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ukgas"><strong>www.ipetitions.com/petition/ukgas</strong></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDK1orJVTVybeLtTBZi2Aunk3xtHKpxZaDniNIN_zdxwhPjjCQ3wYIBE6k8KOFhUQw3W_XcdpeScVbglUkeogNIg-05TRD13azkbvWA0TlYBAdCNp7wIUp2IzmeCBo3pjUyL98Q/s1600/fracking_US.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDK1orJVTVybeLtTBZi2Aunk3xtHKpxZaDniNIN_zdxwhPjjCQ3wYIBE6k8KOFhUQw3W_XcdpeScVbglUkeogNIg-05TRD13azkbvWA0TlYBAdCNp7wIUp2IzmeCBo3pjUyL98Q/s1600/fracking_US.jpg" /></a><br />
Here's an interesting extract from <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmenergy/writev/shale/sg19.htm">Philip Mitchell's Parliamentary Memorandum</a>: <br />
<br />
"In Lancashire it has been reported that the Shale Gas field potentially reached from Blackpool to Pendle Hill, and in the DECC map includes the Forest of Bowland and extends to the West side of the Yorkshire Dales. This itself suggests a field of approximately 400 square miles, and on a purely commercial consideration would mean 100 gas wells extracting gas from a well 2 miles apart ( the approximate distance of the first three test wells in the Fylde). THIS IS A TINY PROPORTION OF THE POTENTIAL FIELD across the UK, .<br />
<br />
<strong>The main risk and source of public outcry in the US has been the contamination of drinking water. <em>In Lancashire the aquifers used in drinking cover this likely area of drilling</em></strong> and in the AJ Lucas press release [... ref <em>attachments of evidence submitted to Parliament</em>] re Preese Hall, Grange Hill, Singleton], <strong><em>appears to be in the location of the Aquifer</em></strong> [...ref <em>attachments of evidence submitted to Parliament</em> ] <strong><em>and Carbonate Rock.</em></strong> Purely commercial Interest would also mean many of the wells would be in the area of the aquifers.<br />
<br />
The committee should also consider the risk of extracting 1 billion gallons of water from the surface water of the potential gas field in Lancashire.<br />
<br />
The routes to pollution are multiple, and include leakage from the well, spillage from the site and handling of thousands of gallons of liquid which flows back from the well after fracking. The control mechanisms cannot be relied upon alone. I would also urge the committee to seriously consider the long term risks of deterioration of control mechanisms of the vertical well linings meant to protect the well from leakage.<br />
<br />
When the liquid used for fracking leaks it has natural gas dissolved in it, this entering the water table has caused wells to explode and domestic water drawn from the aquifer to be inflammable and explosive.[...]<br />
There is a need to dispose of the millions of gallons of highly toxic liquid flow-back following fracking and the committee needs to consider the risks of inadequate numbers of treatment centres to process this waste, for example in Lancashire on the basis of using up to 1 billion gallons of water for fracking. Contamination of water supplies and Rivers would be considered disastrous. This is already a huge problem in New York State and Pennsylvania.<br />
<br />
The risk to locally produced food is serious. Contamination with the chemicals involved through any of the many routes of pollution will pose a threat to the farming and local food retail industry as well as the consumers.<br />
<br />
The risk to wildlife and animals is huge. [ref <em>attachments of evidence submitted to Parliament</em> ].<br />
<br />
There is also a risk of a well blowout which in a reported case spewed out explosive gas and polluting liquid 75 feet into the air and onto the ground for 16 hours. The area around for one square mile had to be evacuated and flight routes diverted. <br />
<br />
<strong><u>Experiences in the Fylde </u></strong><br />
<br />
Experiences in the Fylde of the first three production test sites (Weeton – Preese Hall, Singleton and Lytham Moss Anna’s Road) Cuadrilla Resources. Cuadrilla Resources Limited gives its postal address in Lichfield, Leicestershire, UK. AJLucas describe their activities as only in the UK and Europe and that this has been the first time they have carried out "true" shale gas extraction methods (ref <em>attachments of evidence submitted to Parliament</em> ).<br />
<br />
<strong>At Weeton , Preese Hall, the drilling is through "Clitheroe Limestone"</strong> [ref <em>attachments of evidence submitted to Parliament</em> ] <strong>whereas the Delaware River Keeper network wishes to ban drilling through" Karst Geology and Carbonate Rock</strong>"- <br />
[<strong><em>Philip Mitchell here urges the committee to question Geologists on the significance of drilling through the rock quoted in the AJLucas press release e.g. to contamination of aquifers.</em></strong> ]"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe08MdoqV7n-EoEpLB5GgBm197mu6m4BwIWvvEfrcgZbkvn5_6fyzwWDNWUEC5vsf1mWeNGpsyCOhb3oUENSF9DS-KioEPyPw4If0GOtzkVyyPrdrwKViy4VmztYRP0vlSQsRtw/s1600/fracking_protest_NZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe08MdoqV7n-EoEpLB5GgBm197mu6m4BwIWvvEfrcgZbkvn5_6fyzwWDNWUEC5vsf1mWeNGpsyCOhb3oUENSF9DS-KioEPyPw4If0GOtzkVyyPrdrwKViy4VmztYRP0vlSQsRtw/s1600/fracking_protest_NZ.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
You can <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmenergy/writev/shale/sg19.htm">read the whole Memorandum here</a> and sign the PETITION at <a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ukgas"><strong>www.ipetitions.com/petition/ukgas</strong></a> and keep up-tp-date with the campaign to stop fracking in the North West here: <a href="http://dont-frack-with-the-fylde.blogspot.com/">http://dont-frack-with-the-fylde.blogspot.com/</a><br />
~Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-88477650592726465162011-03-02T22:42:00.000+00:002011-03-02T22:42:02.316+00:00Fracking: On Preston's Doorstep"Hydraulic Fracturing" AKA 'Fracking', a method of extracting natural gas from the ground deep beneath our feet is becoming a deeply contraversial process. As we reported yesterday, <a href="http://save-the-ribble.blogspot.com/2011/03/shale-gas-drilling-pursued-with.html">it's coming to Preston's doorstep</a>.<br />
<br />
Here's a short video on the process and its possible consequences for the environment.<br />
<br />
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dEB_Wwe-uBM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-64207614657432304912011-03-02T00:18:00.002+00:002011-03-02T09:35:09.371+00:00Shale Gas Drilling - pursued with indecent haste and a Russian Roulette mentality<strong>A large number of Lancashire residents and numerous scientists are extremely concerned about the deep-rock Gas Drilling company Cuadrilla's extraction operations which are about to start at sites at Weeton, Singleton, and Westby, near Kirkham and Blackpool. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>There are serious and significant concerns about the potential safety of the process, where rock thousands of feet below Lancashire will be fractured using chemicals to release the gas stored in the rocks, as the process causes the rock to be polluted and there is a risk of contamination of the groundwater - and therefore our drinking water. </em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>It is, of course, also the case that these chemicals could find their way into the Ribble's waters and pose a threat to its delicate ecosystem. </em></strong><br />
<br />
The rock in which the gas is stored stretches across a large area of Lancashire along the Ribble valley catchment, from Pendle Hill through to the Irish Sea, and concerns about the so-called "fracking" extraction process are being raised by reputable scientists world-wide, and we will be examining the research and charting the Lancashire and world-wide campaigns against the Gas Drilling over the coming weeks. <br />
<br />
A report written by Professor Kevin Anderson from the Tyndall Centre in Manchester has led The Co-operative Financial Services' Chief Executive Neville Richardson to call for "a moratorium on any further exploitation of shale gas which will allow the wider environmental concerns to be fully exposed and addressed." <br />
