As Hackney celebrates yet more Green Flag Awards for parks trees in those very parks continue to die from damage and neglect.   As with so many bureaucratic, league table type systems Green Flag Awards have become a misleading indicator of 'success'.  True parks in Hackney have improved in many respects; new toilets, signs, benches, path surfacing, litter bins, etc.  The fact that these things have happened is in part due to Green Flag, or at least elected Councillors desire for such awards.  However, as so often these days, the success hides many problems.  Indeed since Hackney has so many Green Flag parks most Councillors and officers live in blissful ignorance of these problems.

As a tree enthusiast the chestnuts dying from mower damage and newly planted trees dying from neglect make me very sad and angry.  Victorian trees over 100 years old deserve much better than to be mowed and damaged during grass cutting or construction.  That they then die from disease 10 or 20 years later is a tragic subtlety lost on most, including apparently Green Flag judges. It is also a disgrace for which park managers and councillors should be ashamed.

Then take the little tree in this photo. A dead tree planted in Clissold Park. This tree died because no one bothered to water it after it was planted. A basic and simple task that when ignored is guaranteed to result in the wasted time, energy and money of planting the tree in the first place. Rocket science it ain't. But what is really shocking is that this tree was in Hackney's prestige Green Flag Clissold Park. Worse it was planted as a memorial for someone. Neglecting a memorial tree in your best park really shows all is not well.

But this little tree did not die alone. This tree was a replacement for another tree that also died. It too died because no one watered it. Shocked? Well what if I told you that tree was itself the 2nd, i.e. itself a replacement for an original tree that died, also of neglect. A dead tree that replaced a dead tree, that replaced a dead tree. And there are right now dead and dying trees in many, if not most of Hackneys major parks.

So yes we have lots of Green Flag parks. We also have lots of dead and dying trees. Old trees dying from damage and disregard, young trees dying for want of some water. Fortunately we also have dedicate tree carers (http://treemusketeers.org.uk/) who plant, protect and water trees in parks. Only we water what we plant. Sometimes we try and save those the Council neglects but we can't do it all on our own.

]]>

Green Flags Fly but Trees Still Die

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July 28, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

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As Hackney celebrates yet more Green Flag Awards for parks trees in those very parks continue to die from damage and neglect.   As with so many bureaucratic, league table type systems Green Flag Awards have become a misleading indicator of 'success'.  True parks in Hackney have improved in many respects; new toilets, signs, benches, path surfacing, litter bins, etc.  The fact that these things have happened is in part due to Green Flag, or at least elected Councillors desire for such awards.  However, as so often these days, the success hides many problems.  Indeed since Hackney has so many Green Flag parks most Councillors and officers live in blissful ignorance of these problems.

As a tree enthusiast the chestnuts dying from mower damage and newly planted trees dying from neglect make me very sad and angry.  Victorian trees over 100 years old deserve much better than to be mowed and damaged during grass cutting or construction.  That they then die from disease 10 or 20 years later is a tragic subtlety lost on most, including apparently Green Flag judges. It is also a disgrace for which park managers and councillors should be ashamed.

Then take the little tree in this photo. A dead tree planted in Clissold Park. This tree died because no one bothered to water it after it was planted. A basic and simple task that when ignored is guaranteed to result in the wasted time, energy and money of planting the tree in the first place. Rocket science it ain't. But what is really shocking is that this tree was in Hackney's prestige Green Flag Clissold Park. Worse it was planted as a memorial for someone. Neglecting a memorial tree in your best park really shows all is not well.

But this little tree did not die alone. This tree was a replacement for another tree that also died. It too died because no one watered it. Shocked? Well what if I told you that tree was itself the 2nd, i.e. itself a replacement for an original tree that died, also of neglect. A dead tree that replaced a dead tree, that replaced a dead tree. And there are right now dead and dying trees in many, if not most of Hackneys major parks.

So yes we have lots of Green Flag parks. We also have lots of dead and dying trees. Old trees dying from damage and disregard, young trees dying for want of some water. Fortunately we also have dedicate tree carers (http://treemusketeers.org.uk/) who plant, protect and water trees in parks. Only we water what we plant. Sometimes we try and save those the Council neglects but we can't do it all on our own.

]]> As Hackney celebrates yet more Green Flag Awards for parks trees in those very parks continue to die from damage and neglect.   As with so many bureaucratic, league table type systems Green Flag Awards have become a misleading indicator of 'success'.  True parks in Hackney have improved in many respects; new toilets, signs, benches, path surfacing, litter bins, etc.  The fact that these things have happened is in part due to Green Flag, or at least elected Councillors desire for such awards.  However, as so often these days, the success hides many problems.  Indeed since Hackney has so many Green Flag parks most Councillors and officers live in blissful ignorance of these problems.

As a tree enthusiast the chestnuts dying from mower damage and newly planted trees dying from neglect make me very sad and angry.  Victorian trees over 100 years old deserve much better than to be mowed and damaged during grass cutting or construction.  That they then die from disease 10 or 20 years later is a tragic subtlety lost on most, including apparently Green Flag judges. It is also a disgrace for which park managers and councillors should be ashamed.

