Council blasted over badger protection
A LANDOWNER has lambasted the "mind boggling" lengths Devon County Council has gone to to protect badgers while fixing a country road.
The road leading from Broadhembury near Honiton in East Devon to the A373 was closed last summer after tunnelling badgers undermined it.
Robert Persey, who owns land next to the road, said at the time the council was considering keeping the road closed because it would cost so much to protect it in line with badger protection laws.
The council is in the process of repairing the road. Mr Persey said the authority seemed so anxious not to harm the animals during the work it was as though they were "more important than children".
The operation involves digging trenches on either side and putting down wire mesh, as well as providing pipes to make badger "underpasses".
Mr Persey said a representative from an environmental trust was on site at all times to make sure no badgers were harmed and he believed the council had sent someone down each day for the past year to ensure no-one tampered with the road closure signs.
Last autumn he counted six people carrying out a survey of the badgers.
"It's absolutely mind boggling," he said. He argued the council would not have gone to such lengths to ensure the safety of any other animal. He said: "My main concern is that the country is more or less bankrupt but badgers are put on a pedestal and the taxpayers of Devon are paying for this."
Mr Persey did not blame Devon County Council but criticised the national legislation that forced the authority to pursue such elaborate measures.
Ian Johnson, South West spokesman for the NFU, said badgers could cause huge costs to the farming community and wider society.
He said: "There are reports of badgers not just unfortunately spreading diseases but causing not inconsiderable damage to allotments, golf courses, cemeteries and even housing estates." He blamed the situation on a Wind in the Willows mentality that meant badgers are regarded as almost sacred "for no good reason".
A spokesman for Devon County Council said it was acting in accordance with the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. It has consulted with Natural England and appointed a local ecologist to supervise the work. David Williams, chairman of the Badger Trust, said he did not think the measures to protect the badgers sounded unreasonable. He said: "All road repairs are costly. The fact is some people will do all they can to give badgers a bad name."
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by Chris, Cornwall
Monday, October 12 2009, 2:31PM
“Arboretums are all well and good but I dont want to be in a position in 50 years time to take my grandkids to one as the only way to see any kind of biodiversity. You were right when you said that Man is part of nature but unfortunatly he (its usually us guys) thinks he is separate from nature and tries to subvert it in order to make life easy or cost effective. Sometimes thats possible but most of the time nature ends up biting Man squarely on the backside. I do care about people like you Charles (platonically speaking of course) but to keep you living happily in the naturally rich and beautiful Gods Own County that you do takes a bit of effort (and cash) to protect the biodiversity that we all rely on.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, October 12 2009, 10:50AM
“:| Chris, I and people like me were investing in, and making our environment a better place to live when people like you were still in nappies. . When do you think all these arboretums and the like were created?”
by Chris, Cornwall
Monday, October 12 2009, 9:10AM
“I don't mean to annoy you Charles but it's people like you who can't see the wood for the trees. The whole reason we have a vibrant and healthy countryside is because of the diversity of plants and animals in it. The growing population impacts on the environment, thats granted but the point im trying to make to you is that the broader the ecological range, the healthier we as a species. Chip away at that and it's like sawing away at the branch we are sitting on.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, October 12 2009, 7:50AM
“:| No Chris; it is you who have a very skewed view of nature. . Man is PART of Nature, and we are the dominant species. . There was another silly person on TV this morning trying to get Grey Seals protected because fishermen were shooting those that raided their nets and stole their catch. . What really annoys me is that you and people with similar views seem to believe that you care more about animals, animal welfare, the countryside and our environment than me! .”
by Chris, Cornwall
Sunday, October 11 2009, 10:06PM
“I do but thats the way of the natural world! The bigger the food chain the more varied the predator range, the greater the ecological diversity. Anyone seeking to reduce that diversity has a very skewed view of nature and will only harm the countryside that they're proud of.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Sunday, October 11 2009, 9:32PM
“:| Chris, why is it you don't you ever seem to care about any of the animals or birds that are the victims of any of these predators?”
by Chris, Cornwall
Sunday, October 11 2009, 7:46PM
“Not the birds of prey now Charles!”
by Reg, Pt
Sunday, October 11 2009, 5:53PM
“Charles, you know they would prefer the Aspirin rather than amputation!”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Sunday, October 11 2009, 1:29PM
“:| Just as this government eventually had to face up to our national debt., either this government or the next, will one day have to deal with the badgers. . The longer they leave it; the higher the financial cost will climb; the more severe the cull will have to be, and the more other species will become infected.”
by NEB, west sussex
Sunday, October 11 2009, 4:38AM
“Just a bit OTT for Badgers, I believe that they are a source of TB to Devon Cowsn I do not believe in a complete wipe out but perhaps some control in areas of TB”