Bonkers

Wanted in Gloucester and Somerset, to be shot on sight !

Some song titles say it all. Was not planning to post a blog this week as Mike is having a well deserved break but listening to the radio on my way back from a pleasant walk down the Severn- Thames canal  I was not best pleased to hear that the badger pilot cull will take place after all this June. Thanks Owen Patterson and DEFRA who are at least consistently found lacking in supporting any sustainable countryside {landscape in Chris Packham terms} approach to any  environmental issues that need to be faced. Enough has been said on Bovine TB  and Chris Packham's radio response to this though sensible, will not penetrate this Governments simplistic often incorrect stance eg. they and the NFU didn't like the last badger pilot cull conclusions so lets do it again. Bit like the 'pesticide debacle' when they get 'experts' with invested interest to confirm that a particular pesticide is not killing bees etc!

With admittedly some effort in co-ordination there is enough support from conservation groups {I hopefully include NT here}, assuming a neutral at best DEFRA,  to really work with farmers in coming up with better solutions to Bovine TB and other agriculture environmental issues. Given there is a hardcore set of professionals and volunteers that haven't given up on Environmental Conservation much good can be done if priorities are changed to give it a chance. Wouldn't it also be good for example to actually make the agriculture environment schemes more effective a win win for the majority of farmers and conservationists. The point here is that this isn't farmers versus conservationists,  its conservationists helping farmers with environmentally friendly and working solutions .  Given the government hasn't shown any leadership here, is there any hope in co-ordinating the major Trusts to make an effective response?  Resources and the will seems to fall mainly on our excellent Charitable Trusts which no doubt is fine with the government since it costs them nothing.