Then take the little tree in this photo. A dead tree planted in Clissold Park. This tree died because no one bothered to water it after it was planted. A basic and simple task that when ignored is guaranteed to result in the wasted time, energy and money of planting the tree in the first place. Rocket science it ain't. But what is really shocking is that this tree was in Hackney's prestige Green Flag Clissold Park. Worse it was planted as a memorial for someone. Neglecting a memorial tree in your best park really shows all is not well.

But this little tree did not die alone. This tree was a replacement for another tree that also died. It too died because no one watered it. Shocked? Well what if I told you that tree was itself the 2nd, i.e. itself a replacement for an original tree that died, also of neglect. A dead tree that replaced a dead tree, that replaced a dead tree. And there are right now dead and dying trees in many, if not most of Hackneys major parks.

So yes we have lots of Green Flag parks. We also have lots of dead and dying trees. Old trees dying from damage and disregard, young trees dying for want of some water. Fortunately we also have dedicate tree carers (http://treemusketeers.org.uk/) who plant, protect and water trees in parks. Only we water what we plant. Sometimes we try and save those the Council neglects but we can't do it all on our own.

]]>

Green Flags Fly but Trees Still Die

Russell Miller

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July 28, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

, , ,

As Hackney celebrates yet more Green Flag Awards for parks trees in those very parks continue to die from damage and neglect.   As with so many bureaucratic, league table type systems Green Flag Awards have become a misleading indicator of 'success'.  True parks in Hackney have improved in many respects; new toilets, signs, benches, path surfacing, litter bins, etc.  The fact that these things have happened is in part due to Green Flag, or at least elected Councillors desire for such awards.  However, as so often these days, the success hides many problems.  Indeed since Hackney has so many Green Flag parks most Councillors and officers live in blissful ignorance of these problems.

As a tree enthusiast the chestnuts dying from mower damage and newly planted trees dying from neglect make me very sad and angry.  Victorian trees over 100 years old deserve much better than to be mowed and damaged during grass cutting or construction.  That they then die from disease 10 or 20 years later is a tragic subtlety lost on most, including apparently Green Flag judges. It is also a disgrace for which park managers and councillors should be ashamed.

Then take the little tree in this photo. A dead tree planted in Clissold Park. This tree died because no one bothered to water it after it was planted. A basic and simple task that when ignored is guaranteed to result in the wasted time, energy and money of planting the tree in the first place. Rocket science it ain't. But what is really shocking is that this tree was in Hackney's prestige Green Flag Clissold Park. Worse it was planted as a memorial for someone. Neglecting a memorial tree in your best park really shows all is not well.

But this little tree did not die alone. This tree was a replacement for another tree that also died. It too died because no one watered it. Shocked? Well what if I told you that tree was itself the 2nd, i.e. itself a replacement for an original tree that died, also of neglect. A dead tree that replaced a dead tree, that replaced a dead tree. And there are right now dead and dying trees in many, if not most of Hackneys major parks.

So yes we have lots of Green Flag parks. We also have lots of dead and dying trees. Old trees dying from damage and disregard, young trees dying for want of some water. Fortunately we also have dedicate tree carers (http://treemusketeers.org.uk/) who plant, protect and water trees in parks. Only we water what we plant. Sometimes we try and save those the Council neglects but we can't do it all on our own.

]]>  

HEN representatives Anna O'Brien and I attended a meeting of the Community Empowerment Network (CEN) last Weds (21 July).  The CEN pulls together a wide variety of people in Hackney working for charities and the voluntary sector. It is an amazing diversity of committed organisations and individuals working to alleviate many of the worst consequences of our selfish, individualist society. Unfortunately Weds meeting was dominated by the cuts already hitting vital services like the Womens' Network combating domestic violence and Off-Centre working with troubled and disturbed children. The shocking reality of the bankers greed was brought home with caring people having to contemplate how to manage cuts to their already meagre budgets. The incompetent rich walk away with their bonuses whilst the vulnerable and dispossessed pay for their crimes.

I've opened a discussion on the politics of cuts see in the Community Politics Group on this site.

]]>

Community Empowerment Network meeting

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July 26, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (2)

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HEN representatives Anna O'Brien and I attended a meeting of the Community Empowerment Network (CEN) last Weds (21 July).  The CEN pulls together a wide variety of people in Hackney working for charities and the voluntary sector. It is an amazing diversity of committed organisations and individuals working to alleviate many of the worst consequences of our selfish, individualist society. Unfortunately Weds meeting was dominated by the cuts already hitting vital services like the Womens' Network combating domestic violence and Off-Centre working with troubled and disturbed children. The shocking reality of the bankers greed was brought home with caring people having to contemplate how to manage cuts to their already meagre budgets. The incompetent rich walk away with their bonuses whilst the vulnerable and dispossessed pay for their crimes.

I've opened a discussion on the politics of cuts see in the Community Politics Group on this site.

Russell Higgs

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the newly formed Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services is meeting on the Wednesday, 28th, at 7.30 at the Trinity Centre in Beechwood Road Dalston.

HATDPS was set up on JUly14th after two meetings of 50 people, all of them active Hackney trade union and community activists, with the aim "To encourage and support opposition/resistance to the running down, closure or privatisation of any public services in Hackney, and encourage and support campaigning for improvements needed."

