Many of you will know that a year or two ago there were rumours that the DWT (Derbyshire Wildlife Trust) were considering removing the lock from the hide at Wyver and making it open access. This was natuarally met with disapproval and not one person I spoke to were in favour of such a ridiculous idea.
Roll forward to September 2017 and we had a meeting down Wyver on Tuesday with the new Living Landscape Officer. He went on to inform us that this ridiculous idea is going ahead, and very soon. The lock is to be removed on 19/09/2017! This despite all of our objections. When the original unlocked hide was standing it was often used as a drug den and I often found needles, beer cans, nappies and just general crap in the hide. Then the inevitable happened, it got burned to the ground. So why in their infinite wisdom the DWT thinks it will be a good idea to open up the hide I do not know.
Other proposals are in the pipeline including allowing access on to the reserve itself. A mown path has been suggested that would run from the southern end of the reserve along the river and probably up the access steps near the brick buildings. Yet again another stupid idea. Access on to the reserve will only put pressure on certain species that are already under pressure.
Part of the DWT's reasoning to the these plans is that they want to make their reserves more accessible to the general public. Yet with Wyver you can see all of the reserve from the lane without going int to the hide or on to the reserve itself. They want to increase the current 14,000 members to 20,000 members but I would suggest that they have scored a huge own goal here and may even lose members. In fact, I know of a couple who have already cancelled their membership as a result.
As you can imagine, I've had a lot of feedback since these ideas were made public. And not one person has said to me that they think it's a good idea. I've even had a woman ring me up expressing her disgust. For years now she has taken her children for a walk down the lane and made use of the hide. However, she said to me that she will find somewhere else to go in the future as she also remembers how the hide used to be in the pre lock days, and would not feel comfortable going in to the hide not knowing who or what she may find.
I've been going to Wyver on a regular basis since 2001 and took on the role of volunteer warden a few years ago now. Wyver is a huge part of my life and I hoped it would be for years to come. But I really don't know what the future holds for me or for Wyver itself. I feel very angry and upset about what they're doing but there probably isn't a lot I or anybody can do.
However, I won't let it happen without a fight. So if like me you are disgusted with the DWT then please get in touch with them to show your disapproval. You can ring them on 01773 881188 or email
[email protected].