<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jan/17/uk-shale-gas-warning?INTCMP=SRCH">http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jan/17/uk-shale-gas-warning?INTCMP=SRCH</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Research around the globe is currently forcing a ban on the process in New York State and is raising concerns in other states of the US, as well as in other countries across the world from Canada to South Africa. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>Here in Lancashire</em></strong>, as the <a href="http://www.lep.co.uk/news/people_urged_to_sign_petition_over_controversial_gas_drilling_1_3129262">Lancashire Evening Post</a> report, <em><strong>'the Blackpool and Fylde Green Party claims the process causes pollution and could be dangerous. </strong></em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Philip Mitchell, chairman of the party, said: “We demand that a ban is placed on all UK shale gas and coal bed methane industry activity, including testing sites.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>“This technology has been used at a site of an important groundwater aquifer and there are over 80 further applications which have been applied for around the UK.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>“Aquifers are a natural source of our drinking water, and there is risk of catastrophic harm to water resources, communities and the environment from this industry, which may roll out across Lancashire and the rest of the UK.”</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Concerns have been fuelled by US documentary Gasland, which shows flames shooting from taps in areas where hydro fracking has taken place.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Some residents in areas where drilling for shale gas is taking place say they have become ill because of pollution by gas and chemicals, according to the documentary.'</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Philip Mitchell has tabled a Parliamentary Memorandum which is a well-researched and illuminating assessment of the risks this process has, and he is calling for a serious re-think of the scheme before the damage is done. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Whilst the Government have made statements to the effect that:</strong><br />
<strong>- 'gas extraction is subject to thorough checks' (<a href="http://www.lep.co.uk/news/people_urged_to_sign_petition_over_controversial_gas_drilling_1_3129262">LEP</a>) </strong><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><strong>Mark Miller, Cuadrilla chief executive, has said on the one hand that:</strong></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><strong>- the "</strong><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong>solid rock between [the aquifer at Preese Hall Farm, Weeton, Blackpool] and where the fracking takes place would prevent the water mix contaminating the aquifer" </strong></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong>-<em>whilst admitting on the other that </em></strong><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><em>"You never have control. Fractures will always go into the path of least resistance."</em></strong> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
In other words, they're keeping their fingers crossed for us. Well, that's alright then. <br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">See The Guardian article here for more details </span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/mar/01/fracking-shale-gas-energy-mps">http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/mar/01/fracking-shale-gas-energy-mps</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong>Philip Mitchell's Parliamentary Memorandum makes for interesting reading and can be found in full </strong></span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmenergy/writev/shale/sg19.htm">here</a></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">We will be reproducing extracts from it on the STR website soon, and keeping you informed about the campaign as it progresses. </span></span></span>Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-21889502212040150882011-02-09T20:55:00.001+00:002011-02-09T20:57:47.538+00:00Say No To Cuts in Flood DefencesThe government's cuts programme, means that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/09/flood-defence-schemes-funding-cut">over 1000 flood defence schemes will lose their funding.</a><br />
<br />
According to the Guardian:<blockquote>more than 1,500 flood defence schemes were in line for capital funding between 2011 and 2015, but that number has been slashed to 356 in the new spending plans for 2011-12. There are no funding plans for 2012-15 as the funding mechanism will be overhauled next year. The changes mean more than 50,000 households will no longer benefit from a reduction in flood risk. </blockquote><br />
The decision to cut funding for flood defences is incredibly stupid. Climate change is not going to pause in deference to the 'Canute Twins' Cameron and Clegg. We've already seen the drastic effects of floods in recent years, we're reliably informed by meteorologists that the need for flood prevention is going to rise year on year, this is not just coming from the scientists, but from the insurance companies, who say that it may not be long before <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/rise-in-flood-risk-could-make-one-million-homes-uninsurable-2179746.html">1million British homes are uninsurable against flooding.</a><br />
<br />
The cost of repairing the damage caused by floods would dwarf any savings that the government makes from these utterly shortsighted and irresponsible cuts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-8860098242627984042011-01-27T17:23:00.000+00:002011-01-27T17:23:35.291+00:00Our Forests need us!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdsUXjSCKSzgCuGgjrGcR2le_z0H0AdLXsMIUwYvjR-377oDN14FZXr01bNK21nSroMIGdt67xAcLh7bqhWfxeCijWilmR6z1tV4dauwLmq9CLhzpVg1rydyuFYSrQoV_V_kQ7w/s1600/crows-courtesy_tojo2000.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdsUXjSCKSzgCuGgjrGcR2le_z0H0AdLXsMIUwYvjR-377oDN14FZXr01bNK21nSroMIGdt67xAcLh7bqhWfxeCijWilmR6z1tV4dauwLmq9CLhzpVg1rydyuFYSrQoV_V_kQ7w/s400/crows-courtesy_tojo2000.com.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em>Save our FORESTS! </em></strong></span><br />
<br />
Please sign the petition to save our forests from being sold off from public ownership into private hands! <br />
<br />
Make your mark here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://38degrees.org.uk/">http://38degrees.org.uk/</a><br />
<br />
and tell your friends! <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Our wildlife will thank us - and so will our children. </em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo courtesy <a href="http://www.tojo2000.com/">http://www.tojo2000.com/</a> </span>Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-67408005096069169482011-01-15T00:48:00.000+00:002011-01-15T00:48:04.329+00:00Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Down By The Riverside<object width="480" height="327"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/x1r6go?width=&theme=none&foreground=%23F7FFFD&highlight=%23FFC300&background=%23171D1B&start=&animatedTitle=&iframe=0&additionalInfos=0&autoPlay=0&hideInfos=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/x1r6go?width=&theme=none&foreground=%23F7FFFD&highlight=%23FFC300&background=%23171D1B&start=&animatedTitle=&iframe=0&additionalInfos=0&autoPlay=0&hideInfos=0" width="480" height="327" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1r6go_rosetta-tharpe-down-by-the-riversid_music">Rosetta Tharpe--Down By The Riverside</a></b><br /><i>Uploaded by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/SFBA4me">SFBA4me</a>. - <a target="_self" href="http://www.dailymotion.com/gb/channel/music">Watch more music videos, in HD!</a></i><br />
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Godmother of Rock and RollUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-47793240877780245922011-01-07T01:48:00.003+00:002011-01-09T10:22:28.243+00:002011: The Year of the RiverThis is a repost of a great article from <a href="http://www.americanrivers.org/newsroom/blog/2011-the-year-of-the-river-1-5-2011.html">'American Rivers':</a> It's really great to see lots of dams being 'deconstructed' and rivers set free to flow free and clean, the way nature intended:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>2011: The Year of the River </em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
