Paul has been supporting our nature conservation project ‘Urban Nature’ for 14 years, bringing with him a wealth of experience and expertise from his career. This is his story of how he came to volunteer with us, and his thoughts on nature conservation now –
“In 1962, two years before I began work with the Trent River Authority, the Nottingham Evening Post published a reader’s letter of concern about the state of the environment. He said “What a sorry future! We poison the rivers, pollute the air, chop down trees and ruin the meadows. Where will it end?”. Sixty years on there have been significant improvements but the issues pointed out by the reader are still testing every one of us, added to which are the consequences of rapid climate change.
I retired in 2006 as the Environment Agency’s Regional Valuer and Estate Manager, having worked 42 years for the Agency and its predecessors. When I started with the Trent River Authority as a seventeen-year-old junior clerk I hoped that my love of the outdoors would enable me to occasionally escape from my desk and contribute to a better understanding of the natural environment. For nearly 10 years I was desk-bound but was fully aware of the impact that we all had on our local and national environment. For example, the canalisation of the River Leen through Nottingham and the general regrading, deepening, and straightening of natural watercourses did not always recognise the negative environmental impact. Watercourse banks were often cleared of vegetation and river gravel beds excavated, thereby destroying habitat for water voles, otters and spawning fish. However, by the late 1970’s conservation officers had been recruited and biodiversity became a key aspect of all project consultation.
As a member of many project teams, I came to know representatives of external partners, such as the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts, and we were able to advise and support project managers on environmental enhancement. The support of landowners and occupiers was often key, but the majority were willing to see trees planted or ponds excavated, particularly if such works were confined to their definition of “non-productive” land. The Environment Agency was – and still is I believe – a significant landowner. The largest block of land that I managed was 560 hectares of the Beckingham Marshes Estate in north Nottinghamshire. It is a flood storage area opposite Gainsborough and used during high flow events on the tidal River Trent. It was part pasture but mainly arable let to local farmers. The tenanted pasture land attracted the interest of the RSPB, and, with the agreement of the tenant, a project was devised in partnership with the RSPB to create wetland habitat for the benefit of breeding lapwings, redshank and other wading birds. From the RSPB’s Beckingham website, I see that the project is still proving very successful.
After 14 years of volunteering on the STAA wildlife project of Urban Nature I have recently stepped down to concentrate on tours, walks and heritage research. I hope that some of my work knowledge and experience has helped in the implementation of STAA’s biodiversity objectives, although I have constantly been impressed by the knowledge and enthusiasm of the staff, tenants and volunteers who continue to cultivate and maintain this diverse site.”
If you would like to find out more about volunteering with us, visit our webpage with more information and our application form: https://staa-allotments.org.uk/volunteering-with-staa/
