Wildlife Walks, all welcome

There are a series of Biodiversity Walks organised in the Aberystwyth area in the near future. Some have already taken place, but see below for others, The walks are open to all. People with mobility issues should get in touch with the organiser Chloe (thegardenexchange@gmail.com, or phone Mon-Wed 07966 018062) to find out which walks might be suitable for them. All walks leave the Mind building on Mill Street, by the Trefenter bridge, promptly at 3pm. Walks will finish at approximately 5pm. You will need to dress appropriately for the weather, whether that might be sunblock and a hat, or a raincoat! Sturdy shoes are advisable. The aim of the walks is to discover the range and variety of wildlife, especially plant life, that occurs in our area.

15th July - Dunes and Coastal Walk - Ynyslas
Led by Isobelle Griffith of Ynyslas Visitors' Centre. There will be a minibus

19th August - Rockpool Rummage, The Prom
Led by Judith Bray

26th August - Penglais Woods Walk
Led by Roger Bray of PNP - bus fare needed for this walk, approx. £1 each way.

9th September - Pen Dinas Walk
Led by Andy Jones of CCW

Badger cull - please respond before 30th July

Baby badgers being fed

As readers may know, Elin Jones of the Welsh Assembly Government recently stated her intention to go ahead with the - as near as possible - total eradication of badgers in North Pembrokeshire, as part of a raft of measures in that area against bovine TB. WAG have now put up a Public Consultation on their website.

All concerned members of the public, and all environmental and wildlife organisations, are urged to respond as soon as possible, and to inform friends, colleagues, workmates and environmental groups (whether inside or outside Wales) to ask them to do the same. It is vital that WAG realise that the general public are well-informed about this issue and will not simply accept the wholesale slaughter of one of our most valued native mammals.

Apart from the ethical and environmental implications of eradicating such an important native mammal from such a large area, there is a great deal of evidence to show that, while cattle measures bring down the TB rate, badger culling actually makes matters worse. The internationally validated ISG study, based on 10 years of scientific research and costing over 12,000 badger lives, concluded unequivocally that 'badger culling has no meaningful part to play in TB control in Britain'.

In spite of this, there will be no attempt to evaluate the success of badger culling as distinct from the improved cattle testing, husbandry and biosecurity measures also being implemented. Instead, if TB rates go down in that area (as they almost certainly will as the result of the cattle measures, which have been shown to be successful elswhere) WAG will consider applying the same package, including badger eradication, in other areas of Wales. It is depressing that WAG operates in such a short-sighted and cruel way.

Tips on objecting
Go to the Public Consultation on the WAG website. (The Consultation Document proper is a downloadable document at the bottom of the page that the link goes to.)

There are 5 sections to the Consultation Document:

1. Introduction
2. ‘Background Information’
3. ‘Badger Control Strategies’
4. 6 questions – This is where your responses come in
5. Details on how to respond. Can be done online to bovinetb@wales.gsi.gov.uk
   or in writing to:
   TB Team
   Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer
   Department of Rural Affairs
   Welsh Assembly Government
   Cathays park
   Cardiff CF10 3NQ

Below are the questions and some useful points to use in responses (although responses should obviously be your own and in your own words). Italics are explanatory only and not in the original text. It is also worth reading 'Facing senseless slaughter: the fate of Wales’ badgers'.

Q1 Is Government the most appropriate body to manage the delivery of these strategies (destruction of badgers or possible vaccination in the future) or are there alternatives that should be considered?

• No. No body is appropriate for an inappropriate badger culling policy.
• ONLY Govt. employees should even be considered for carrying out culling and/or vaccination as otherwise unacceptably open to cruelty/abuse/trapping and/or selling of badgers for baiting. Inefficient shooting leading to appalling and extended suffering (and probable perturbation ie scattering of wounded or surviving badgers) – likelihood of badgers being left for very extended periods of time (incl daylight) in cages, also causing appalling suffering.
• What plans are there for policing possible abuses/ ensuring minimum welfare standards?
• What plans for training of operatives?
• Who will ensure that badgers are not killed rather than vaccinated even if/when vaccination introduced?
  