Russell Higgs 42 days ago

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I'll be at the HEN Steering Group meeting on Weds. 

Hopefully those at the Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services meeting will realise a campaign against 'Tory cuts' (as per the SWP) is a diversion and a smoke screen.  The real culprits are the banks (and New Labour) and building a mass, popular campiagn is far more likely if the greed of the City is contrasted with the needs of Hackney's most vulnerable.

Frontline services v fat cat bonuses is the real fight,

not New Tory v Old Tory.

Russell Miller 41 days ago

]]> the newly formed Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services is meeting on the Wednesday, 28th, at 7.30 at the Trinity Centre in Beechwood Road Dalston.



HATDPS was set up on JUly14th after two meetings of 50 people, all of them active Hackney trade union and community activists, with the aim "To encourage and support opposition/resistance to the running down, closure or privatisation of any public services in Hackney, and encourage and support campaigning for improvements needed."

]]> I'll be at the HEN Steering Group meeting on Weds. 

Hopefully those at the Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services meeting will realise a campaign against 'Tory cuts' (as per the SWP) is a diversion and a smoke screen.  The real culprits are the banks (and New Labour) and building a mass, popular campiagn is far more likely if the greed of the City is contrasted with the needs of Hackney's most vulnerable.

Frontline services v fat cat bonuses is the real fight,

not New Tory v Old Tory.

]]>  

HEN representatives Anna O'Brien and I attended a meeting of the Community Empowerment Network (CEN) last Weds (21 July).  The CEN pulls together a wide variety of people in Hackney working for charities and the voluntary sector. It is an amazing diversity of committed organisations and individuals working to alleviate many of the worst consequences of our selfish, individualist society. Unfortunately Weds meeting was dominated by the cuts already hitting vital services like the Womens' Network combating domestic violence and Off-Centre working with troubled and disturbed children. The shocking reality of the bankers greed was brought home with caring people having to contemplate how to manage cuts to their already meagre budgets. The incompetent rich walk away with their bonuses whilst the vulnerable and dispossessed pay for their crimes.

I've opened a discussion on the politics of cuts see in the Community Politics Group on this site.

]]>

Community Empowerment Network meeting

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July 26, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (2)

, ,

 

HEN representatives Anna O'Brien and I attended a meeting of the Community Empowerment Network (CEN) last Weds (21 July).  The CEN pulls together a wide variety of people in Hackney working for charities and the voluntary sector. It is an amazing diversity of committed organisations and individuals working to alleviate many of the worst consequences of our selfish, individualist society. Unfortunately Weds meeting was dominated by the cuts already hitting vital services like the Womens' Network combating domestic violence and Off-Centre working with troubled and disturbed children. The shocking reality of the bankers greed was brought home with caring people having to contemplate how to manage cuts to their already meagre budgets. The incompetent rich walk away with their bonuses whilst the vulnerable and dispossessed pay for their crimes.

I've opened a discussion on the politics of cuts see in the Community Politics Group on this site.

Russell Higgs

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the newly formed Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services is meeting on the Wednesday, 28th, at 7.30 at the Trinity Centre in Beechwood Road Dalston.

HATDPS was set up on JUly14th after two meetings of 50 people, all of them active Hackney trade union and community activists, with the aim "To encourage and support opposition/resistance to the running down, closure or privatisation of any public services in Hackney, and encourage and support campaigning for improvements needed."

Russell Higgs 42 days ago

Russell Miller

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I'll be at the HEN Steering Group meeting on Weds. 

Hopefully those at the Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services meeting will realise a campaign against 'Tory cuts' (as per the SWP) is a diversion and a smoke screen.  The real culprits are the banks (and New Labour) and building a mass, popular campiagn is far more likely if the greed of the City is contrasted with the needs of Hackney's most vulnerable.

Frontline services v fat cat bonuses is the real fight,

not New Tory v Old Tory.

Russell Miller 41 days ago

]]> the newly formed Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services is meeting on the Wednesday, 28th, at 7.30 at the Trinity Centre in Beechwood Road Dalston.



HATDPS was set up on JUly14th after two meetings of 50 people, all of them active Hackney trade union and community activists, with the aim "To encourage and support opposition/resistance to the running down, closure or privatisation of any public services in Hackney, and encourage and support campaigning for improvements needed."

]]> I'll be at the HEN Steering Group meeting on Weds. 

Hopefully those at the Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services meeting will realise a campaign against 'Tory cuts' (as per the SWP) is a diversion and a smoke screen.  The real culprits are the banks (and New Labour) and building a mass, popular campiagn is far more likely if the greed of the City is contrasted with the needs of Hackney's most vulnerable.

Frontline services v fat cat bonuses is the real fight,

not New Tory v Old Tory.

]]>

Hackney Biodiversity Action Plan

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June 14, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

Hackney is at last developing a Biodiversity Action Plan. We are almost the only borough in London without a BAP and with so much important habitat in Hackney the document is a vital tool for guiding maintenance operations in parks, on housing estates and elsewhere.
The Hackney Biodiversity Partnership (where interested parties and the Council meet to discuss such metters) is drafting 6 Habitat Action Plans for: Parks, Woodlands, Wetlands and Waterways, Homes and Housing, the Built Environment and another to be decided. If you have experience of managing or improving any of these habitats why not join the Partnership and help create the BAP. Contact LBH Biodiversity Officer Kate.Mitchell@Hackney.gov.uk.

