Criminal damage?

Not the most exciting of shots but an important one nonetheless. On our walk today we crossed the main railway line between Ashford and London near Bearsted where Railtrack contractors were engaged in lineside clearance of trees and undergrowth in this cutting.

We've all heard the stories of "leaves on the line" causing delay to services and damage to the trains but we thought that this sort of insensitve clearance of vegetation during a critical part of the year had been outlawed.

A week ago, this bank was a mass of spring flowers and over the last few days many trees have been lost during the most crucial time for nesting birds.

We all know about the importance and the plight of the bee? Well this is not going to help. Birds may not have been nesting in the trees but trees and undergrowth are an essential source of food for young chicks. This sort of thing does not help.

The RSPB estimate that since 1966 we've lost the equivalent of one nesting pair of birds a minute from our countryside, that means 166 million pairs compared to 210 million in 1966.

But birds are just the tip of the iceberg - an indicator if you like that a lot of people are increasing disconnected from the natural world. It seems to us that the natural environment is being sidelined by the relentless demands of a consumer led urbansied society.

Something has got to happen, people who care have got to be activists and stand up for the natural environment. We have reported this unnecessary destruction to the RSPB and asked if any action can be taken.

Please suport our natural environment, it's all we've got.