Q2 Do you agree that these are the most humane and appropriate ways (of killing badgers – trapping in a cage and either shooting or using a lethal injection or shooting without prior cage trapping) or should other methods be included?

• No. There is NO humane method of killing badgers in the wild. All methods involve extreme, unacceptable and extended suffering. Trapping in a cage involves an inevitably long period (overnight at the very least and in many cases much longer) of serious mental and physical distress. Badgers are timid nocturnal creatures who avoid humans and will be utterly terrified to be trapped and exposed (and to be kept away from parents and offspring as badger cubs stay with their parents for at least the first year). There will be no protection against deliberate or casual cruelty of any kind.
• Inaccurate shooting ( at a distance and often in the dark or at dusk) especially by untrained and unskilled farmers and other operatives will lead to unacceptable and drawn out suffering, as well as perturbation.
• The fact that other methods (snaring, gassing) are even more barbaric does NOT justify the suggested methods.
  

Q3 Where the disease is endemic, do you agree that the destruction of badgers (alongside cattle measures) is necessary to have an impact in the short to medium term? Should other strategies be included in this order?

• No. As well as being ethically unacceptable, the destruction of badgers will have a purely negative impact both ecologically and in terms of disease control. This backed up by 10 year, internationally peer-reviewed scientific ISG trials which established that culling actually made matters worse, and can ‘make no meaningful contribution to TB control’ anywhere in Britain.
• This has been borne out by experience in S. Ireland where culling of 60,000 badgers has resulted in virtually the same infection rate amongst cattle as before the culling started. Also by N. Ireland where the infection rate has been reduced by 49% since 2002 without any badger culling at all.
• Strategies that should be in this order are stricter cattle movement controls than at present; improved and more appropriate and effective husbandry and biosecurity; improved and more accurate and more frequent testing of cattle; effective sanctions for contravention of all the above and stricter conditions for compensation payments (ie payment should be conditional on full movement/biosecurity compliance). Further, WAG should use the money that would have been used in culling badgers to fund proper and continuing scientific research into the epidemiology of the disease and ways in which the general health of cattle can be improved to enable them to resist not only TB, but also the numerous other causes of premature death amongst cattle in Wales which far outweigh deaths from TB infection.
• Since there will be no pre- or post-culling tests of Tb infection in the badgers killed, and all methods, including cattle controls, will be applied in the same area, and since there will be no control areas, it will be impossible to evaluate the effectiveness or otherwise of badger culling. This ‘pilot’ therefore has no validity either in scientific or common-sense terms.
  

Q4 Do you agree with these offences (concealing or protecting badgers, obstructing or interfering in any way with destruction) and/or should others be included?

• No, I do not agree that any of the above should be an offence. The vagueness of the wording makes it highly probable that this would lead to the abuse of basic human rights.
• It should be an offence to in any way aid, abet, allow, incite or otherwise encourage any cruelty – whether intentional or otherwise – towards badgers (or any wildlife) in the affected areas.
  

Q5 Do you agree that the development of a badger vaccination policy should be pursued and therefore included within this order?

• Since studies show that the best policy re. TB control is to leave badgers alone, and since TB infection rates go down in badgers when they are left alone, vaccination not necessary. However, if WAG insists on involving badgers, vaccination is an infinitely preferable policy to culling.
  

Q6 Do you agree that authorized persons should be able to enter land for the purpose of vaccinating badgers?

• See above, better to leave badgers alone. Acceptable ONLY if WAG pursues this as the only alternative to culling. Certainly not acceptable if used as an adjunct to culling, or same powers are used for culling.
  

[The text in this blog post was modified from an 'Aberystwyth Against the Badger Cull' group email.]