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Hackney Biodiversity Action Plan

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June 14, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

Hackney is at last developing a Biodiversity Action Plan. We are almost the only borough in London without a BAP and with so much important habitat in Hackney the document is a vital tool for guiding maintenance operations in parks, on housing estates and elsewhere.
The Hackney Biodiversity Partnership (where interested parties and the Council meet to discuss such metters) is drafting 6 Habitat Action Plans for: Parks, Woodlands, Wetlands and Waterways, Homes and Housing, the Built Environment and another to be decided. If you have experience of managing or improving any of these habitats why not join the Partnership and help create the BAP. Contact LBH Biodiversity Officer Kate.Mitchell@Hackney.gov.uk.

]]>

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Recent success in protecting Hackney's biodiversity

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June 14, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

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Two significant achievements merit wider appreciation. First the mad plan to create cricket pitches on the North Marsh meadow (part of a designated nature reserve of London wide importance) has finally been seen off. After numerous meetings and considerable pressure Hackney Marshes User Group and HEN succeeded in defeating John Wade's ambition to extend the existing 50Ha of sports grassland. Cricket on the marshes will be great but why we need 3 full size pitches just at the moment we loose 20Ha of East Marsh to the Olympics is beyond anyone but LBH's Head of Greenspaces. The meadow was recently visited by experts from the London Natural History Society's (http://www.lnhs.org.uk/) botany group and they were very impressed with its diversity of wild flowers and insects.
Another success is the shifting of the site for new Spring Hill changing rooms. A planning application had been submitted to build on the site of the old cricket pavilion in the north west corner of the site near the allotments. However that area now hosts a community orchard, several willow coppice stools and a mature privet hedge; all excellent wildlife habitats. Fortunately Kate Mitchell, newly appointed LBH biodiversity officer, visited the site and instantly recognised the importance of the area. Since LBH are better at listening to themselves than others (who had already pointed this out) Kate succeeded in getting the parks dept to withdraw the existing application and reapply to build nearby on the derelict bowling green.
Keeping what we've got is not quite as good as getting something new but it beats a lot of what has happened in the past.

]]>

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Recent success in protecting Hackney's biodiversity

Russell Miller

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June 14, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

,

Two significant achievements merit wider appreciation. First the mad plan to create cricket pitches on the North Marsh meadow (part of a designated nature reserve of London wide importance) has finally been seen off. After numerous meetings and considerable pressure Hackney Marshes User Group and HEN succeeded in defeating John Wade's ambition to extend the existing 50Ha of sports grassland. Cricket on the marshes will be great but why we need 3 full size pitches just at the moment we loose 20Ha of East Marsh to the Olympics is beyond anyone but LBH's Head of Greenspaces. The meadow was recently visited by experts from the London Natural History Society's (http://www.lnhs.org.uk/) botany group and they were very impressed with its diversity of wild flowers and insects.
Another success is the shifting of the site for new Spring Hill changing rooms. A planning application had been submitted to build on the site of the old cricket pavilion in the north west corner of the site near the allotments. However that area now hosts a community orchard, several willow coppice stools and a mature privet hedge; all excellent wildlife habitats. Fortunately Kate Mitchell, newly appointed LBH biodiversity officer, visited the site and instantly recognised the importance of the area. Since LBH are better at listening to themselves than others (who had already pointed this out) Kate succeeded in getting the parks dept to withdraw the existing application and reapply to build nearby on the derelict bowling green.
Keeping what we've got is not quite as good as getting something new but it beats a lot of what has happened in the past.

]]>

Food Growers meet Scrutiny Councillors

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March 18, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (3)

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Monday evening saw the final meeting (before spring elections) of the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission (an oversight body of the Council but lacking budgetary and policy decision making powers which are confined to Cabinet Members). Lack of political support for local food growing was indicated by the failure of Nargis Khan (Lab – cabinet member responsible for green space) to attend, as commented upon by chair Cllr Havey Odze (Con). Nevertheless local food growers were well represented by Growing Communities, Hackney Community Tree Nursery and Forest Garden, Hackney Allotments Society, Get Growing, Robin Hood Community Garden, Hackney City Farm, Somerford Grove Estate Gardening Club, Open Dalston/Eastern Curve and the Castle Climbing Centre. Also present were John Wade (LBH Head of Green Space) and Jackie Loftus (Hackney Homes), Cllrs Mischa Borris (Green Party), Cllr Kemp (Lab), Cllr Williams (Lab) and Sarah Williams from Capital Growth.
Unfortunately the discussion was dominated by John Wade and Jackie Loftus singing their own praises and claiming credit for all this good, community voices were left to last. However it was remarkable to gather so many players in Hackney food growing in one pace and to hear how much is going on. Clearly interest in local food growing is huge and expanding in Hackney. Most initiatives are small scale and bottom up, a factor lost on Ms. Loftus and Mr. Wade.
A disturbing fact made clear to the Commission was the very real threat to land used by the Tree Nursery and Growing Communities. Hackney Tree Nursery is threatened with loosing about 25% of its land because consultants employed by the Parks Dept failed to notice the large East London Community Recycling Project (ELCRP) facility on South Marsh. Now parks want to squeeze in more car parking so ELCRP have to move and the Tree Nursery is threatened. So too Growing Communities. Having temporarily lost 40% of their growing land to the Clissold Lottery rebuild parks now want to 'redevelop' their Springfield Park site and refuse to answer GC's concerns about their growing security. John Wades comments to the Commission offered no reassurance. Meanwhile Lordship North Estate's builder's bags food garden is threatened by a Hackney Homes demand for £3.5k for a tap!
So despite grand words both Hackney Homes and the parks department are actively inhibiting and damaging local food growing. Hopefully Cllr Odze and his colleagues having taken note!