Posted on January 5, 2011 <br />
<span style="background-color: magenta;"></span><br />
<br />
<strong>Amy Souers Kober</strong><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<strong>Senior Director of Communications</strong><br />
<br />
Hold on to your paddles, because 2011 is going to be a thrilling year. From Maine to Washington, we will be celebrating a river renaissance as waters long-dammed come back to life.<br />
<br />
2011 will see the nation’s largest river restoration efforts to date. Unprecedented dam removal projects on Maine’s Penobscot, Washington’s Elwha and White Salmon, and Maryland’s Patapsco will make 2011 the Year of the River. The benefits of these dam removals to Native American tribes, water quality, fish and wildlife, and local economies will be enormous. <br />
<br />
As Patrick McCully writes in Silenced Rivers, "Nothing alters a river as totally as a dam. A reservoir is the antithesis of a river - the essence of a river is that it flows, the essence of a reservoir is that it is still." <br />
<br />
By removing these dams we will restore rivers that are the lifeblood of the land. We will learn from tribes like the Penobscot, Yakama, and Lower Elwha Klallam as they reconnect their cultures and traditions with the newly free-flowing rivers. We will give endangered salmon and other wildlife a fighting chance. We will prove that a healthy environment and strong economy go hand in hand. <br />
<br />
And hopefully we will inspire others to restore rivers in their own communities.<br />
<br />
Here’s a glimpse of some of the exciting projects coming up in the Year of the River:<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Elwha River, Washington </strong><br />
<br />
Deconstruction begins September 2011<br />
<br />
The Elwha River flows out of the mountainous heart of Olympic National Park to the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Puget Sound. It once supported six species of Pacific salmon and steelhead and has been the home of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe since time immemorial. Dismantling the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams will allow the river to flow freely for the first time in 100 years, restoring over 70 miles of salmon and steelhead habitat. At 210 feet tall, Glines Canyon Dam will be the tallest dam ever removed. American Rivers helped secure more than $50 million in federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for Elwha River restoration.<br />
<br />
<strong>White Salmon River, Washington</strong><br />
<br />
Deconstruction begins October 2011<br />
<br />
The White Salmon River flows from the slopes of Mt. Adams to the Columbia River. Portions of the river are designated as a Wild and Scenic or are protected as part of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. American Rivers has worked for over ten years with our partners including the Yakama Indian Nation to lead the effort to remove the 95-year old, 125-foot Condit Dam. Removal of the dam will restore access to 33 miles of habitat for steelhead and 14 miles of habitat for chinook salmon. The river is recognized as a premier whitewater destination—ten outfitters run commercial trips on the river, and at least 25,000 boaters use the river each year. Dam removal will create additional recreation opportunities. <br />
<br />
<strong>Penobscot River, Maine</strong><br />
<br />
Deconstruction begins 2011<br />
<br />
The Penobscot is New England’s second largest river system, home to the Penobscot Indian Nation. The river is known for its historically abundant fisheries, and for years the first Penobscot River salmon of the season was given to the President of the United States. As a member of the Board of Directors, American Rivers is working with the Penobscot River Restoration Trust to remove two dams on the Penobscot (Veazie and Great Works) and install a bypass channel for fish passage at Howland Dam. The project will significantly improve access to nearly 1,000 miles of river habitat while maintaining current power generation. <br />
<br />
More than 15 dams have been removed in Maine since 1998, restoring more than 465 miles of river. Most notable was the 1999 removal of Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River.<br />
<br />
<strong>Patapsco River, Maryland</strong><br />
<br />
Deconstruction began September 2010, ongoing<br />
<br />
American Rivers is working with partners to remove several dams on the Patapsco, one of the Baltimore area’s hidden jewels. Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner at the mouth of the Patapsco, and today the river supports fish and wildlife and offers residents fishing, boating, and other recreation opportunities.<br />
<br />
American Rivers was awarded $4 million in economic stimulus funding for the removal of the Union and Simkins dams. We are also advocating for the removal of Bloede Dam, which has been responsible for several deaths over the years, and presents an ongoing danger to swimmers. Removal of these dams will restore fisheries and contribute to the recovery of the Chesapeake Bay. Once the river is restored, we hope to work with local partners to promote recreation and education along the Patapsco. <br />
<br />
<strong>Dam removal across the country: </strong><br />
<br />
In addition to these high-profile river restoration efforts, many other dams are scheduled for removal around the country in 2011. These projects might not have the same kind of size and spotlight as the ones listed above, but their benefits to local communities in terms of public safety, flood management, clean water, wildlife, economics, and recreation are significant.<br />
<br />
Watch our blog for Year of the River updates, and join the celebration on Facebook and Twitter. <br />
<br />
It’s going to be a year to remember!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-73988835100458189212010-12-02T12:08:00.003+00:002010-12-02T12:14:06.132+00:00Brocks Needs Us! Brockholes Wetland Needs Us - and so do our Badgers...!<strong>Brockholes Wetland - saved from development four years ago by the determination and generosity of local people and members of the Wildlife Trust, and by the sheer hard graft of the Wildlife Trust itself - needs a little extra push to realise the final phase of a truly first-class nature reserve. </strong><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjCSktDeJF1rYTthflKj4h8YrOo57CPybeDGw_SqXsQoc6tnCw8dsVmCRuEG9U6J1hkUDaLK9fS8OQ0y-_6hxmCM3EPy-gC9CXW_3uFw0WARce1aC6iQO8NFTDP6389eaGQMx5g/s1600/22%252520%252520Common%252520Blue%252520Damselfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjCSktDeJF1rYTthflKj4h8YrOo57CPybeDGw_SqXsQoc6tnCw8dsVmCRuEG9U6J1hkUDaLK9fS8OQ0y-_6hxmCM3EPy-gC9CXW_3uFw0WARce1aC6iQO8NFTDP6389eaGQMx5g/s320/22%252520%252520Common%252520Blue%252520Damselfly.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Work has been going on tirelessly at Brockholes, enhancing the habitat range and biodiversity of the site, and it is already showing huge dividends in the sheer numbers of bird, insect, flora and fauna already thriving on the site. <em>But as the Wildlife Trust point out, "Our wildlife needs more reedbeds, more meadows and more wetland habitats if it is to be safe here forever". </em><br />
<br />
Funding is being tightly squeezed for the Wildlife Trust, but they want to see their vision for a truly first-class wildlife reserve realised, and are asking for donations to ensure they can provide: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">•Wildlife habitat creation to further increase biodiversity at Brockholes</div><br />
•Plant further reed beds for smaller birds and wetland wildlife<br />
<br />
•A family friendly hide (where children can be noisy!)<br />
<br />
•Give children an adventurous outdoor play trail<br />
<br />
<br />
You can donate online at the Wildlife Trust <a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php/brockholes-needs-you.php">here</a>; <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpUQfDuzZC96EOWI386pXa62S61ObBmQrbZFhkHnYDXE_kBmbzHTjjebEOwzfBPcC8_eRMvqy3XIuv8SuBQ8jqoJiYDS7x-TE9S_3LT_Jc9OF_4t-cidbxBOk_J0WU-JBSkcgjw/s1600/071%252520Lapwings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpUQfDuzZC96EOWI386pXa62S61ObBmQrbZFhkHnYDXE_kBmbzHTjjebEOwzfBPcC8_eRMvqy3XIuv8SuBQ8jqoJiYDS7x-TE9S_3LT_Jc9OF_4t-cidbxBOk_J0WU-JBSkcgjw/s320/071%252520Lapwings.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<strong><em>and if you donate on Monday 6th December, the Wildlife Trust can double the donation with match funding from an organisation called The Big Give. </em></strong><br />
