BBOWT blasts 'disgraceful' behaviour at West Berkshire commons and nature reserves
Littering, fires and disturbed wildlife at Greenham, Snelsmore, Theale
A wildlife trust responsible for West Berkshire's treasured commons and nature reserves has said it has been "shocked, saddened and angered" by irresponsible behaviour at its sites.
The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) said a large number of nature reserves had been damaged in recent weeks.
The trust said there had been widespread cases of littering at reserves as warm weather coincided with an easing of coronavirus restrictions.
As reported in the Newbury Weekly News, the trust has stood down the bulk of its volunteers and its staff have been "struggling to cope" with the impact of coronavirus on its conservation work.
In West Berkshire, BBOWT said it had experienced fires at Greenham Common, Snelsmore Country Park and Wokefield Common nature reserves. An increase in dogs scaring wildlife has also been recorded.
Human excrement has also been found behind the currently locked toilet building at Snelsmore. An old building on Greenham Common was broken into, causing substantial damage to its structure and roof.
Land management and people engagement director for BBOWT Christopher Williams said: “I’ve been shocked, saddened and angered by the frankly disgraceful behaviour and actions by some people which we have witnessed at our nature reserves in the last few weeks.
"These special places have been lovingly cared for by volunteers and staff for decades and it is very upsetting to see the impact of the actions of a few thoughtless individuals."
Fly tipping has been reported at a number of reserves including Bowdown Woods, Greenham, and Moor Copse near Tidmarsh. Wildflowers and nesting areas for skylark have been damaged at Moor Copse.
At Hosehill Lake near Theale, and reported in the NWN, the trust said that boating and swimming has disturbed nesting birds including terns, lapwing and oyster catchers. People fishing in front of a specially-created sand martin wall is thought to have resulted in a lack of nests there this year.
Mr Williams said: “I’ve worked in the sector for nearly 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like this. We have seen a dramatic increase in vandalism, fly tipping, litter, fires, out of control dogs worrying our livestock, people feeding and abusing our grazing ponies.
“People have been disturbing important nesting sites by playing, swimming and kayaking in lakes and ponds set aside for wildlife. People have been having picnics, playing football, flying kites and drones, camping and having barbecues at these places which are meant to be places where wildlife can thrive.
“None of these activities are permitted at our sites and they are doing untold damage to the prospects of rare and precious wildlife.
“Our land management teams are already struggling to cope with the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak and this is causing additional and unnecessary stress to those dedicated staff and volunteers who care for these places.”
BBOWT is asking anyone who witnesses antisocial and criminal activity at any of its nature reserves, to contact the police on 101. If the matter is serious, contact BBOWT https://www.bbowt.org.uk/contact-us
The trust said the following incidents had been recorded at the following sites:
Bowdown Woods
Flytipping
Greenham Common
Breaking into old building causing lots of damage to structure and roof, people drinking alcohol.
Fires and barbecues – a large fire on May 30.
Drones, kites, model aircraft, picnics on lozenges, out of control dogs, fishing in ponds, fire beaters smashed, horseriding and cycling on lozenges
Hosehill, Theale
Boating and Swimming – disturbs nesting terns, lapwing, oyster catchers
Fishing in front of sand martin wall – none nesting in it this year
Creating paths through the reedbed to get to the lake disturbing warblers etc
Litter, barbecues, football games etc. including on neighbours property too
Dogs out of control chasing wildfowl and young
Moor Copse, Tidmarsh
People creating new paths through the meadows, damaging wildflowers and potential nesting areas for skylark
Drive through demolition of gate into field
Masses of flytipping
Fishing
Logs thrown into river blocking watercourse and sluice downstream
Rack Marsh, Bagnor
Padlock/chain cut by motorcyclists to gain access to river crossing
Snelsmore Common
Car park full and people parking on the road, barbecues all over site, fire, people going to the toilet behind the currently locked toilet building
Thatcham Reedbeds and Nature Discovery Centre
Vandalism, flytipping, littering
Wokefield, Mortimer
Fires and barbecues