Russell Higgs

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Russell, this very large solid block of text is an example of why we need the publishing editor options returned to all of us on HEN. x R

Russell Higgs 162 days ago

hughbarnard

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hughbarnard 156 days ago

Russell Miller

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Council have just backed down on threat to Tree Nursery! They've agreed to relocate ELCRP inside their marshes depot with no loss of land to the TN. Me suspects JW wanted to avoid a critical report from Scrutiny.

Russell Miller 156 days ago

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Food Growers meet Scrutiny Councillors

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March 18, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (3)

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Monday evening saw the final meeting (before spring elections) of the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission (an oversight body of the Council but lacking budgetary and policy decision making powers which are confined to Cabinet Members). Lack of political support for local food growing was indicated by the failure of Nargis Khan (Lab – cabinet member responsible for green space) to attend, as commented upon by chair Cllr Havey Odze (Con). Nevertheless local food growers were well represented by Growing Communities, Hackney Community Tree Nursery and Forest Garden, Hackney Allotments Society, Get Growing, Robin Hood Community Garden, Hackney City Farm, Somerford Grove Estate Gardening Club, Open Dalston/Eastern Curve and the Castle Climbing Centre. Also present were John Wade (LBH Head of Green Space) and Jackie Loftus (Hackney Homes), Cllrs Mischa Borris (Green Party), Cllr Kemp (Lab), Cllr Williams (Lab) and Sarah Williams from Capital Growth.
Unfortunately the discussion was dominated by John Wade and Jackie Loftus singing their own praises and claiming credit for all this good, community voices were left to last. However it was remarkable to gather so many players in Hackney food growing in one pace and to hear how much is going on. Clearly interest in local food growing is huge and expanding in Hackney. Most initiatives are small scale and bottom up, a factor lost on Ms. Loftus and Mr. Wade.
A disturbing fact made clear to the Commission was the very real threat to land used by the Tree Nursery and Growing Communities. Hackney Tree Nursery is threatened with loosing about 25% of its land because consultants employed by the Parks Dept failed to notice the large East London Community Recycling Project (ELCRP) facility on South Marsh. Now parks want to squeeze in more car parking so ELCRP have to move and the Tree Nursery is threatened. So too Growing Communities. Having temporarily lost 40% of their growing land to the Clissold Lottery rebuild parks now want to 'redevelop' their Springfield Park site and refuse to answer GC's concerns about their growing security. John Wades comments to the Commission offered no reassurance. Meanwhile Lordship North Estate's builder's bags food garden is threatened by a Hackney Homes demand for £3.5k for a tap!
So despite grand words both Hackney Homes and the parks department are actively inhibiting and damaging local food growing. Hopefully Cllr Odze and his colleagues having taken note!

Russell Higgs

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Russell, this very large solid block of text is an example of why we need the publishing editor options returned to all of us on HEN. x R

Russell Higgs 162 days ago

hughbarnard

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hughbarnard 156 days ago

Russell Miller

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Council have just backed down on threat to Tree Nursery! They've agreed to relocate ELCRP inside their marshes depot with no loss of land to the TN. Me suspects JW wanted to avoid a critical report from Scrutiny.

Russell Miller 156 days ago

]]>

Success - Council Appoints Biodiversity Officer

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February 16, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

After years of campaigning and DIY action we have finally succeeded in forcing the Council to appoint a biodiversity officer. One of the problems in persuading the Council not to do daft things, or even to do good things, has been the absence of anyone with any understanding of ecology in both the parks department and planning. It is around 20 years since the Council employed an ecologist! Whilst the appointment of an experienced biodiversity officer (Kate Mitchell) will not put an end to bad planning decisions or parks faux pars it does offer hope that in future major projects like the Clissold lottery works will be a lot more bioD wise.

This appointment and related new officers in parks (Head of Parks – John Wade, and Parks Development officers – Sam Parry, Bruce Irving and Eleanor Johnson) results largely from huge embarrassment caused when Hackney Parks Forum (HPF is the independent voice of park user groups) appeared at the Council's Scrutiny Committee 2 years ago and identified major gaps in LBH environmental cover (e.g. Hackney is one of only 2 London Councils still without a Biodiversity Action Plan).

Considerable work is done in the borough to protect and improve biodiversity but this is almost exclusively led by volunteers and is frequently undermined by bad council decision making and practise. Do not expect everything to change over night but not only is there hope for a better biodiversity future this appointment proves we can make a difference even inside the Council bureaucracy.