If you'd like the Wildlife Trust to send you a reminder on 6th December, email Emma Bailie at <a href="mailto:ebailie@lancswt.org.uk">ebailie@lancswt.org.uk</a> <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS_7NEYYzNHiV2SU_ceIpgwlfadYgK0AE0Ika2rNgdD0qMXCFteuCu8tfZXaYtpse6rPkDNVlV0X51woI6anvzZOv0pVr38XkZq71v6lhrMci2MkBeTpqhNJjpMGiq89KsijMxA/s1600/Brockholes%252520Lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS_7NEYYzNHiV2SU_ceIpgwlfadYgK0AE0Ika2rNgdD0qMXCFteuCu8tfZXaYtpse6rPkDNVlV0X51woI6anvzZOv0pVr38XkZq71v6lhrMci2MkBeTpqhNJjpMGiq89KsijMxA/s200/Brockholes%252520Lake.jpg" width="200" /></a> <br />
<em>Any donation you can make to this final appeal will help ensure Brockholes Wetland can achieve everything we dreamed of, to make this fantastic wildlife habitat the best it can be. </em><br />
<a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php/brockholes-needs-you.php">Donate what you can to Brockholes Wetland's final phase - even small amounts will produce huge results - especially on 6th December!</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxqdCZat_XNoZcBwYMqaFBoqtp5pWXoZSljf08NWENGJqJ-cpr_d2MaF3rmKmD0MoWP0uOqnGAEUU3G-CyV1r-Y0iIFPTl04vKYPiZhGHxWcq6aFggvl03KsWN6YcWXL7_Q_Irg/s1600/brockholesnew1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxqdCZat_XNoZcBwYMqaFBoqtp5pWXoZSljf08NWENGJqJ-cpr_d2MaF3rmKmD0MoWP0uOqnGAEUU3G-CyV1r-Y0iIFPTl04vKYPiZhGHxWcq6aFggvl03KsWN6YcWXL7_Q_Irg/s1600/brockholesnew1.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<em>You can find out more about the Wildlife Trust's fantastic work at Brockholes Wetland <a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php/brockholes-needs-you.php">here</a></em><br />
<br />
<em><strong><span style="font-size: large;">and join in another Wildlife Trust campaign - against the Badger Cull - </span></strong><a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=117&cntnt01returnid=15"><span style="font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> because tackling Bovine TB requires a more positive approach, not the destruction of our Badgers - as the evidence shows this will NOT help and may actually make matters worse. </span></em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgcFCpvw-zj1XOHOoAmAeLIRHrJlZr6IWjO3oHDDi0XWUkNeQ908TS5ykVZCfB845wTCPj0wDunF4uic0iPxONnP5OSRcFuFUsyn2lPh37Pzgrku0ouhHLGOza2gkverL4gBbrg/s1600/badger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgcFCpvw-zj1XOHOoAmAeLIRHrJlZr6IWjO3oHDDi0XWUkNeQ908TS5ykVZCfB845wTCPj0wDunF4uic0iPxONnP5OSRcFuFUsyn2lPh37Pzgrku0ouhHLGOza2gkverL4gBbrg/s1600/badger.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=117&cntnt01returnid=15"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>Save Our Badgers!</em></span></a>Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-12439469320817366622010-10-18T22:49:00.000+01:002010-10-18T22:49:45.704+01:00Ribble Coast and Wetlands Walking Festival - Autumn Rambles on the Ribble<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOH06F7b73saKtk4GyvBfqhSdgvFjinoFo1N3sZfAWDY5Jg1gybXok-ES5rYdbKNd23oDilvYAIs_WFo7GjgVXBkjEdnIbX8FrB64e1gaYltrJjs7-cmRC9xXM39ulvtaSSnY5A/s1600/Ribble+birdlife+-+glorious+mud!.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOH06F7b73saKtk4GyvBfqhSdgvFjinoFo1N3sZfAWDY5Jg1gybXok-ES5rYdbKNd23oDilvYAIs_WFo7GjgVXBkjEdnIbX8FrB64e1gaYltrJjs7-cmRC9xXM39ulvtaSSnY5A/s320/Ribble+birdlife+-+glorious+mud!.JPG" width="320" /></a> Autumn has arrived, and the birds are returning to the Ribble for the Winter - the Redshank have already started arriving to the Penwortham and Broadgate mudflats - and there have been some beautiful sunsets over the past week or two. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/Walking%20Festival">Ribble Coast and Wetlands Walking Festival</a> starts this coming weekend, with events at Granny's Bay at Lytham St Anne's, the Ainsdale dunes, Hesketh Out Marsh, Mere Sands Wood, Martin Mere - and Preston and Penwortham. <br />
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<strong>Save The Ribble and the Ribbleside Friends Group both have RCWWF Walks:</strong><br />
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<strong> - <em>The Ribbleside Friends have a Ramble on Ribbleside on Sunday 24th, starting at the Old Tram Bridge at 1pm</em>, </strong><br />
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<strong>- and <em>Save The Ribble have a Ribble Walk from Preston to Hutton Marsh on Sunday 31st October, starting at Penwortham Old Bridge at 10.30am</em>. </strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JMDKuzs4R-Pw6o24UbBsEOJuNtvHjXHzZ9wTb5_NFEpE07kKPWah2FQkI86vGSbCQOks6SEWtM6RNnsPvDDiTxY51t8JoLZl7YIH_uNx7Bmwcgjii0bhekEQccBMgvIhBGUxwA/s1600/a+misty+Autumn+morning+on+Ribbleside,+Penwortham.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JMDKuzs4R-Pw6o24UbBsEOJuNtvHjXHzZ9wTb5_NFEpE07kKPWah2FQkI86vGSbCQOks6SEWtM6RNnsPvDDiTxY51t8JoLZl7YIH_uNx7Bmwcgjii0bhekEQccBMgvIhBGUxwA/s320/a+misty+Autumn+morning+on+Ribbleside,+Penwortham.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Full details are: <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Ramble on Ribbleside </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"><em>Sunday 24th October</em></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Starting 1pm at the Old Tram Bridge between Avenham Park in Preston and Ribbleside Country Park in Penwortham. </span></strong><br />
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An easy walk but some stiles and steps, so unsuitable for wheels. <br />
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Walking downriver from the Old Tram Bridge as far as Preston Junction Nature Reserve, then a nice meandering route through the Reserve and Ribbleside's meadows and woodlands, and returning back to the Tram Bridge via the River Darwen. <br />
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Total time approx 2 hours. <br />
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Email: ribblesidefriends [at] tiscali [dot] co [dot] uk for further details. <br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow; font-family: GillSans-Bold; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: GillSans-Bold; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: GillSans-Bold; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #274e13; font-size: large;">Ribble Walk: Preston to Hutton Marsh</span></span></span></span><span style="color: yellow; font-family: GillSans-Bold;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: GillSans-Bold;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: GillSans-Bold;"><span style="background-color: #274e13; font-size: large;">.</span></span></span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Sunday 31st October</span> </b><br />
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10.30am start (<em><u>note: the clocks will have changed the night before</u></em>!) <br />
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<b>Meet at Penwortham Old Bridge over the River Ribble at Broadgate in Preston and Leyland Road in Penwortham.</b><br />
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A walk downriver to Hutton Marsh, and back again on a different path if the conditions are suitable. Bring a packed lunch.<br />
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Some rough ground, and likely to be muddy, but you may be lucky enough to see the Ribble bore on the returning walk! <br />
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<b>8 miles max. </b><br />
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Email: savetheribble at tiscali dot co dot uk for further details. <br />
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<strong><em>For more walks and events during Ribble Coast and Wetlands Walking Festival week, see the <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/Walking%20Festival">RCW website</a>. </em></strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-43352543590408908782010-10-18T22:44:00.000+01:002010-10-18T22:44:06.375+01:00Severn Barrage Scrapped. Barrages Yesterday's Big IdeaThe news that the Severn Barrage scheme has finally been dropped comes as no surprise to members of Save The Ribble.<br />
