http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1527
"It is an offence for any person to intentionally or recklessly damage or destroy any of the features of special interest of an SSSI, or to disturb wildlife for which the site was notified.
It is an offence for owners and occupiers to carry out or allow to be carried out, operations listed in the notification without our consent."
Hi Jane.....[thank you for your interest in 'our little problem' here in Leicestershire]!
Eye Brook Reservoir is owned by the company known as Corus and water from here is used for industry in Corby....[or used to be].
EBR is a trout fishery and the relationship between reservoir management staff and nature-lovers had always been excellent. Corus, a few years ago, applied for a Stewardship Scheme grant which English Nature 'rubber stamped' i can only assume...[and presumanly without thinking thru the potential negative affects on this designated SSSI site re trespassing/access/etc].
This basically meant that Corus only had to cut the western side of reservoirs hedgerows every two years...[saving money for them obviously]...and to two metres height as per national Defra guidelines. Now although i have not been privvy to 'negotiations' between the interested parties...apparently under the auspices of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme..'we'...have now entered a 'Higher level of Stewardship Scheme'.
Now to try and cut a very long story short....[as i am aware that not all folk will be interested]! The west side of reservoir which 'used' to have beautifully managed hedgerows, allowing all members of the public great viewing, now they look as though they have been given a bad haircut by a blindfolded barber. The hedges are uncared for..out of control...have attracted no new breeding birds into their spindly extra height...and really look a complete shambles...[and all this because of EU law and English Nature's thinking that a taller hedge is a 'better' hedge]! Since allowing the growth of hedgerows the upshot has been that this has encouraged increasing trespassing because folk now cannot be seen from road which borders hedgerow and reservoir.
Half-hearted little trespassing signs have been put up...[nowhere near as many as were said were going to be put up]...some of which now lay on the ground..presumably torn down by whatever passing idiot..!
As you can tell i'm 'a tad' upset over this matter as i have birded at this site since i was a youngster and it pains me to see the reservoir 'going to the dogs'...[and their owners]!
The 'bottom line' from English Nature seems to be 'there's nothing we can do...it's EU law'...
ps...'that' farmer with his disturbance tactics are a side issue which hopefully can be resolved...we've just got to catch him at it and obtain evidence...[it is just one of the many problems that exist at this site...and at times i feel as tho there's a conspiracy going on amongst landowners etc...in trying to destroy the tranquility of the area]....hopefully i am just being paranoid..:smoke:
