Every Field and Hedgerow

Some weeks ago, /u/Greejatus and colleagues within the Libertarian Party of the United Kingdom (LPUK) penned an open letter to the Government asking for a firm commitment on the action being taken to protect and preserve Britain's Historic hedgerows. With the Government collapsing soon after, it looks at if this missive may fall on deaf ears.

The letter notes that;

there are some 450,000 kilometers of hedgerows, with approximately 190,000 kilometers of them being considered to be historic. Many face environmental damage, or are at risk of being removed and uprooted due to local developments and the imposition of highways. Indeed, during the post war period, the amount of historic hedgerows almost halved!

For a huge number of people living in the increasingly forgotten and chronically underfunded rural environment of the United Kingdom, such natural edifices are part of the appeal part of the scenery, and part of the natural ecosystem, and they face ever more threats.

The letter notes;

As I am sure you are aware many of these hedgerows date back to the Bronze Age, with many having been planted to create the field boundaries that we know and love today. They add value to property in rural areas, and form a lattice of natural character across the countryside of our Isles. Additionally, a great many of the hedgerows form a natural habitat for countryside wildlife, such as the song thrush and wood-mouse, species that, without such a habitat, would surely face endangerment.

Without a doubt, charity groups such as the RSPB and RSPCA would be cheering to hear the support of at least one politician in the United Kingdom for the natural wildlife, no matter how small, in the British Countryside - Bill Oddie is now doubt faint with joy.

Regardless of what one may think of the importance of the issue, the protection of the natural heritage is coming back to the fore of British politics, with a robust defense of peat bogs being discussed in parliament this week. The Bogs, which provide 25% of the nations drinking water, and under threat, and - should the Bill pass - will be eligible for conservation area status.

Together with hedgerows, the peat bogs drive shows that, whilst the Government may have collapsed, there remains a small collection of politicians in Parliament who are committed to localized, natural causes, and in continuing to fight for the beauty of our natural world, despite the comings and goings of political grandees.