]]>

Success - Council Appoints Biodiversity Officer

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February 16, 2010 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

After years of campaigning and DIY action we have finally succeeded in forcing the Council to appoint a biodiversity officer. One of the problems in persuading the Council not to do daft things, or even to do good things, has been the absence of anyone with any understanding of ecology in both the parks department and planning. It is around 20 years since the Council employed an ecologist! Whilst the appointment of an experienced biodiversity officer (Kate Mitchell) will not put an end to bad planning decisions or parks faux pars it does offer hope that in future major projects like the Clissold lottery works will be a lot more bioD wise.

This appointment and related new officers in parks (Head of Parks – John Wade, and Parks Development officers – Sam Parry, Bruce Irving and Eleanor Johnson) results largely from huge embarrassment caused when Hackney Parks Forum (HPF is the independent voice of park user groups) appeared at the Council's Scrutiny Committee 2 years ago and identified major gaps in LBH environmental cover (e.g. Hackney is one of only 2 London Councils still without a Biodiversity Action Plan).

Considerable work is done in the borough to protect and improve biodiversity but this is almost exclusively led by volunteers and is frequently undermined by bad council decision making and practise. Do not expect everything to change over night but not only is there hope for a better biodiversity future this appointment proves we can make a difference even inside the Council bureaucracy.

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Sustainability in Action - Hackney Style

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December 6, 2009 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

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The season's winter work began in earnest this weekend with dedicated environmental do gooders doing good in Wick Wood and on Hackney Downs. On Sat a hard core of HMUG veterans built a stylish 'S' shaped 50m dead hedge in a clearing in the woods. Plenty more sustainable housing for wood mice, wrens, mini beasts and fungi. A lovely mild sunny morning made the work much more like play.
Then today TMs were out on the Downs planting hornbeam and native black poplars and filling in gaps in a hedge with dogwood and buckthorn. The black pops were grown at the community tree nursery on the marshes from cuttings taken in Wick Woodland in 2005. Around 40 of these rare native trees have been planted in Hackney in the last 5 years. If you know a space big enough for a really big tree we still have about 30 in the nursery looking for good homes.

To find out more or get involved visit the TM and HMUG website at: http://www.hackneyenvironment.org.uk/

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Sustainability in Action - Hackney Style

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December 6, 2009 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

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The season's winter work began in earnest this weekend with dedicated environmental do gooders doing good in Wick Wood and on Hackney Downs. On Sat a hard core of HMUG veterans built a stylish 'S' shaped 50m dead hedge in a clearing in the woods. Plenty more sustainable housing for wood mice, wrens, mini beasts and fungi. A lovely mild sunny morning made the work much more like play.
Then today TMs were out on the Downs planting hornbeam and native black poplars and filling in gaps in a hedge with dogwood and buckthorn. The black pops were grown at the community tree nursery on the marshes from cuttings taken in Wick Woodland in 2005. Around 40 of these rare native trees have been planted in Hackney in the last 5 years. If you know a space big enough for a really big tree we still have about 30 in the nursery looking for good homes.

To find out more or get involved visit the TM and HMUG website at: http://www.hackneyenvironment.org.uk/

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Olympics Legacy - More carbon, more tower blocks

Russell Miller

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November 13, 2009 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

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A ugly picture is beginning to emerge of what the LDA (London Development Authority) are planning as 'legacy' in the so called post-Olympic 'park'. Neo-con insanity necessitates the inevitability of yet another property development scam but on Monday (9/11) I discovered a detail that helps bring it all into perspective. In making various calculations about where to site wind turbines the busy Olympics brains have worked out that the NW corner of East Marsh is the only possible place, chiefly because regulations require it must be at least 250m from any housing. A combination of the illegal St. Teresa Terrace housing estate on Main Marsh, requiring its own 250m exclusion area, and air flow to the other turbine at Eton Manor make the NW corner of East Marsh the only place left. When I enquired why the turbine could not go elsewhere on the Olympic site (i.e. south of the A12) I was told there was so much housing planned for the site there is NOWHERE that will be 250m from a flat!
So the sustainable, green, games and legacy park just means another massive residential development. Hackney will apparently get back a modest park (the size of London Fields, says LBH 2012 officer) for the destruction of Arena Field, White Heart Field, St Theresa Terrace and other encroachments. Whilst the vast bulk of the Olympics site will be more concrete boxes of unsustainable housing. Sure there will be some greenwash, e.g. better than average energy efficiency, and it will all be sold (in every sense of the word) as essential to meet the demand for housing. But the same dishonest greed that gave us the sub-prime banking catastrophe is feeding this whole game. The real housing crisis is in over crowded B&Bs, privatised council stock and increasingly on the streets. None of those people will be re-housed in the profit led orgy that will be the Olympic legacy. What is more none of the well paid LDA/ODA/LBH engineers, bureaucrats and consultants or the aspiring politicians bother to analyse anything long enough to realise they are stoking the boiler of another berserk carbon frenzy. The Olympic games will cost 4m tonnes of CO2 and that excludes the legacy development. People need to believe there is some hope so after the great New Labour fraud of 1997 and 30 years of corrupt, free market, capitalist ideology even the propaganda can be out sourced. Atomised individuals lying to themselves, constructing personalised justifications for whatever they can get, desperate to believe its OK.
So if you want some hope amidst the reality of environmental mass suicide, don't construct threadbare rationalisations to fill the gaping holes in the lies they keep telling you. Get out and do something positive. Plant a tree, feed a bird or hug a friend in need. We are our only hope but only when we start thinking and acting for ourselves, our communities and our planet is there any chance of avoiding climate disaster. Trust me, it may be a painful journey but you will feel much better.