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Barrages are expensive, they are barriers to marine wildlife, they totally mess up the environment.<br />
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The inflated claims made for the Severn Barrage's potential to generate energy have been shown to be vastly over optimistic, <br />
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The environmentalists case that the barrage would destroy rare habitats and threaten some fish and bird species while also raising the risk of floods has been shown to be correct.<br />
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FOE Cymru welcomed the decision while offering support for alternative approaches to reaping the Severn’s tidal power.<br />
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<em>“The Severn estuary is an extremely important source of renewable energy that ought to be harnessed as soon as possible,”</em> said FOE Cymru director Gordon James.<br />
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<em>“We believe this could be done by other less damaging technologies, such as <a href="http://www.foe.co.uk/cymru/english/press_releases/severn_barrage_outperformed.html">tidal lagoons, </a>tidal reefs and a shoots barrage, and we hope the government will pursue these better options urgently.”</em><br />
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Save the Ribble congratulates FOE Cymru and all the anti-Severn Barrage campaigners for their long, sustained and well argued battle against this ill conceived plan. <br />
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Just as with the Ribble Barrage, the case for building the Severn barrage was put together by developers hoping to have huge amounts of public money poured down their throats. In the end, despite all the hype, the figures just did not add up. The big difference was that with the Ribble Barrage, there wasn't even the potential to generate electricity.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-40152528813237252142010-04-22T10:57:00.000+01:002010-04-22T10:57:56.501+01:00It's Earth Day - and Save The Ribble Listed 21st in the Top 50 Sites to Help You Live Green<strong>It's Official </strong><a href="http://www.earthday.org/earthday2010"><strong>Earth Day</strong></a><strong> - make a pledge to yourself to do your bit</strong> (leave the car at home and walk to work/the shop/see your friends at least once a week, turn everything except the fridge off for an hour once a week/day...) <strong>and take time out to look around you and appreciate what a precious world we have. </strong><br />
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On these spring mornings in Broadgate and Penwortham, the Ribble echoes with the cries of Redshank in small flocks now, abandoning their usual solitary Winter habits as they band together ready to leave for their breeding grounds. And on the Ribbleside Country Park the willows are heavy with catkins and bees, and the first trees are sprouting their spring growth, and over the River in Avenham and Miller Parks the magnolia are blooming. <br />
<strong><em>Spend Earth Day down by the Ribble - walking to work, or enjoying a lunchtime or evening stroll - relaxation doesn't get any better than this!</em></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: blue;">A Perfect Day made even better as <span style="color: #274e13;">Save The Ribble</span> have been listed <span style="color: black;">21st </span>in the </span><span style="color: #274e13;">top 50 Great Sites to Help You Live Green</span></strong> on the <a href="http://www.environmentalsciencedegrees.net/blog/2010/50-great-sites-to-help-you-live-green/">Environmental Degrees Website</a>. <br />
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<strong><em>Enjoying Spring Time by the Ribble?</em></strong> Email us at savetheribble at tiscali dot co dot uk.Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-64693359246743872732010-04-04T20:13:00.000+01:002010-04-04T20:13:29.546+01:00New Blog: Preston Green CentreOur planet, as well as our local environment faces unprecented ecological challenges, rooted in our economic and social system. Awareness of this is growing, and new groups and blogs are springing up.<br />
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One such blog is the <a href="http://prestongreencentre.blogspot.com/">Preston Green Centre blog</a> at <a href="http://prestongreencentre.blogspot.com/">http://prestongreencentre.blogspot.com/</a> which has a specific aim: to establish a real physical space in Preston (possibly on Friargate) where greenminded people from all kinds of backgrounds can gather together, think, plan and act together. They have a dream of a place that sells organic fairtrade coffee, and locally produced food.<br />
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To get such a physical space will require a lot of cooperation, funds, energy and people, in the meantime the Preston Green Centre Blog provides a virtual space where those environmentally conscious Prestonians can come together. I've heard rumours of a facebook page too!<br />
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We're very much looking forward to seeing how the Preston Green Centre blog develops. Let's hope they have every success in their project.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-10424013883552282372010-03-25T18:29:00.000+00:002010-03-25T18:29:54.471+00:00Waiting List Closed for Preston AllotmentsPreston City Council has <a href="http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Allotment-applications-close-with-decade.6179434.jp">closed it's waiting lists for allotments,</a> and is subdividing plots and jacking up the fees.<br />
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Running an allotment is a brilliant pastime for anyone who wants to get healthy by working hard in the open air, eating cheap fresh organic vegetables and by meeting a community of like minded people.<br />
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There is still plenty of unused land held by public sector institutions, the city and county councils, the NHS, the civil service, even the army. Why can't some of this land be turned over so that local people can start growing their own food with a zero carbon footprint?<br />
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Of course, if these institutions were to hand over such plots to locals, the potential value of the land to private developers would plummet,,,Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-1854104683120427542010-02-11T09:42:00.005+00:002010-02-11T10:08:10.867+00:00Join the Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival at Half Term!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDV8zlMTyILrqcXrYh_rHr5Xw85BoUBjOVsA2BCf6zJ3A49vA0cPcuoLpnDETRitRXKBhyVyTGrnqcM7cTGHzu6kZ7YAT5EaYmHfYkXz1btaxwzBJOQINPPa_1q-AaFJ0-sbhmQ/s1600-h/Pamela+3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436923724824036642" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDV8zlMTyILrqcXrYh_rHr5Xw85BoUBjOVsA2BCf6zJ3A49vA0cPcuoLpnDETRitRXKBhyVyTGrnqcM7cTGHzu6kZ7YAT5EaYmHfYkXz1btaxwzBJOQINPPa_1q-AaFJ0-sbhmQ/s320/Pamela+3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">See more photos by Pamela S of Preston at <a href="http://ribble-cycle-diaries.blogspot.com/">The Ribble Cycle Diaries.</a></span><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>The <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/home">Ribble Coast & Wetlands</a> is running another <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/node/118">Walking Festival</a> - for Half Term Week, so GET YOUR BOOTS ON! </strong><br /><br /><strong>Save The Ribble and Ribbleside Friends are organising a <span style="color:#006600;">Ribble Walk on Monday 15th February, starting at 10.30am from Penwortham Old Bridge</span> (NOT the Old Tram Bridge this time!) which is the 18th Century cobbled bridge connecting Penwortham and Broadgate.