More research about vegetarians

On 15th June The Guardian ran an article 'Scientists warn consumption of processed meat linked to cancer':

A dramatic fall in the consumption of processed meat such as bacon and ham would stop around 3,700 people a year from developing bowel cancer.

Today they had an article with the headline 'Vegetarians less likely to develop cancer than meat eaters, says study':

For years, they have boasted of the health benefits of their leafy diets, but now vegetarians have the proof that has so far eluded them: when it comes to cancer risks, they have the edge on carnivores.

Fresh evidence from the largest study to date to investigate dietary habits and cancer has concluded that vegetarians are 45% less likely to develop cancer of the blood than meat eaters and are 12% less likely to develop cancer overall.

If you want to lower your risk even more, adopt a healthy, low-fat vegan diet and get lots of exercise - being healthy can make you look and feel great too!

Greener Aberystwyth Group

GAG, the Grwp Aberystwyth Gwyrddach / Greener Aberystwyth Group, are a group which aims to promote the conservation and management of accessible green spaces and street trees in and around Aberystwyth as valued amenities for the community.

You may have seen their new leaflet lying around - it shows some of the local green spaces we should visit, enjoy and protect.

Their website is under construction, and does not yet include their new leaflet. Hopefully the site will develop over time, so give this worthy group your support!

The Story of Stuff

Don't forget to monitor our Delicious account, new links are added all the time (and you can see a summary on the right of this blog).

Our latest addition is 'The Story of Stuff' - an informative 20 minute video showing the chain of processes involved in manufacturing the goods that fuel a consumer society - and the alternatives we could adopt to selfish consumption.

Aberystwyth Arts Centre - The Anti-green

(For all posts relating to Aberystwyth University, click here)

Aberystwyth Arts Centre has been featured here before, due to the fact that it keeps destroying green spaces for buildings, and does not consult with stakeholders (staff, students, visitors) about any of its plans.

The plaza in front of the Arts Centre - there is a subtle concrete theme here. Note the fenced-off 'La Scala' steps. The concrete eyesore that is 'La Scala' took five years to plan and construct 'one of the largest public arts commissioned in Wales' and it was finished in 2003. The steps have been closed off as derelict and unsafe for a significant time now. A waste of public money on an ugly, badly planned and shoddily-built project? Another example of the mess the Arts Centre's projects make?

In a special post, CIN focuses on just two of the projects that earned it this reputation.

1: This week... the bulldozers and missed opportunities

Back in November CIN was informed that the Arts Centre planned to build on the last bit of green space on the Penglais Campus plaza. The green patch was between the Hugh Owen Library and the Arts Centre - see image below for how it appeared until this week.

It was the only natural green patch in a heavily-used central location of the University. The plaza is a gloomy place due to the unrelenting concrete. This patch of green was not much, but at least it was a break in the continuous buildings, and a popular place for people to sit on the low wall when having lunch or reading on nice days.

Despite this the Arts Centre wanted to build more office spaces and another dance room there, making the plaza even less attractive.

In November the Arts Centre and University were written to by a number of groups, and requested to consider an alternative: to enhance this area between the buildings with landscaping, trees, bushes and flowers, with seating at the edge. It would have made a huge difference to the appearance of the plaza, providing a breathing space amongst the sterility, as well as hiding some of the concrete ugliness of the nearby buildings.

The option declined by the Arts Centre: a green haven to break things up? [We have to admit that one of our supporters commented on this photo, saying "it did look as though a magical unicorn forest had sprung up in the middle of the arts centre"!]

Greening the plaza would have had a more beneficial effect on the appearance of one of the most heavily used areas of the campus than derelict monstrosities like the 'La Scala' steps. (And 'greening' does not mean sticking a few plants in pots!)