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Olympics Legacy - More carbon, more tower blocks

Russell Miller

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November 13, 2009 by Russell Miller   Comments (0)

, ,

A ugly picture is beginning to emerge of what the LDA (London Development Authority) are planning as 'legacy' in the so called post-Olympic 'park'. Neo-con insanity necessitates the inevitability of yet another property development scam but on Monday (9/11) I discovered a detail that helps bring it all into perspective. In making various calculations about where to site wind turbines the busy Olympics brains have worked out that the NW corner of East Marsh is the only possible place, chiefly because regulations require it must be at least 250m from any housing. A combination of the illegal St. Teresa Terrace housing estate on Main Marsh, requiring its own 250m exclusion area, and air flow to the other turbine at Eton Manor make the NW corner of East Marsh the only place left. When I enquired why the turbine could not go elsewhere on the Olympic site (i.e. south of the A12) I was told there was so much housing planned for the site there is NOWHERE that will be 250m from a flat!
So the sustainable, green, games and legacy park just means another massive residential development. Hackney will apparently get back a modest park (the size of London Fields, says LBH 2012 officer) for the destruction of Arena Field, White Heart Field, St Theresa Terrace and other encroachments. Whilst the vast bulk of the Olympics site will be more concrete boxes of unsustainable housing. Sure there will be some greenwash, e.g. better than average energy efficiency, and it will all be sold (in every sense of the word) as essential to meet the demand for housing. But the same dishonest greed that gave us the sub-prime banking catastrophe is feeding this whole game. The real housing crisis is in over crowded B&Bs, privatised council stock and increasingly on the streets. None of those people will be re-housed in the profit led orgy that will be the Olympic legacy. What is more none of the well paid LDA/ODA/LBH engineers, bureaucrats and consultants or the aspiring politicians bother to analyse anything long enough to realise they are stoking the boiler of another berserk carbon frenzy. The Olympic games will cost 4m tonnes of CO2 and that excludes the legacy development. People need to believe there is some hope so after the great New Labour fraud of 1997 and 30 years of corrupt, free market, capitalist ideology even the propaganda can be out sourced. Atomised individuals lying to themselves, constructing personalised justifications for whatever they can get, desperate to believe its OK.
So if you want some hope amidst the reality of environmental mass suicide, don't construct threadbare rationalisations to fill the gaping holes in the lies they keep telling you. Get out and do something positive. Plant a tree, feed a bird or hug a friend in need. We are our only hope but only when we start thinking and acting for ourselves, our communities and our planet is there any chance of avoiding climate disaster. Trust me, it may be a painful journey but you will feel much better.

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Why East Marsh was chosen for the turbine.

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November 9, 2009 by Russell Miller   Comments (1)

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Thanks to a very poorly attended consultation event at the Town Hall this evening (9 members of the public) I think I now understand why East Marsh was chosen as the location for the 2nd Olympic turbine (another is to be built at Eton Manor in Waltham Forest). Evidently 'our' turbine will not be operational before Nov 2013, too late for the Olympics; but it must be within the Olympic site to satisfy a planning condition for Olympic legacy renewable energy. East Marsh is deemed to be inside the Olympic site even though it is supposed to come back to Hackney in 2013.
The turbine cannot go elsewhere in the Olympic site because the plan is for so much residential development in the legacy 'park' that anywhere else would be too close to housing (I think 250m is the exclusion zone). That should give a fair idea of the sort of park it will be. It cannot go elsewhere on East Marsh because it would interfere with wind flow to the Eton Manor turbine.
So the raison d'etre is to comply with a planning condition for 20-35% (the figure seems to vary) renewable energy for the legacy development. However the ODA/LDA now say they may not need the turbine to achieve this figure so Hackney gets to decide whether or not it goes ahead. So it's an Olympics turbine that's not an Olympics turbine. Still with me?
Carefully sifting through Charlie Foreman's spin (LBH 2012 officer) it appears the site of the turbine has been moved away from the Old Lea river, further into East Marsh, because of concerns raised in bat and bird surveys commissioned by the ODA. I think I persuaded Mr. Foreman and those present from the ODA to make public those surveys.
Other data gathered: it's a 2kw turbine, will take 9 months to repay its carbon build (it's 120m of steel on a big concrete platform); some other output data went over my head/wasn't explained.
I did however learn the Olympics carbon footprint, excluding legacy developments, is 4m tonnes!
Consultation ends 14 December.

steve dowding

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With regard to bird surveys, a couple of FoI requests to LBH and ODA which should receive reponses published online at whatdotheyknow.com by 26th Nov:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/birds_on_east_marsh_and_the_rive#incoming-53708

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/birds_on_east_marsh_and_the_old#incoming-52840

steve dowding 294 days ago

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Why East Marsh was chosen for the turbine.

Russell Miller

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November 9, 2009 by Russell Miller   Comments (1)

, , , ,

Thanks to a very poorly attended consultation event at the Town Hall this evening (9 members of the public) I think I now understand why East Marsh was chosen as the location for the 2nd Olympic turbine (another is to be built at Eton Manor in Waltham Forest). Evidently 'our' turbine will not be operational before Nov 2013, too late for the Olympics; but it must be within the Olympic site to satisfy a planning condition for Olympic legacy renewable energy. East Marsh is deemed to be inside the Olympic site even though it is supposed to come back to Hackney in 2013.
The turbine cannot go elsewhere in the Olympic site because the plan is for so much residential development in the legacy 'park' that anywhere else would be too close to housing (I think 250m is the exclusion zone). That should give a fair idea of the sort of park it will be. It cannot go elsewhere on East Marsh because it would interfere with wind flow to the Eton Manor turbine.
So the raison d'etre is to comply with a planning condition for 20-35% (the figure seems to vary) renewable energy for the legacy development. However the ODA/LDA now say they may not need the turbine to achieve this figure so Hackney gets to decide whether or not it goes ahead. So it's an Olympics turbine that's not an Olympics turbine. Still with me?
Carefully sifting through Charlie Foreman's spin (LBH 2012 officer) it appears the site of the turbine has been moved away from the Old Lea river, further into East Marsh, because of concerns raised in bat and bird surveys commissioned by the ODA. I think I persuaded Mr. Foreman and those present from the ODA to make public those surveys.
Other data gathered: it's a 2kw turbine, will take 9 months to repay its carbon build (it's 120m of steel on a big concrete platform); some other output data went over my head/wasn't explained.
I did however learn the Olympics carbon footprint, excluding legacy developments, is 4m tonnes!
Consultation ends 14 December.

steve dowding

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With regard to bird surveys, a couple of FoI requests to LBH and ODA which should receive reponses published online at whatdotheyknow.com by 26th Nov:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/birds_on_east_marsh_and_the_rive#incoming-53708

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/birds_on_east_marsh_and_the_old#incoming-52840

steve dowding 294 days ago

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Power Politics and the Olympic Land Grab

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October 28, 2009 by Russell Miller   Comments (1)

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One of the many issues not discussed in the Hackney Pravda advert for an Olympics wind turbine on East Marsh is why the turbine is not on the Olympics site. It is an Olympics project, i.e. ODA (Olympics Delivery Authority). The primary reason for building it is to create the illusion that the 2012 games will be Green and to help meet the 25% renewables condition of the IOC (Int. Olym Cmte) award.
Rather than debate whether a turbine on East Marsh is a good or bad idea we should be asking why it is not on the Olympic site. If it is to power the Olympics,the closer the better. Remember Hackney lost 10Ha of open space to the Olympics (Arena Field, White Hart Field and part of the east corner of Main Marsh) and will not receive any exchange land. So the very least that could be done is to put the turbine on what was Hackney land and then pay LBH rent for the site. What we are actually being offered is another land grab for the Olympics with the fig leaf that LBH can charge the private energy provider some ground rent. So no I don't want a wind turbine on East Marsh. Instead lets have 3 on the Olympics site, the one at Eton Manor (in Waltham Forest), the one the ODA are trying to export to East Marsh, and another one for good measure!
Once we have a wind farm legacy on the Olympics site and compensation for the 10Ha of stolen land, then we can discuss the merits or otherwise of further turbines on other sites.

hughbarnard

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Hi Russell

I've started an Olympic legacy group for this, discussions, bit of pressures concerning what we 'really really want' (to quote the immortal Spice Girls) and what we don't out of the space.

Best regards Hugh

hughbarnard 312 days ago

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Power Politics and the Olympic Land Grab

Russell Miller

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October 28, 2009 by Russell Miller   Comments (1)

, , , ,

One of the many issues not discussed in the Hackney Pravda advert for an Olympics wind turbine on East Marsh is why the turbine is not on the Olympics site. It is an Olympics project, i.e. ODA (Olympics Delivery Authority). The primary reason for building it is to create the illusion that the 2012 games will be Green and to help meet the 25% renewables condition of the IOC (Int. Olym Cmte) award.
Rather than debate whether a turbine on East Marsh is a good or bad idea we should be asking why it is not on the Olympic site. If it is to power the Olympics,the closer the better. Remember Hackney lost 10Ha of open space to the Olympics (Arena Field, White Hart Field and part of the east corner of Main Marsh) and will not receive any exchange land. So the very least that could be done is to put the turbine on what was Hackney land and then pay LBH rent for the site. What we are actually being offered is another land grab for the Olympics with the fig leaf that LBH can charge the private energy provider some ground rent. So no I don't want a wind turbine on East Marsh. Instead lets have 3 on the Olympics site, the one at Eton Manor (in Waltham Forest), the one the ODA are trying to export to East Marsh, and another one for good measure!
Once we have a wind farm legacy on the Olympics site and compensation for the 10Ha of stolen land, then we can discuss the merits or otherwise of further turbines on other sites.

hughbarnard

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Hi Russell

I've started an Olympic legacy group for this, discussions, bit of pressures concerning what we 'really really want' (to quote the immortal Spice Girls) and what we don't out of the space.

Best regards Hugh

hughbarnard 312 days ago

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