Archived press release

Council bulldozes top wildlife site

25 January 1999

Friends of the Earth is demanding that Havering Council be prosecuted for damaging one of the nation's top wildlife sites, Rainham Marsh. Last month, one of the council's bulldozers destroyed a precious area of grass and shrub in what should have been a simple operation to remove debris left over from fly-tipping. The council, which owns the wildlife site, wants to build warehouses on the site [1].

Rainham Marsh is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the area damaged by the council bulldozer was important habitat for skylark and stonechat. The skylark is a declining species and the subject of a Government recovery plan.

The recent damage follows an earlier incident last year in which the council drained a ditch and removed reed beds at the western end of the marsh and even destroyed an embankment built by the Government's Environment Agency specifically for the purposes of habitat restoration. Ditches on the marsh are home to an important population of water voles - another fast-disappearing protected species.

English Nature, the Government's nature conservation advisor, is believed to have written to Havering Council insisting that it repair the damage from both incidents. Friends of the Earth has called on English Nature to prosecute Havering Council which has a ten year record of failure of looking after the SSSI, and dealing with fly tipping and other damaging activities on the site.

Matt Phillips, Senior Wildlife Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:
“Havering Council's management policy for Rainham Marsh seems to be one of neglect and destruction. Their disgraceful behaviour highlights the desperate need for tough new wildlife laws to ensure public bodies protect the wildlife in their care”.

Phil Butler of Friends of Rainham Marsh added:
“As the custodian of a national wildlife resource, Havering Council seems unable to carry out its responsibilities. No wonder the site has a poor image with some people. English Nature has been very patient. If legal action is the only way to prevent further neglect, it would serve a useful purpose”.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Havering Council has advanced proposals to build warehousing on Rainham Marsh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The application is supported by the Government's regeneration agency English Partnerships. The scheme is opposed by the Government's Environment Agency and English Nature.

Inner Thames Marshes SSSI, of which Rainham Marsh is part, is by far the largest wetland area in Greater London and is one of the few remaining remnants of the marshes that once fringed the Thames. An important population of water voles (Arvicola terrestris) has recently been found on site and it is also visited by highly significant numbers of teal as well as short-eared owl, godwit, shoveller and redshank. The site is designated under Section 28 of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. It is owned by Havering Borough Council, but it has been much abused in the past by tipping of waste. This in turn has fuelled the misplaced opinion that the site is worthless and can only be improved by built'development'.

Friends of Rainham Marsh have produced a report called The Best of Both Worlds(available on request) which shows how the money earmarked to destroy Rainham Marsh could be used to gain both a business park on derelict land next to Rainham Marsh and to establish a Rainham Gateway Park as a 'natural flagship' development with a top class visitor centre on the Marsh itself.

More details on SSSIs can be found at www.foe.co.uk/wildplaces

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust