Re: A letter I agree with

<amacmil304@xxxxxxx> wrote:
32tv42p8g8oull2pvkmntishg48f3ng0rp@xxxxxxxxxx

The Woodland Trust's Dog Lavatories.

I recently spent time at a Woodland Trust woodland site and was taken
aback that I was the only visitor there who didn't have a dog. Others
arrived and let their dogs wander out of control all over the place. I
was struck by a feeling of being in a manufactured and artificial
environment where the woodland picture was evident but lacking
expected wildlife.

The idea that conservationists are protecting woodlands seems deeply
flawed when the woodlands are being abused as dog lavatories to the
detriment of wildlife and the natural environment.

If you had any knowledge of conservation, you would know that the
problem
caused by dogs in reserves is perennial and ongoing. Often the reserve
is a
public open space in which conservation has managed to gain a toehold.
Attempting to ban dogs, or insisting they are kept on leads, produces a
backlash that leaves the conservationists isolated and even excluded.

Go to a reserve which is in private ownership and you will see a dog
free
environment in which people have to follow the rules or be thrown out.

Perhaps it is time to dump the dubious philosophy of "protecting"
woodlands of converting them into public recreation areas and instead
let them be undisturbed havens for wildlife.

By your own admission, you went and disturbed one, admittedly not as
badly
as the thoughtless dog owners.

First you have to own it. Then you can go ahead, as many organisations
do
already, limiting access in a variety of ways such as issuing day
passes in
advance, etc. Somewhat like fishing licences on choice stretches of
water.

It would certainly cost the taxpayer a lot less.

The Woodland Trust is a charity.

PH

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Was Angus right about dogs in woodlands?
    ... although drawing conclusions from a single woodland ... in how they managed to observe the birds in the woodland when there were ... Woodland Trust are a force for damaging the natural environment by ... I also remember a Woodland Trust employee lost his dog in a woodland ...
    (uk.environment.conservation)
  • Re: Threatened capercaillies
    ... >>Ahh, but the dog is/was chosen to imitate a fox, and the decoyman stayed ... > only meaning wildlife in woodland when he stated that "All wildlife ... They certainly don't avoid dogs or humans! ... > includes predators in woodland like grizzly bears :-) ...
    (uk.environment.conservation)
  • Re: Protection of the public
    ... Which are used as dog lavatories and scare off wildlife. ... So destroying woodland would be good for wildlife? ... The sheep were removed and deer numbers reduced ... so-called conservation come in. ...
    (uk.rec.walking)
  • Re: A letter I agree with
    ... I recently spent time at a Woodland Trust woodland site and was taken ... aback that I was the only visitor there who didn't have a dog. ... backlash that leaves the conservationists isolated and even excluded. ...
    (uk.environment.conservation)
  • Re: A letter I agree with
    ... I recently spent time at a Woodland Trust woodland site and was taken ... aback that I was the only visitor there who didn't have a dog. ... backlash that leaves the conservationists isolated and even excluded. ...
    (uk.environment.conservation)