<br /></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">We'll be walking downriver on the South Ribble side as far as the old pumping station turn-off towards Longton and back again</span></strong> (unless allcomers persuade us they'd like to go as far as the Dolphin Inn / Flying Fish...). <strong><span style="color:#006600;">It will be a good 8 miles or so</span></strong>, <strong>and you'll need good footwear and warm clothing, and a packed lunch. </strong><br /><strong><br /></strong>If the weather is really awful, we'll walk a shorter distance, but the prospects look good so far - <em>but it will be cold!<br /></em><br /><strong>There are other walks taking place throughout the Festival - including <em>Burscough</em>, Martin Mere, <em>Crosby</em>, Mere Sands Wood, <em>Rufford</em> and Mawdesley, <em>Longton Brick Croft</em>, Granny's Bay, <em>Formby</em>, Ainsdale - and <em>Avenham & Miller Parks</em>!</strong><br /><br />For <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/node/118">more details about the Save The Ribble and Ribbleside Friends Walk, and the other walks</a> taking place during this early Spring <strong>Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival</strong> between Saturday 13th and Sunday 21st February, see below or check out the <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/home">Ribble Coast & Wetlands</a> website - and check out the <a href="http://ribble-cycle-diaries.blogspot.com/">Ribble Cycle Diaries</a> for some more Ribble pictures by Pamela S of Preston.<br /><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#000099;">Happy Ribbling!<br /></span></em></strong><br />You can contact us at <a href="mailto:savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk">savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk</a>Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-85316536742521580752010-01-09T15:12:00.017+00:002010-01-09T20:08:33.032+00:00Ribbling in a Winter Wonderland<strong>Ribblesider Ken has sent in these stunningly beautiful pictures of the River Ribble. </strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4HKlFiFfyuERgmRKaJ9x8MJYhd8iLcBfG43ytPUrb_Qp5XWMCaUYgNF09Hw1x3im0t0dyGuwB4H8vAPfmeaILoLxvecgiqCXbBL_FVsOgjmNOT8cikV0A_Qw2jpX3iNmkcqyTg/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+021_3_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424760040748758194" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4HKlFiFfyuERgmRKaJ9x8MJYhd8iLcBfG43ytPUrb_Qp5XWMCaUYgNF09Hw1x3im0t0dyGuwB4H8vAPfmeaILoLxvecgiqCXbBL_FVsOgjmNOT8cikV0A_Qw2jpX3iNmkcqyTg/s320/Frozen+river+070110+021_3_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Have you been down to the Ribble yet? If not, get your boots on (but not your skates - you wouldn't want to be on those ice floes when the tide turns!) and get down to the river...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTiGYBddIAkLo0_ArXpHQzfEin92t6YhzO2N-tkv0Jq1NYQ6_TWJsN2gUuSeXNIv49TvZ3spggoKkFHCFJiHIGw3dfcKwFk-oaHC8salBevaPEm5Gc7K0F0X7so16KubkJyyN7A/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+030_7_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424759549582654850" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTiGYBddIAkLo0_ArXpHQzfEin92t6YhzO2N-tkv0Jq1NYQ6_TWJsN2gUuSeXNIv49TvZ3spggoKkFHCFJiHIGw3dfcKwFk-oaHC8salBevaPEm5Gc7K0F0X7so16KubkJyyN7A/s320/Frozen+river+070110+030_7_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Ribble looks spectacular whatever the tide, but it's pretty special when the tide is just turning after high tide, as the ice floes which have formed while the river is still, then start to creak and break up as they are carried down underneath the gas pipe bridge and Penwortham old Bridge...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7D-GSwuvM8ruTzBtZc2C82bGxmsNP6esfB_yJGl9r3mEZ93ZZxO52RBfIxvZeB_NSqneYBOQ5-Fq5px3Vw2EGjdm21Hh7E0QUqGEIxq89YzQaeUvWLXG5lbJ_RXLhtBbfLgqDDQ/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+027_9_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424761219680869506" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7D-GSwuvM8ruTzBtZc2C82bGxmsNP6esfB_yJGl9r3mEZ93ZZxO52RBfIxvZeB_NSqneYBOQ5-Fq5px3Vw2EGjdm21Hh7E0QUqGEIxq89YzQaeUvWLXG5lbJ_RXLhtBbfLgqDDQ/s320/Frozen+river+070110+027_9_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />...but then alot of the ice is tending to hang about just upriver of the Liverpool Road Bridge (Penwortham New Bridge) too, right across the mudflats and riverbanks at low tide.<br /><em></em><br />Shame for the wading birds though - we've seen Redshank flying around looking for their precious feeding grounds at low tide but the mudflats are thickly caked in ice.<br /><br /><em><strong>Chris of Broadgate has taken some great pictures of these - check out our sister blog <a href="http://ribble-cycle-diaries.blogspot.com/">The Ribble Cycle Diaries</a> for more pictures!!<br /></strong></em><br /><strong><em>High and low tides over the next few days are as follows:</em></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Saturday 9th Jan</span></strong> <span style="color:#000099;">- LOW tide: <strong>3.44pm</strong> HIGH tide: <strong>6.29pm</strong><br /></span><span style="color:#006600;">Sunday 10th Jan - LOW tide: <strong>4.37am</strong> for the early birds, <strong>5.04pm</strong> for the rest of us; HIGH tide: <strong>7.10am</strong> and <strong>7.45pm</strong>;<br /></span><span style="color:#330033;">Monday 11th Jan - LOW tide: <strong>5.48am</strong> & <strong>4.16pm</strong>; </span><span style="color:#330033;">HIGH tide: <strong>8.22am</strong> & <strong>8.55pm</strong>;<br /></span><span style="color:#660000;">Tuesday 12th Jan - LOW tide: <strong>6.47am</strong> & <strong>7.15pm</strong>; HIGH tide: <strong>9.22am</strong> & <strong>9.52pm</strong>.<br /></span><br /><em>Don't forget that the tide rises quickly and goes down more slowly when aiming for your preferred times...</em><br /><em></em><br /><strong>But in the meantime, carry on enjoying Ken's great pictures...<br /></strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKn0716LjRPqYTnJ_DotsB88zwXyLcR_xI5w5J2YhlNgUxTQBqfK7v-lIY3jqmw1evftWrlSEp6AUO3CPRa5HimdfMoIK5sEDkOPtSOkMbHZ4Yvq5Irm9-MOFs82iDCZB79c66dQ/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+015_21_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424758831549575250" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKn0716LjRPqYTnJ_DotsB88zwXyLcR_xI5w5J2YhlNgUxTQBqfK7v-lIY3jqmw1evftWrlSEp6AUO3CPRa5HimdfMoIK5sEDkOPtSOkMbHZ4Yvq5Irm9-MOFs82iDCZB79c66dQ/s320/Frozen+river+070110+015_21_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG142XK1vupZxYTgo3EhirkyfdZx5natavu-q-N1zvj-8CrVNRLD2Dq7r7KzyRx4Jmjir0lr3xqoJGa73054y6tq6iiFvdjku6jF6HvvqwRou1krxqjC9NtQ1a-ju7thiHDNCdQ/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+012_19_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424759411796677778" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG142XK1vupZxYTgo3EhirkyfdZx5natavu-q-N1zvj-8CrVNRLD2Dq7r7KzyRx4Jmjir0lr3xqoJGa73054y6tq6iiFvdjku6jF6HvvqwRou1krxqjC9NtQ1a-ju7thiHDNCdQ/s320/Frozen+river+070110+012_19_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nmm5QSHrat-cpN2jYdBBOi-b_p9ZLY9NNKLzQ4BWbpWhbBKjPOrz2tHwKZJEfeLxJCtkUow2_DD6wXpN6oketXugD3fX7n1zm7QjqN81XF8MwKW4tW71PJaQg53Yb3Lodrt9tg/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+025_11_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424759334348479186" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nmm5QSHrat-cpN2jYdBBOi-b_p9ZLY9NNKLzQ4BWbpWhbBKjPOrz2tHwKZJEfeLxJCtkUow2_DD6wXpN6oketXugD3fX7n1zm7QjqN81XF8MwKW4tW71PJaQg53Yb3Lodrt9tg/s320/Frozen+river+070110+025_11_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwnK_ZIaHxpEBMcwWvBMmyvsdy9c__w6ka_U4JST0TGGdLW0teCjaQmRRINO6I7hpND2T_nOoW3z3wNzsSTVgbgqWioX-JDudja0MrLixvrFTfViEcMsy5WyDeTkvO3AQCpXQmg/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+002_16_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424758610604854082" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwnK_ZIaHxpEBMcwWvBMmyvsdy9c__w6ka_U4JST0TGGdLW0teCjaQmRRINO6I7hpND2T_nOoW3z3wNzsSTVgbgqWioX-JDudja0MrLixvrFTfViEcMsy5WyDeTkvO3AQCpXQmg/s320/Frozen+river+070110+002_16_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmUKKL_vOLNGRz-rhObiywPhg4NYWZ7ZEnSy-1pXHG2H5pHPdG0yd9aIKABuQPE0LhvxP-g8-wXb22w6Vgzl62l6WMLEeWf7BzfRU2ZUN16-07my1dPOd_b9zhRMJQ1Wq4v_L_g/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+028_8_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424759102660141746" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmUKKL_vOLNGRz-rhObiywPhg4NYWZ7ZEnSy-1pXHG2H5pHPdG0yd9