SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 20-2-15

We promise it isn't all a load of old rubble to report... View this email in your browser SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes.  We are an open group of people living in the Lea Valley Area, concerned to keep the Lea Valley and surrounding green spaces for local wildlife to thrive and people to enjoy both now and in the future.  To find out more about our work please see our website www.saveleamarshes.org.uk In the mix this week: RUBBLE, RUBBLE... – as David Bowie once almost sung.  A keen eyed SLM member spotted a tipper truck off-loading rubble by the old changing rooms on Hackney Marshes.  Upon enquiry with Sam Parry, Hackney’s Park Manager, this appeared not to be a case of fly-tipping but an arrangement to ship rubble from the pathways of the  Middlesex Filter Beds – where they are ripping up a lot of the old paths, levelling, removing cracks and irregularities “What’s that?” I hear some of you saying,  “Isn’t this part of the local industrial heritage?” “What’s that?” I hear others of you saying, “Is this rubble intended to be used as foundations for the new sports pavilion that hasn’t got planning permission yet?” “What’s that?”  I hear other people saying, “They’ve put the rubble on the Hackney Marshes car park space, where will we park on Sunday?” TOWER WATCH – front page story of this week’s Hackney Gazette is the London Borough of Hackney’s plan to build a 13 storey tower block on top of a new school in Tiger Way, Hackney Downs.  This would be a block of 72 new flats on top of a two-class,  430 pupil school.  Still at the pre-planning stage, if this development goes ahead, locals claim it would overshadow the park.  But Mayor Pipe seems to think that this dark shadow on the horizon would be mitigated by plugging a £40 million gap in the borough’s Building Schools for the Future programme.  Plans are also afoot for a 23 storey block for homes, a referral unit and a school in Nile Street, Hoxton.  www.hackneygazette.co.uk BLOG SPOT – those of you wanting to keep up with what’s going on with the mini-Holland scheme in Waltham Forest in more detail can go to the blog page www.wfoc.blogspot.com CPRE NEWS – the latest newsletter from the Council for the Protection of Rural England has items on  how London is the second most sustainable city in the world; how the London Assembly estimate that over 8k affordable homes are being lost on major estate regenerations and the Labour Party say that a further 6k houses are lost under right to buy schemes; also that it looks unlikely that the SERPLAN will be revived and that the London Conservative Party is looking towards “Thames City”, spreading London to the green belt and beyond and that developers are getting greener but in a more exclusive way (that more green space is being created but it is not accessible to the general public).  To find out more go to www.cpre.org.uk TROUBLED WATER - the Canal & River Trust (CRT) declared on 13th February 2015 that from 1st May this year it will refuse to re-license all boats that “don’t move…far enough or often enough” to meet its Guidance for Boaters without a Home Mooring – unless they take a permanent mooring. This places boat families under unique pressure as many cannot afford a mooring. Sign the petition against this move here EVENTS The Ecology and Conservation Studies Society Spring Series of public lectures is currently underway (we mentioned a few weeks ago the field trip taking place around Walthamstow Marshes in July).  For further details of these well attended and very interesting sessions go to http://wwwkbbk.ac.uk/geds/our-research/ecss/free-public-lectures LVRPA Workshop meeting this Sunday 22 February, at the Waterworks, Lea Bridge Road or walk from Hackney Marshes over the ugly red bridge turn right and follow the signs, from 1-3 pm. Next SLM meeting will be on Monday 23 February, 7.30pm towards the back of the Princess of Wales pub, on Lea Bridge Road, all welcome.

