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Proposed Airport (1 Viewer)

Steve

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United Kingdom
PROPOSED AIRPORT SERIOUSLY THREATENS IMPORTANT WETLAND HABITAT

The British Government proposals for air-traffic expansion due to future demands include a possible plan to build a new airport with up to four runways on the North Kent Marshes, near Cliffe, Kent, U.K.

These marshes are within an area identified in the Ramsar Convention as being of International importance as a Wetland habitat. They have also been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI/SSI). The building of an airport would spell disaster for the birds and other wildlife of the marshes and the Thames Estuary.


The following is taken from the leaflet produced by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds:

‘THE WETLANDS OF THE THAMES ESTUARY THAT STRETCH ACROSS NORTH KENT AND SOUTH ESSEX COMPRISE ONE OF THE TOP FIVE AREAS IN THE U.K FOR BREEDING, PASSAGE AND WINTERING BIRDS.

OVER 200,000 WADERS AND WILDFOWL WINTER IN THIS RICH WILDLIFE HAVEN. THE GRAZING MARSHES AND WETLANDS OF NORTH KENT ALSO SUPPORT A VARIETY OF BREEDING WADERS, SUCH AS AVOCET, REDSHANK AND LAPWING. THERE ARE ALSO MANY OTHER SCARCE BREEDING BIRDS SUCH AS MARSH HARRIERS, TERNS, AND MEDITERRANEAN GULLS. THE WETLANDS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT FOR AN ARRAY OF OTHER WILDLIFE. THIS INCLUDES WATER VOLES, SCARCE EMERALD DAMSELFLIES, AND THE RECENTLY RE-DISCOVERED MAID OF KENT ROVE BEETLE, AS WELL AS MANY NATIONALLY RARE PLANTS.

MUCH OF THIS COULD BE LOST OR IRREVOCABLY DAMAGED, INCLUDING TWO MAJOR R.S.P.B RESERVES, CLIFFE POOLS AND NORTHWARD HILL, IF THE AIRPORT PLANS GO AHEAD.

FROM A WILDLIFE PERSPECTIVE, IT IS HARD TO THINK OF ANYWHERE WORSE TO BUILD AN AIRPORT’.

The leaflet continues….

‘THE NORTH KENT MARSHES HAVE A RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, FEATURING HEAVILY IN DICKEN’S NOVELS, NOTABLY THE GRAVEYARD AT COOLING THAT PROVIDED THE INSPIRATION FOR THE FIRST MEETING OF PIP AND MAGWITCH IN GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

BESIDES THE PHYSICAL DAMAGE AND LOSS, THE TRANQUILITY OF THE NORTH KENT MARSHES WOULD BE SHATTERED BY THE TAKE-OFF AND LANDING OF AIRCRAFT, TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK’.

The British Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has launched a campaign to vigorously oppose the proposal.

More information can be found at the Society’s web site: http://www.rspb.org.uk/rspb.asp

If you are able, please lend your valuable and much appreciated support to this campaign. THANK YOU.

MOTHER HEN
 
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