aIKABuQPE0LhvxP-g8-wXb22w6Vgzl62l6WMLEeWf7BzfRU2ZUN16-07my1dPOd_b9zhRMJQ1Wq4v_L_g/s320/Frozen+river+070110+028_8_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqmqO8yG3Zm9Q2GFa5L0IXEVEgSOWB3Y1EathqxFRhFXKdNXXK__7cXmRu5FQq2Z_WrBN2OyT_RCJ5K9zec4gfrgWThkxEG8hMcPwi9ejC3GyjM8l53dc4KHZSO9Wi6_eq5lD-w/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+023_5_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424759004311612210" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqmqO8yG3Zm9Q2GFa5L0IXEVEgSOWB3Y1EathqxFRhFXKdNXXK__7cXmRu5FQq2Z_WrBN2OyT_RCJ5K9zec4gfrgWThkxEG8hMcPwi9ejC3GyjM8l53dc4KHZSO9Wi6_eq5lD-w/s320/Frozen+river+070110+023_5_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8vvRu3HbduuV8KBQrdZpKyTVejHnGJVBxwr6VlwDsENz1ZUJgB25UT7scV-2ieW-JjKBphWMRzFBNyfYxd_nrU8dbKUdxfTWwzm70M8Sh7m9SvuqCD6lhwYwWenqw65J2zwofw/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+004_14_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424758715862871778" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8vvRu3HbduuV8KBQrdZpKyTVejHnGJVBxwr6VlwDsENz1ZUJgB25UT7scV-2ieW-JjKBphWMRzFBNyfYxd_nrU8dbKUdxfTWwzm70M8Sh7m9SvuqCD6lhwYwWenqw65J2zwofw/s320/Frozen+river+070110+004_14_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJAsRzv4WeeFJX5U8OibFzUUyMBjOrMFFo7n5GzbC-n3sPIVmfwpDHCt6yJt-8arrfz7BZv6ht9KsluWFbUNJ89S02tSsQN8xMK0ul0AMt1gNEewME9a-zopjyJdhK6OiVemmVQ/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+024_22_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424759204791215810" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJAsRzv4WeeFJX5U8OibFzUUyMBjOrMFFo7n5GzbC-n3sPIVmfwpDHCt6yJt-8arrfz7BZv6ht9KsluWFbUNJ89S02tSsQN8xMK0ul0AMt1gNEewME9a-zopjyJdhK6OiVemmVQ/s320/Frozen+river+070110+024_22_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEemaFvB9aRYsqWf-V8TJy0w6tCvPsfYIgSE0cT5GnFIt0zwF3aM86DvisPmwmRcRyCzZyVF4z_79QjbgSIz3FbgBQBHxuDrarcFEaNk20CFeJYCGHbVttao9sXR7B5IdbCBNWg/s1600-h/Frozen+river+070110+001_17_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424758402714852706" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEemaFvB9aRYsqWf-V8TJy0w6tCvPsfYIgSE0cT5GnFIt0zwF3aM86DvisPmwmRcRyCzZyVF4z_79QjbgSIz3FbgBQBHxuDrarcFEaNk20CFeJYCGHbVttao9sXR7B5IdbCBNWg/s320/Frozen+river+070110+001_17_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong><em>Thanks Ken!!</em><br /></strong><br />...and you can check out the <a href="http://duxburyrambler.blogspot.com/">Duxbury Ramblers</a> and <a href="http://www.ribbletoamazon.com/">Ribble to Amazon</a> and <a href="http://ribble-cycle-diaries.blogspot.com/">The Ribble Cycle Diaries</a> for more <em>excellent</em> Ribble and Winter and Wildlife pictures from around Lancashire.<br /><br /><em><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000066;">Happy Ribbling!</span></strong> </em><br /><br />Please email us your Ribble pictures to <a href="mailto:savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk">savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk</a> and we'll put them on the blog.Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-88755014796557228972009-10-11T18:31:00.007+01:002009-10-11T19:34:49.125+01:00Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival 2009 - and Launch of Ribbleside Friends Group!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sClH9BCBYSNLpENwusGaC-e79eM1WXD8eurAmprKOfRkkd78vpn9PN73bA5vy7Ff2xqZ99D-NW-qBMri4O0mYcUX0Y5SI22_r5CcRzsvvV0YD61SEvXJ4dTp3Ts2YGFzlgzCFA/s1600-h/a+misty+Autumn+morning+on+Ribbleside,+Penwortham.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391406526980094866" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sClH9BCBYSNLpENwusGaC-e79eM1WXD8eurAmprKOfRkkd78vpn9PN73bA5vy7Ff2xqZ99D-NW-qBMri4O0mYcUX0Y5SI22_r5CcRzsvvV0YD61SEvXJ4dTp3Ts2YGFzlgzCFA/s320/a+misty+Autumn+morning+on+Ribbleside,+Penwortham.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">The new "Ribbleside" Country Park, Penwortham to Walton le Dale, on a misty Autumn morning. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></em><strong><a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/home"><em>The Ribble Coast & Wetlands Regional Park</em></a><em> </em>is hosting its Annual <em><a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/walkingfestival">Walking Festival</a> </em>from <em><span style="color:#006600;">Saturday 24th October to Sunday 1st November</span> </em>- and there are some fantastic walks being organised so make sure you don't miss out!</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimET7opfCcNMEYhdn1Ac5ypxRVSGggI0WjoNmdGgK3WKytaXdOgwY4B-WaYhCHt0aRnsTBr1Lafb8HarSmmifgAwi-hT7Pff8I6DqTDZo6T4lCDQLo6u_HyQjzvlqGfy7bDISmUA/s1600-h/Ribble+Coast+%26+Wetlands+Walking+Festival+2009,+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391405753450607010" style="WIDTH: 223px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimET7opfCcNMEYhdn1Ac5ypxRVSGggI0WjoNmdGgK3WKytaXdOgwY4B-WaYhCHt0aRnsTBr1Lafb8HarSmmifgAwi-hT7Pff8I6DqTDZo6T4lCDQLo6u_HyQjzvlqGfy7bDISmUA/s320/Ribble+Coast+%26+Wetlands+Walking+Festival+2009,+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You can find out more details by going to <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/home">The Ribble Coast & Wetlands</a> website, but the highlights include:<br /><br />- <strong>Sand Dunes Discovery Walk</strong> at <strong>Lytham St Annes</strong> on <strong>Saturday 24th October</strong>;<br /><br />- <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#006600;"><strong>Save The Ribble's</strong></span> <em><strong><span style="color:#000066;">Ribble Ramble</span></strong></em> on <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">Sunday 25th October</span></em></strong>, walking from <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">the Old Tram Bridge upriver to Brockholes Wetland & Woodland</span></em></strong> and back, starting at 10am from the Tram Bridge.<br />The <strong><em><span style="color:#000066;">Ribble Ramble</span></em></strong> is approximately 6 miles in total and we expect to be back at the Tram Bridge by mid-afternoon at the latest. The going is fairly easy though there are some stiles. Bring a picnic, your camera - and waterproofs if it looks like rain!<br /></span><br />- or alternatively an <strong><span style="color:#000000;">RSPB Guided Birdwatching Walk at Marshside</span></strong>, also on <strong>Sunday 25th</strong> at 10am;<br /><br />- There is a <strong><em>Reedbed Walk at Martin Mere</em></strong> on <strong><em>Monday 26th</em></strong> at 10am;<br /><br />- On <strong>Tuesday 27th October</strong>, there is a <strong>River Walk from Avenham Park to Preston Docks</strong> leaving Avenham Park Pavilion at 10am, 2-3 hours in total; or alternatively, a <strong><em>Guided Tour of Brockholes</em></strong> at 10am the same day; or perhaps you fancy the <strong>Fylde Sand Dunes</strong> at <strong>Lytham St Annes</strong>, or does a <strong><em>Walk from Burscough to Martin Mere</em></strong> take your fancy...?<br /><br />- on <strong><em>Wednesday 28th</em></strong> there is a <strong>Walk along the River Ribble</strong> from the Capitol Centre to Penwortham at 1pm; or a <strong><em>Woodland Mini-Beast Safari at Mere Sands Wood</em></strong> at 2pm;<br /><br />- <strong>Thursday 29th</strong> has events at <strong><em>Burscough</em></strong>, <strong>Mere Sands Wood</strong>, the <strong><em>River Douglas</em></strong>, and <strong>Martin Mere</strong>;<br /><br />- On <strong><em>Friday 30th</em></strong> there are events at <strong><em>Banks Marshes</em></strong> and <strong>Avenham & Miller Parks</strong>;<br /><br />- and on <strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"><em>Sunday 1st November</em></span></strong>, as well as a tour of the newly-opened <strong>Hesketh Out Marsh</strong> at 9am...<br /><br />... <span style="font-size:130%;">there is a <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">Ribblesider's Ramble</span></em></strong> on the newly-established <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">"Ribbleside" Country Park</span></em></strong> opposite Avenham & Millers Parks on the South Ribble side at 1pm - and this is </span><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">the first event being organised by the NEW Ribbleside Friends Group!