The appearance of the plaza could even impact on University recruitment and therefore finances - the plaza is very heavily used on Open Days when the University is trying to recruit new students. Having a nice natural area there would have made things appear much more attractive to the students (and perhaps more importantly, their parents!) who were considering Aberystwyth as a university. Whereas yet another slab of concrete would have the opposite effect. Likewise when students graduate and are looking for nice shots on the plaza for all the photos - having a green space there would no doubt be appreciated by the students and their families!

What was needed was for this to be a 'Breathing Place'. As the BBC site says:

"You know that bit of land you walk past every day and think someone should really clean that up and make it wonderful for all the wildlife and people round here. Now’s your chance to do it yourself. A Breathing Place could be almost anywhere: a corner of unused land at your children's school; waste-land at the end of your road; part of a local cemetery or park; the grounds of your village hall or community centre."

On 4th November 2008 we received support from both Aberystwyth Conservation Volunteers and the Aberystwyth branch of People & Planet. People & Planet made this official announcement:

"It would be great to see some more green areas in what is otherwise a concrete jungle. It's a shame that, for an institution with such an academic interest in the environment and conservation, Aberystwyth University has such little greenery at the heart of its main campus. We hope that the University reconsiders these plans, and puts environmental and aesthetic considerations at the heart of its plans for Penglais Campus."

However the Arts Centre didn't consult people who use the campus daily as to whether they would rather see the green area enhanced with trees and bushes as a community space; it also ignored the many objections, and this week started construction.

Architect's image of the new 'building' - does it look like a mad cardboard robot head to anyone else?

In a typical example of poor planning, staff in nearby buildings (e.g. the Hugh Owen Library) had not been informed and suddenly found emergency evacuation routes blocked and noisy construction machinery outside their offices and often blocking access to and from buildings. The disruption is likely to last six months (the loss of the final plaza green space will last forever).

Who designed this monstrosity? The Arts Centre did not even use Welsh architects, they decided to use a Gloucestershire firm instead.

Note that the same week that the Arts Centre dug up the last green space on the plaza, the University's Weekly Email [June 10 2009] has the following entry:

"LIVING LANDSCAPES
An international conference on performance, landscape and environment.
Aberystwyth University, 18-21 June 2009.
With the support of the Aberystwyth Arts Centre."

Irony intended? It is not the first time that the Arts Centre has shown its hypocrisy.

And another entry, this time from the University's Weekly Email for June 17th 2009:

"Wild Wood Day! Parc Natur Penglais Local Nature Reserve, Aberystwyth
Sat 20th June, 11am – 3pm
Come and find out more about what your local wood has to offer. The Arts Centre will be taking part along with other local groups and organisations in a fun day of varied woodland crafts and activities. Watch timber being turned; Guided Walks; Woodland Arts; Follow the nature trail; Build a bird box; Woodland craft demonstrations…and much more!"

The entry there ties in with the project below - read on to discover the irony.

2: October 08 - Aberystwyth Arts Centre cutting trees for 'eco'-cabins

Footpath closed.

Back in October '08 visitors to Brynamlwg, Aberystwyth University's staff and postgraduate club, couldn't help but notice the degradation of the view, and the inconvenience of having the footpath to the University closed because of the Arts Centre's latest expansion. The Brynamlwg club has been considered a relaxing haven in a fantastic building for some time, but the view from outside became that shown below (click images to enlarge).

The Arts Centre decided to build eight stainless-steel clad buildings on a space that was woodland - obviously many trees had to go before these units could be built. The trees were thinned out so much that one could see right through them to the Arts Centre from the other side. Then the arts Centre sought and got Welsh Assembly Government funding to build eight more units - which brings hypocrisy to mind when one reads ‘Woodlands for Wales’, the Welsh Assembly Government's Strategy for Trees and Woodland. In that the Minister for Rural Affairs stated:

"Trees and woods are dominant components of our landscapes and are vital for wildlife. [...] Woodlands can be havens for quiet enjoyment [...] places to watch wildlife or simply to relax and enjoy clean air."