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 13-2-15

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SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes an open group of local people formed in opposition to the Olympic Basketball Training Centre on Leyton Marshes and continuing to strive for the preservation and enhancement of green spaces on the marshes and fields of the Lea Valley and surrounding local environments.  To find out more about our work, carried out entirely on a voluntary basis, please see our websitewww.saveleamarshes.org.uk Items this week include: Spotted on the river Lea by twitchers on Twitter - a reed bunting. A POSITIVE MEETING – The new Green Spaces Manager for the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority, Alex Farris,  attended our meeting earlier this week.  We were pleased to find out that he has a nature conservation background and seemed to understand our concerns – though interestingly, he was under the impression that Leyton Marsh was always a recreation area made up largely of rye grass.  We disabused him of this notion, informing him of what the area was like before the Olympic Training Centre, and the botched-up re-turfing.  All in all, it was a positive meeting and we look forward to discussing some other matters in more detail at the forthcoming LVRPA Workshop on Sunday 22 February at 1pm at the Waterworks. IN THE PRESS - Hackney Citizen February issue no.64 p.1 has two stories of particular interest:   Firstly, a march held to ‘reclaim the towpath’ – canal boat users, walkers and cyclists took part in a “reclaim the towpath”, following a spate of recent muggings along the River Lea and secondly a story about the London Wildlife Trust’s dredging of a layer of silt from Stoke Newington’s East Reservoir, to create a new wildlife habitat for the Woodberry Wetlands. http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/ I don’t always look in “The Observer’s Tech Monthly pull out but last Sunday (8.2.15) had an article on p.5 by Nicola Davis concering a research project about bees and pollination.  If you want to take park in the volunteering experiments go to www.ljbees.org.uk/getting_involved    On page 7 there are some interesting books mentioned including: “Climate Shock: The Economic Consequences of a Hotter Planet” by Gernot Wagner and Martin Weltzman , who consider what might happen if we don’t manage climate change and “House Guests, House Pests” by Richard Jones, on whether we should welcome wee beasties into our lives, such as bed bugs and woodworm. PLOTS FOR TOTS - the results of the Millfields User Groups Millfields Park Survey are in and out of 336 replies,  over 91 per cent of users want to see play space in one or other of the suggested plots. To find out more go to http://millfieldsusers.org.uk orwww.facebook.com/millfields EVENTS A walk is being organised:  “Get to Know the Lea Valley” on February 20th at 2.30 pm leaving from the Lea Valley Ice Rink on Lea Bridge Road.  Time?  About 90 minutes.  To sign up go to Teresa@workingforwalthamstow.org.uk The Eastern Curve Garden in Dalston will be having its first outside Pizza eating this year from the clay oven on Saturday from 2-6 pm.  Opening times for the garden space are generally 11-5 Sunday to Wednesday and until 6 pm. Thursday to Saturday, now that it is getting lighter in the evenings.  It is half-term week coming up from Tuesday 17 to Friday 20th and their will be a theme of birds, butterflies and bugs with art workshops.  If you are bee-minded, another project being organised off site at St. Peter’s Church, N1 4DA on Saturday 21 February from 2- 5 p.m. is a bee hotel building project with Alison Benjamin, co-author of “Bees in the City”, with children. Also next weekend, there are still places available for the Permaculture and Diverse Communities Taster Day at The Mill on 21st February from 10am - 5pm. Facebook eventhere Sustainable Hackney are preparing for the Climate Change march on March 7th.  There is a plan to meet at CLR James Library in Dalston Square, Hackney at 11.30am, hop on a bus (hopefully buses), and congregate in Lincoln’s Inn Fields at 12.45pm.http://sustainablehackney.org.uk.  I did read earlier, but have lost the clipping, that there was some controversy over the Police refusing to close roads for the march, suggesting that organisations involved foot the bill – thus threatening another democratic right.  I’m sure we’ll hear more about this. Next SLM meeting will be at the Princess of Wales pub on Lea Bridge Road at 7.30pm on Monday 23 February.  We can’t promise a star guest but we will offer a warm welcome to new attenders.

Tour of the Lee Valley estate

This may be of interest:

Get to Know Lea Valley : Join Me On 20th February for Tour 

I have been offered the chance to take a group of local residents around the Lee valley estate on Friday 20th February at 2.30pm. This area of the marshes is managed by the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority. The visit will be a walking tour of around about 90 minutes of the local area starting from the Lee Valley Ice Centre. This is a free activity but we need to let the tour organiser know the numbers attending, so if you are interested in signing up for this please let Teresa in my office know by emailing Teresa@workingforwalthamstow.org.uk

