Archived press release

World wetlands day: meacher faces challenge over threat to top london wetlands

2 February 1998

Environment Minister Michael Meacher was challenged today - World Wetlands Day - to save two of London's top wetlands as he announced support for wetland conservation efforts at a nature reserve in West London.

Mr Meacher announced his support for wetland conservation at a visit to Barn Elms in West London[1]. Campaigners protesting about threats to Rainham Marshes in Havering [2] and Perry Oaks next to Heathrow [3] united to call on him to save their local sites and on the Government to live up to its promise to give greater protection to wildlife [4].

Matt Phillips of Friends of the Earth said:

“It's all very well for the Government to say it wants to protect wetlands, but our faith will dry up if we don't see some action. If English Partnerships gets the go ahead, taxpayers' money will go into the destruction of London's largest wetland SSSI at Rainham, yet at the same time the Government is promising to improve protection for wildlife. Perry Oaks is also threatened with disappearing under a fifth terminal at Heathrow. Is the Government's commitment to wildlife so wet?

“We urgently need new laws to improve protection for our wetlands and other wildlife habitats and the Government has a chance to introduce new laws in the Autumn. Let's see some commitments to an Autumn Bill now.”

Friends of the Earth called on Mr Meacher to ensure the destruction of Rainham Marshes and Perry Oaks is prevented and to introduce new laws to protect wildlife in the next Queen's Speech.

[1] Mr Meacher will launch the UK's Ramsar Strategic Plan which aims to improve the status of internationally important wetlands known as Ramsar sites [named after the town in Iran where a major conference established a designation for internationally important wetlands]. The UK has more Ramsar sites than any other country.

[2] London's largest wetland, Rainham Marshes in East London is recognised as one of the nation's most important wildlife habitats forming part of Inner Thames Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). More than 90ha of the site is threatened by Government agency English Partnerships' plan to build a petrol station, drive-through restaurant and warehouses on the site using what is understood to be £16m of public money. The site is home to Water voles and birds such as teal and redshank. Friends of the Earth believes that the application made by English Partnerships is in breach of the agency's duties and may be illegal. It has written to John Prescott asking him to clarify the legal position and has urged Michael Meacher to 'call in' the application.

[3] Perry Oaks in West London is a wetland habitat which will be entirely destroyed by the proposed fifth terminal at London Heathrow Airport. Work at Barn Elms forms part of the wildlife compensation package proposed by British Airports Authority (BAA) for its destruction of Perry Oaks. The London Natural History Society has described Perry Oaks as 'probably the richest site in the Greater London area for migrant wading birds'. It is home to corn bunting, linnet, grey partridge and tree sparrow (the increasingly rare cousin of the common sparrow). It has been designated as a Site of Metropolitan Importance by the London Ecology Unit.

[4] Labour promised in its General Election manifesto to give greater protection to wildlife. More recently Michael Meacher said: “We are very concerned about the failure to protect Sites of Special Scientific Interest. We are reviewing exactly that situation, and we do intend to bring forward new legislation which will revise the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981.I am keen to have that legislation on the statute book, hopefully in the second parliamentary session” (BBC Radio 4, 18 November, 1997). Friends of the Earth has joined with 21 other environmental organisations to detail changes necessary to secure wildlife protection in the Wildlife Charter.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust