Shot themselves in the foot
THE WMN reports that the Country Landowners Association wants to cull grey squirrels to protect trees and save the red squirrel. And they want to cull red deer, muntjak deer, roe deer, Chinese water deer and Sitka deer too, as they decimate woodland regrowth.
As a woodland owner I am aware of the damage caused by these beasts and would welcome a successful cull.
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Grey squirrels were introduced by landowners, as were a variety of deer
Nevertheless an apology from the CLA would be in order before the grey squirrel traps are set or the rifle dusted down, for it was country landowners who originally introduced the grey squirrel to decorate their estates. And it was country landowners who introduced muntjak deer, Chinese water deer and Sitka deer into this country to enhance their parkland views. And it was country landowners who re-introduced red deer from Scotland into Exmoor so they could enjoy hunting them with hounds.
Country landowners have shot themselves in the foot.
So when it comes to culling pests to protect our countryside, the clear evidence is that the vermin that most need culling are these CLA members.
Theo Hopkins
Lifton
5 Comments
by Colin McNamee, Somerset
Monday, July 20 2009, 1:36PM
“Nice one Frank, or should that be Cyril ! :-)”
by Frank, Holsworthy
Wednesday, June 17 2009, 12:24PM
“Worse still, on the subject of introducing aliens, look what happens when the Scots take up residence in Westminster!”
by Neil, Western Australia
Tuesday, June 16 2009, 2:06PM
“You are spot on C.H. we are over run with rabbits and foxes introduced by the early landowners for sport, there are more camels rampaging through the outback than in the middle east, introduced for transport and exploration, and now we have the dreaded cane toad, introduced into Queensland to eat the cane beetle, which it failed to do miserably I might add, spreading across the continent. Their poison is so powerful that they kill anything that mistakes them for a meal. When will they ever learn?”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Tuesday, June 16 2009, 12:41PM
“:) And the Victorian gardeners Theo! . . You are so right! . Once you start introducing 'aliens' into the environment of our green and pleasant land you just don't know what problems will develop or how they will adapt to the habitat.”
by Sarah, Surrey
Tuesday, June 16 2009, 12:41PM
“So, build yourself a time machine and go back and say all this to the people who caused the problem, not the people who are trying to clear it up.”