Boardwalk Replacement

The wire mesh was put in when I threatened legal action for compensation, citing inadequate attention to duty of care!
It was originally a plain wooden boardwalk  (built mostly by unpaid YOP slaves, not volunteers or paid workers) and the surface became desperately slippery in wet weather. While leading a wintertime "gripe walk" for NLLDC in the 1990s, I slipped on what was actually ice and was sliding under the handrail feet first towards the frozen surface of the flooded marsh below when a colleague grabbed me by one flailing forearm and yanked me back up.
He may have saved my life. But it tore a muscle as I badly ricked my back (and it possibly may have predisposed my shoulder to the dislocation I suffered a few years ago).
It was agonising. I lost several days off work (as a NHS zero-hours temp, this was a considerable financial blow) and could only work part-time for a week or so too, as my back got stiff and painful typing in one position all day. I also had to take even more time off over the next 6 weeks to attend physiotherapy appointments.
My first thought was that this could happen to someone else, so I rang the LVRPA and said if something wasn't done at once to improve the boardwalk surface I would sue for distress and injury caused and loss of earnings. Two days later the chicken wire was rolled out and tacked down. I have heard of no further similar accidents. I could have gone ahead and sued anyway, but didn't feel up to dealing with legal proceedings at the time and the response to the ultimatum had been swift and effective.
Good that the boardwalk is being replaced. Could it be a bit longer eastwards though?
(Any chance of a kink or a spur towards AV Roe's historic aircraft hangar under the viaduct and on to take in one of the GER boundary markers at the southern extent of their Lammas strip in the marsh?)
Katy.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

From:"Johnson, Gavin" <GJohnson@leevalleypark.org.uk> Date:Fri, 6 Feb, 2015 at 16:01 Subject:Workshop Reminder Additional Updates Dear All, I am writing with a reminder that the next Walthamstow Marshes Site Management Workshop will be on Sunday 22nd February, 1pm – 3pm at The WaterWorks Centre. The workshop will include; 1.       Woodland Management on Walthamstow Marshes 2.       Walthamstow Marshes Newsletter 3.       Proposed art project on Walthamstow Marshes Also, some additional updates on upcoming works since my last email; ·         Boardwalk The current boardwalk across South Marsh is reaching the end of its life and so LVRPA is aiming to replace it from revenue budgets in the next few months. The replacement will have an improved non slip surface as oppose to the current wire mesh. ·         Meadow cuts In line with management recommendations made in the London Wildlife Trust’s biological survey of Leyton Marsh some meadow cuts will take place on the semi-improved grassland areas on Leyton Marsh in March/early April. These areas will then be cut again in the autumn. I look forward to seeing you on 22nd. Best wishes Gavin Gavin Johnson - South Ranger Parklands and VenuesDirect line: 020 8988 7565 Lee Valley Regional Park Authority Myddleton House,Bullscross, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 9 HG Telephone:01992717711 Fax:01992719937

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 5-1-15

SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes – an open group of people in the Lea Valley Area with the aim of keeping our marshes and local green spaces in good condition for wildlife and people to enjoy now and in the future.   We also like to inform and give support on other environmental and social campaigns that affect our area. To find out more about our work, please see our website www.saveleamarshes.org.uk Ongoing issues which SLM are working on at the moment are: preparing our arguments for the Planning Inspectorate Service (PINS) concerning the Hackney Marshes Sports Pavilion to be held in June; organising a meeting with the Lead Officer for Land management and Conservation for Surrey, Berkshire and London for Natural England – a body which oversees the SSSI on Walthamstow Marshes about mowing regimes and other related issues; and also organising some fun events for local people to participate in. Other items of interest to report this week include: This Wednesday there was a meeting of the Waltham Forest Lea Bridge Ward to discuss “Regenerating Walthamstow” including the plans for re-opening Lea Bridge Station as reported by local M.P. Stella Creasy’s newsletter.  Haven’t had feedback from the meeting yet but Ms Creasy’s newsletter stressed that three freight operators had objected to the detail construction plans and that this would lead to a delay in the project.  We will update on any news next week. RE-TWEETING TWEETS – one of our readers (thanks) responded to the Weekly Digest’s mention of Stonechats being seen on Walthamstow Marshes by Lea Valley Regional Park Authority Wardens and that they have, been around for some time.  As not everyone on our mailing list may access our email chats I thought it was worth passing on her suggestions of useful Twitching sites these are: http://londonbirders.wikia.com/wiki/LatestNews  and http://walthamstowbirders.blogspot.co.uk and the London Birders Club (part of the London Natural History Society), who do daily twitter reports of sightings in London https://twitter.com/Londonbirdclub IN THE PRESS – in the Walthamstow Guardian this week http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/11774240.Final_plans_for_controversial__mini_Holland__scheme_revealed/ a story about the final plans for the “Mini-Holland Cycling Scheme, which will go to Waltham Forest Cabinet next week and in the Hackney Gazette http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk  p.2 under News is the story of Hackney Council’s plan to “Wipe out all fish in Clissold Park’s waters” in an effort to get rid of the Topmouth Gudgeon fish, described by the Environmental Agency as “one of the most threatening fish species in Europe”.  An organic ‘piscicide’ called Rotenone will be used.  This is supposed not to pose a human hazard, may have some effect on invertebrates and could be an irritant to humans and pets.  Also on p.16 a letter from the Secretary of the Organisation for the Promotion of Environmental Needs (OPEN), on the sorry history of the Georgian Dalston Terrace EVENTS There will be a Greenpeace Fundraising event to support the icebreaker ship Artic Sunrise, with comedy, music and DJs at 7pm on Friday 13 February at Passing Clouds, 1 Richmond Road, E8 4AA.  Tickets are £5 in advance or on the door until 10.00 p.m. after that tickets are £10.  To book ahead go tohttps://www.list.co.uk/event/20741617-greenpeace-icebreaker/ Hedge Herbs – our friends at Hedge Herbs are as busy as ever, some of their up-coming events are: Saturday 7 February 10am - 4 p.m. they will be at Blackhorse Market 1-2 Sutherland Road Path, E17 6BX – lots of  craft stalls, food and kids activities. Sunday 8 February from 11am - 5 p.m. they will be at Auntie Maureen’s Valentine’s Food Fair, at Orford House, Orford Road E17 9QR 21 February 10-5 p.m. at The Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane E17 7HA there will be aPermaculture Taster Day bringing lots of different groups together.  Further details go to Hedge Herbs on Facebook,  or Twittering Hedge or emailrasheeqa@hedgeherbs.org.uk There are two more Woodland Management Workshops at Wick Woodland with the Tree Musketeers on Sunday 8th and Sunday 15th February. More details of the amazing things a record number of volunteers have achieved together for our local green spaces this winter and how you can still get involved is here:http://sustainablehackney.org.uk/profiles/blogs/this-winter-with-the-tree-musketeers?xg_source=activity Join Sustainable Hackney for an evening screening of the film 'Disruption', discussion and organisation for the upcoming Climate Change march on Thursday 12th Feb at Homerton Library. More details here: http://sustainablehackney.org.uk/events/time-to-act-locally-on-climate-change-now Next SLM meeting will be on Monday 9 February at 7.30 at the Princess of Wales pub, Lea Bridge Road E5.  New people always welcome. P.S.  Don’t forget the LVRPA Workshop meeting, Sunday 22 February 1-3pm at the Waterworks Care on Lea Bridge Road or a quick yomp across Hackney Marsh, over the Red Bridge and follow the signs.

Cycle Route

Cycle Route

LV River survey

Survey

Lea Bridge Station update

Please see this extract from Stella Creasey MP's newsletter: 

"Regenerating Walthamstow: Lea Bridge Station & St James St Updates 

This week I have had updates on two local regeneration projects which I know are of interest to local residents. Firstly, many residents have been in touch regarding the proposed rebuilding and opening of the Lea Bridge Station which was planned for December 2015. The Council have now informed me that three rail freight operators have raised objections during the consultation regarding the new station proposals. I have been assured that  Network Rail are now working through the objections with the rail freight operators and the council are confident they can be resolved to allow work to start.  It is not currently clear how long it will take to resolve these objections.  The Council expects to have a better idea "during the spring" as to when the works are likely to start.  I have asked for more information on this and will update this e-newsletter as soon as I have details as to what this may mean for this project."

There is a WF Lea Bridge Ward Community Forum this week, Wednesday 3rd February, 6-30pm at the Lea Bridge Library Lea Bridge Road (near Markhouse/ Church Road corner). Cllr Masood Ahmad, who will chair the meeting, went to election last May on the basis that the station reconstruction was already an achievement.  Anyone can attend the meeting although the Chair may limit speaking rights to residents. High numbers attending would underline public interest in the station being reopened.

