An interesting take on the application for the Lake District to become a world heritage site.
https://www.theguardian.com/comment...e-district-world-heritage-site-george-monbiot
It's his pet subject and he makes some valid points.
I live on the fringes where I've seen some positive changes but more could be done.
On a positive note locally there have been three new large developments within the NP boundary.
The National Trust created a large wetland site,English Nature developed a raised bog from a old pine wood,and the Forestry Commission chopped down a dense pine forest and replaced the trees with spaced out native deciduous trees.
All within a couple of square miles.
Ten years ago I seldom visited the area because it was basically sheep sheep and more sheep with dense pine woods on the fringe.
There was nothing to see here and I'd drive on to better places.
Birds which can now be seen include,Cuckoo,Tree Pipit,Sedge Warbler,Woodcock,Common Snipe,Little Egret,Grey Heron,Stonechat,Reed Bunting,Grasshopper Warbler,Wigeon,Teal,Gadwall,Garganey,Scaup,Tufted Duck,Little Grebe,Red Kite,Marsh Harrier,Oystercatcher,Redshank,Lapwing,Curlew and so on.
I was really pleased with seeing the Cuckoo,Tree Pipit and Stonechat in the raised bog area.I'd gone past there for years when it was just a dense wood, and recorded nothing.The Cuckoo has been there for three weeks,and the Tree Pipit and Stonechat have paired up.This is the first year they've ever been recorded here.
Further afield there are two huge valleys which have a balance between sheep farming and great habitats for birds which attract Whinchat,Stonechat,Cuckoo,Common Sandpiper,Reed Bunting,Skylark,Green Woodpecker,Kestrel.Northern Wheatear,Common Redstart,Pied Flyycatcher,Barn Owl and other birds.
Farmers are beginning to fence off areas from sheep and plant deciduous trees on the fells in response to Storm Desmond.The vegetation than can grow and together with the trees the downward flow of water can be slowed down.There are huge areas like this near Tebay and Borrowdale.
Just yesterday we had a walk in the Winster Valley.Birds recorded were Pied Flycatcher,Redstart,Garden Warbler[8],Blackcap,Willow Warbler,Chiffchaff,Buzzard,Grey Heron and a few other bits and bobs.
There is a mix between sheep farming,a Cumbria Wildife Trust reserve,decidious woods and some marvellous scrubby areas which attract the Garden Warbler in particular.
Just near Crook the farmer has lots of sheep and cows but in between there are large areas of gorse and other shrubs as well as a deciduous wood.Birds here include Yellowhammer,Garden Warbler,Blackcap,Common Redstart,Buzzard,Cuckoo,Green Woodpecker and Northern Wheatear.
There are loads of places like this and this is just in one small corner of the Lake District.I often write to George and tell him what's going on locally and that its not all doom and gloom.