<br /></span></em></strong><br />They will be leaving the Old Tram Bridge at 1pm and walking onto <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">Preston Junction Nature Reserve</span></em></strong> then into <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">Carr Wood</span></em></strong> before walking on to the <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">River Darwin</span></em></strong> where it meets the Ribble, then walking <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">downriver alongside the Ribble</span></em></strong> back to the Tram Bridge. The walk will be 2 hours or so, and does involve a few steps and stiles.<br /><strong>There is no need to book, but if you'd like further details about the Ribblesiders' Ramble - <em><span style="color:#006600;">or the new Friends Group</span></em> - then please email Jane at <a href="mailto:ribblesidefriends@tiscali.co.uk">ribblesidefriends@tiscali.co.uk</a> .<br /></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">You'll be hearing alot more about the <span style="color:#006600;">Ribbleside Friends Group</span> over the coming months, but in the meantime, get out <span style="color:#000099;">Walking The Ribble Coast & Wetlands</span> this Autumn!<br /></span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000099;">HAPPY RIBBLING!<br /></span></em></strong><br />If you'd like further details about the <strong><em>Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival</em></strong>, then go to <a href="http://www.ribblecoastandwetlands.com/home">The Ribble Coast & Wetlands</a> website.<br /><br />You can contact us at <a href="mailto:savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk">savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk</a> .Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25392180.post-22797201340025181722009-08-13T19:55:00.018+01:002009-08-18T21:29:17.374+01:00Brockholes Wetland Gets Green Light<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZi2EI833wJfnOUYCRdNyPbxIwf1Qx6pHOn_yDaPurDEJOhMrZ4XsprM0qGqFjOYJ3LFlMHhnEKqMJvXUL-U3VUu6PwYVVyBqW_nPCwDTejUI40B2OM212LZhpVFDRuY1zq5Qqw/s1600-h/Brockholes+Wetland+LWT+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370215893732237170" style="WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 168px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZi2EI833wJfnOUYCRdNyPbxIwf1Qx6pHOn_yDaPurDEJOhMrZ4XsprM0qGqFjOYJ3LFlMHhnEKqMJvXUL-U3VUu6PwYVVyBqW_nPCwDTejUI40B2OM212LZhpVFDRuY1zq5Qqw/s320/Brockholes+Wetland+LWT+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong>The new Brockholes Wetland & Woodland Nature Reserve on the banks of the River Ribble in Preston has been given the go ahead by planners.</strong><br /><br /><strong><em>The Brockholes site, at Salmsbury near Preston, is a redundant quarry site on the former Brockholes Farm, which has attracted </em></strong><a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/PDFs/gettinginvolved/brockholes/Brockholes%20Birds%20%20Dragonflies%20Species%20List.pdf"><strong><em>a huge and diverse bird and insect population</em></strong></a><strong><em> due to its location at the uppermost tidal point of the River Ribble.<br /></em></strong><br /><strong>Yet, this area, covering over 100 hectares, was at risk of being bought by developers to build a huge housing complex at the end of 2006, and the Wildlife Trust faced </strong><a href="http://save-the-ribble.blogspot.com/2006/11/brockholes-wetland-urgent-wildlife.html"><strong>a momentous task raising the money - with help from local people - to buy the site and save Brockholes Wetland from development</strong></a><strong>.<br /></strong><br /><strong><em>Brockholes is also adjacent to </em></strong><a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/Our%20Reserves/boilton,_nab,_red_scar_and_tunbrook_woods.htm"><strong><em>the largest stretch of ancient woodlands left in Lancashire</em></strong></a><strong><em>, which are forming a part of the overall ecological strategy for the scheme.<br /></em></strong><br />Over the past 2 to 3 years, the Wildlife Trust and their many volunteers have been working hard improving the habitats still further.<br /><br />And now, as the <a href="http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Sanctuary-attraction-given-green-light.5547508.jp">Lancashire Evening Post</a> report, the plans for the site have got full planning permission, which will see "a visitors' centre with a cafe, shop, offices and an education centre" as well as "footpaths, boardwalks and wildlife hides and a boat launch point."<br /><br /><strong>There were apprently some concerns from local people and some Councillors that the development is "inappropriate for the green belt and would cause a flood risk." <em>Also, there have been concerns raised that canoeing and kayaking on the Ribble itself may be affected.<br /></em></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">Of course local people are rightly concerned that development schemes on floodplain and Green Belt land may be inappropriate, <em>but as the plans for Brockholes will maintain and improve the appearance and the ecological sensitivity already existant on the site, AND maintain the ability of the land to cope with heavy rainfall and river flooding - unlike a huge housing estate would have, on both counts - we are supportive of the proposals.<br /></em></span></strong><br />It is unlikely that the site would impact on the River Ribble, and any activities such as canoeing, as it is a separate site which does not actually impinge on the River itself. There are also plans for eco-friendly water-based boating activities on the new Brockholes Recerve.<br /><br />It is also unlikely that the <a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/Our%20Reserves/brockholes.htm">Visitors' Centre</a> will create any problems as it is very eco-friendly (even down to the oak roof tiles), and is specifically designed to cope with water as it will be built on floating platforms on one of the quarry pits, and will lie below the tree line.<br /><br /><em>The new Reserve will be free to visit, and will be a truly fantastic resource for local people and visitors to the area - and we can't wait for it to open!<br /></em><br /><strong>For more information on the Brockholes visitors' centre, see </strong><a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/Our%20Reserves/brockholes.htm"><strong>Lancashire Wildlife Trust</strong></a><strong>.<br /></strong><br /><strong><em>For more on the long-term aims for Brockholes Wetland, </em></strong><a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/PDFs/gettinginvolved/brockholes/Vision%20for%20Brockholes%20-%20updated%2015%20November%202006.pdf"><strong><em>click here</em></strong></a><strong><em>.<br /></em></strong><br /><strong>For more on the numerous bird and insect species at Brockholes, </strong><a href="http://www.lancswt.org.uk/PDFs/gettinginvolved/brockholes/Brockholes%20Birds%20%20Dragonflies%20Species%20List.pdf"><strong>click here</strong></a><strong>.<br /><br /></strong><br />The Brockholes scheme is being progressed with support from:<br /><br />- the <a href="http://www.newlandsproject.co.uk/">Newlands Project</a> - "reclaiming large areas of derelict, underused and neglected land across England’s Northwest... tackling some of the worst areas of neglected land in the Northwest and transforming them into thriving, durable, community woodlands.";<br /><br />- the <a href="http://www.nwda.co.uk/news--events/press-releases/200901/brockholes-planning-permission.aspx">North West Development Agency</a>;<br /><br />- and the <a href="http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/WebNewsReleases/0C5DA2C42EE62DF1802575C2003719C6">Forestry Commission</a>.<br /><br /><strong>We hope to have some exciting news of our own to report later in the Summer...<br /><br /><em>...and in the Autumn, we have been invited to contribute another walk for the <a href="http://save-the-ribble.blogspot.com/2007/08/ribble-coast-wetlands-walking-festival.html">Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival</a>, and will be walking to... BROCKHOLES WETLAND AND WOODLAND!</em> </strong><br /><strong><br />More details nearer the time...</strong><br /><br />You can contact us at <a href="mailto:savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk">savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk</a>Reigh Belisamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12175284479713852995noreply@blogger.com0