So why fund projects that end up turning woodlands into scattered trees?

The Arts Centre was built on a greenfield site; expanded on one as extensions were built; and has now expanded into the woods. Where next?

Trees cut down with part-funding from the Arts Council for Wales. Shame on them for funding this. All the Welsh historical poets and bards who were inspired by nature are probably turning in their graves!

'Eco'-cabins - not very environmentally friendly when they are built by chopping down half of a wood.


The view from the Arts Centre.

Letter from the Cambrian News, Thu 20 Nov 08, p25.
Yes, that really was woodland before the Arts Centre and the Arts Council for Wales decided that their bacofoil eco-cabins would look better. In this article it said "the cladding on the creative arts business units reflects the surrounding colours" - but thanks to the fact that most of the wood has been cut down, the tinfoil cabins will only get the chance to reflect mud, not the woodland that used to be there.

The greenery to the right of the building were the woods that the Arts Centre have mostly chopped down now for their cooking-foil cabins.


Another view of the edge of the woods - as they used to be before being cut down by the Arts Centre.

In December 2008 The Cambrian News has published an article on the bacofoil monstrosities at the back of the Arts Centre - click image below to enlarge. It is of interest that the Arts Centre Director did not mention the fact that the Arts Centre has plans to build even more units there. Perhaps it was a fact he would rather hide, since this scheme had proved to be so unpopular? In another example of the Arts Centre Director misleading people, the units had been described by the Arts Centre as 'eco-friendly'. Yet in this article the Director points out that these cabins use standard industry timber and insulation - not sustainably-forested timber or environmentally-friendly insulation. The 'eco-cabins' are a con, they are tinfoil monstrosities where a wood used to stand.

Coverage from the Cambrian News, Thu 4 Dec 08, page 4

Those responsible for this shameful project:

• Welsh Assembly Government (funded the project)
  
• Arts Council of Wales (funded the project)
  
• Aberystwyth University (chose to develop the project)
• Aberystwyth Arts Centre (chose to develop the project)
• E Ll Hughes & Son (building)
  
• Heatherwick Studios (architects) - "the decision was made early on not to spoil the woodland of the site proposed for the project" they said. Obviously they failed miserably in their objectives.

The biggest tragedy about the building of these horrible huts was that only 20 seconds' walk away is an empty field that used to house static homes, used by Aberystwyth University as overspill accomodation. As the photo below shows, the site was then just grass. The Arts Centre and University could have chosen to build here, where the huts could have been built at no detriment to the environment - then the area could have had trees and bushes planted to create an extension to the wood. Instead they chose to destroy a wood and turn it into just a group of desolate-looking trees surrounding sad constructions. Where is the sense in that? Why didn't the funders refuse funding until a better site was chosen that would not impact negatively on the natural environment? This is a perfect example of the short-sightedness of the funders and the Arts Centre.

On Thu 18 Dec 08 the Cambrian News ( p23) had an article on these cabins. It pointed out that oneof the women using these 'pods' lives and works in London - so much forsupporting Welsh arts...

"Ellie Rees studied at Central St Martin's College of Art and Design and Winchester School of Art. She currently lives and works in London and is an associate lecturer at Chelsea College of Art and Design and Central St Martin's."

It also included the depressing reminder that "£200,000 Welsh Assembly Government grant that was announced this month by Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones, which will enable additional studios to be built".

Forthcoming Film - The End Of The Line

The Fish Film Company have their cinematic release of The End of The Line on June 8th , the first major feature documentary film revealing the impact of overfishing on our oceans. Filmed
over two years, it shows the effects of our global love affair with fish as food. The film examines the imminent extinction of bluefin tuna, brought on by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life resulting in huge overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications of a future world with no fish that would bring certain mass starvation.

Tickets for preview screenings at cinemas on World Oceans Day, Monday 8 June, are now available from their site. Aberystwyth Arts Centre cinema will be showing the film.