Claire

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 30-1-15

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 30 JANUARY 2015

This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes.  We are an open group of people living in the Lea Valley area, trying to tackle the loss and quality of green space on the marshes and nearby.  We care passionately about maintaining the land as a green oasis for wildlife, for local people and future generations to come.  To find out more about our work, please visit our website www.saveleamarshes.co.uk

As we wait to see whether the forecasted snow will be real or a vast media exaggeration as in New York State, remember the birds in your garden or on your balcony that might be in need of extra food during the cold weather spell.  I found a nice idea in “Style at Home” magazine that I thought was worth sharing:   Melt 100g of lard and mix in 250 bird seed, pack into a pastry cutter (heart shape looks really good for Valentine’s Day), make a hole with a knitting needle, skewer, put in the fridge overnight.  Thread string or ribbon through the hole, remove cutter/ or leave if you prefer and hang up.  In our mix this week...

FILTER BEDS – one bit of good news is that, water has been pumped into the reed bed sites in the Wildlife Area by Hackney Marshes, for the first time in ages.  You might remember that before the fish sculptures disappeared, there were areas of water .. now restored.

WETLANDS LINK – if you would like to support the London Wildlife Trust’s bid to establish a wetland to wetland cycle route you can go to

http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/wetland-to-wetland-greenway

A BETTER SORT OF TWEET – a report from a Lea Valley Park Ranger, that Stonechat birds have been spotted on the fencing, in the cattle grazing area of Walthamstow Marshes.

LATEST ON FRACKING – see http://theguardian.cons/environment;2015/Jan/26/Conservatives-u-turn-fracking-  the Conservatives back down over National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and excavation near sources of drinking water.  Bill has to go to the House of Lords, so perhaps we can hope for some other positive changes.

EVENTS

Time for a another reminder about the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority’s February workshop which takes place at the Waterworks, Lea Bridge Road from 1-3 p.m. , 22 February.  We would like lots of people to turn up and give their views, particularly as the new signage boards put up by the LVRPA don’t seem to be carrying information about this event yet.  By the way, any views on the new signage boards that have gone up on Leyton Marsh, and the Filter Beds?  Some of us think they are a bit obtrusive.

The Edge Fund are organising their “Grassroots Fundraiser Party” with a variety of speakers from Jeremy Corbyn MP to the Focus E15 group, plus, music, poetry (including Benjamin Zephania), food and drink.  Saturday 31 January, 18.00 to 22.30 p.m., at the Ringcross Community Centre, 60 Lough Road, N7 8RH.  Caledonian Road tube station.  Tickets

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/get-behind-the-grassroots-20

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 22-1-15

Tree planting, wassailing and more Park Authority skullduggery this week... View this email in your browser

SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes.  We are an open group of local people based in the Lea Valley area, trying to keep as much of our marshlands and green spaces for wildlife and future generations to enjoy.  To find out more about our work carried out on a completely voluntary basis see our website www.saveleamarshes.org.uk Hello.  Hope lots of you have been able to watch some of the BBC’s Winterwatch this week (finishes Friday), or will look at on the BBC IPlayer.  Really nice to see wildlife up close and find out things you didn’t know.   Items of interest this week include: Don't eat up our businesses! Lee Valley growers have expressed outrage over the Park Authority's plans to force out farms in the Lee Valley through compulsory purchase orders. See the article here: http://www.hortweek.com/lee-valley-growers-express-outrage-regional-park-authoritys-shock-compulsory-purchase-proposal/edibles/article/1329254 WHAT A WASSAIL! We had a great time traditionally toasting the trees with dancing, drinking and singing at the Ferry Boat Inn. Listen here to RadioPete's recording of the event: http://radiopete.org/ CROSSRAIL 1 – The Evening Standard (Wednesday 21st January 2015), ran two stories on p.12 on the Crossrail – one on the campaign that has been launched by the Twentieth Century Society to try and save the Paolozzi murals inside Tottenham Court Road Tube Station that have been there for more than 30 years, which will be affected by the installation of a new atrium.  Current plans would relocate/reconstitute some of it within a new design but there would be a loss of the work as originally intended.  The second is on the effect of house price rises, particularly in Whitechapel. REPORT BACK FROM THE LONDON GREEN SPACES FRIENDS GROUP – SLM is represented at the LFN meetings.  The last meeting discussed:  looking at ways of increasing involvement;  a change in procedure, to save time by pre-submitting reports to the meetings; how the cuts are hitting parks and spaces, London-wide and the Borough’s seeking more volunteer roles; the new Green Belt Map that has been launched by the London Green Belt Council, that is available via Stanfords at £9.99 (doesn’t include MOL though), available through http://www.stanfords.co.uk or the shop in Long Acre, Covent Garden.  Lastly, a new report called “Make Walking Safer and Easier”   The LFN have their Annual Meeting on Monday 23 March, 6-8 p.m. in Committee Room 4 (downstairs by coffee bar), City Hall, 110 Queen’s Walk, SE1 2AA. TRACKS OF OUR TEARS – If  go for a walk on the marshes and what you increasingly see are thick tyre, vehicle tracks.  Last Sunday, I walked from the Nature Reserve towards the Cow Bridge and noticed a lot of turf damage.  If you see any evidence and particularly if you have a camera to hand (which I didn’t on this occasion), please let SLM know.  Also, on Millfields (South), does anyone know what has caused the circular bare patches on the turf between the main path and the tennis courts? COURSES Naturewise are organising a weekend course in Forest Gardening 31st Jan – 1st Feb from 10.00 a.m. at Bekesbourne, near Canterbury.  It is being led by two passionate and experienced forest gardeners.  To find out more and/or book emailshavannabarker@yahoo.co.uk indicating in your subject line what you are enquiring about or go to www.naturewise.org.uk OPPORTUNITY – CAN YOU DIG IT? Growing Communities (who have just produced an excellent map to their sites), is offering 4 volunteer apprentice places (1 to 1 and a half days a week) with training, from the beginning of April to the end of September.  Download application forms from  www.growingcommunities.org.uk  Deadline 5 p.m. 18 February 2015. EVENTS The Tree Musketeers have some green events coming up to keep our spaces green and keep your body lean! There is a Wood Management Workshop this Sunday 25th January from 10am-3pm at Hackney Community Tree Nursery. On 31st January there is a Fruit Tree Planting on Daubney Green Orchard from 10am-3pm. More details here Sustainable Hackney are organising an evening of film, discussion, ideas and organisation in preparation for the next big Climate Change March on 12th February  from 6.30pm to 8.45pm at Homerton Library, Homerton High Street, E9.   Please note that the film will be up first  as the Library’s WiFi gets switched off with the library closure.  Further details here Next SLM meeting will be on Monday 26th January at 7.30 in the back of the Princess of Wales Pub.   New attendees welcome.  We generally do a run through of developments of each area and follow up action points and discuss up-coming plans.

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 15-1-15

Hasn't January gone fast already? Here's the first installment from us... View this email in your browser

SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes a group of local people concerned to see the marshes of the Lea Valley and other surrounding green spaces survive and thrive for nature and for future generations to enjoy and gain health and well being. Do visit our website www.saveleamarshes.org.uk  to keep up to date with our campaign and to find out how you can get involved.  We have a merchandising page to help sustain our work and we are planning to add some exciting new products in 2015, which we will tell you about as soon as they are ready. Well, we hope you have had a great time over the Christmas/New Year holiday.  Perhaps you had the chance to walk, run, skip, pogo etc., around the marshes?  Sometimes, this can be relaxing and enjoyable but on other occasions it can lead to a rise in blood pressure when you spot unnecessary vehicle tracks racking up the grass or trees that have been vandalised (officially or unofficially!).  Keep your eyes open and do let us know if there is something you would like SLM to know about. As we crank up the engine of the Weekly Digest again, the items that have flowed to the top of the tank include: NEXT LVRPA WORKSHOP MEETING – it’s at the Waterworks Centre on Sunday 22 February  1- 3 p.m.   I’m putting this here, rather than in the events section as we’d like as many of you as possible to turn up and hear for yourselves the plans that the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority have in mind for 2015, which include more mural art projects under the Lea Bridge Road underpass (though, personally, I like the graffiti which is currently there), the possibility of more scarifying to help poor old Leyton Marsh closer to its former glory in Autumn 2015, if the works in 2014 haven’t worked successfully ... and information about Network Rail work on Walthamstow Marsh. CROSSRAIL 2 – though we all like our journeys to be easy, we do need to be vigilant about our environment.  Previous digests have given some information about the Crossrail 2 plans as they emerge.  The latest information that one of our members has received has a link http://crossrail2.co.uk/the/route/  which gives the latest route so far, and the proposed location of the tunnel between Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale though it is still up for consultation.   As well as being concerned about our local green space and effect on homes, there is also cause for concern around the more central areas of London, including the much loved Soho Cinema on Shaftesbury Road, which might be lost to a ticket hall. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-curzon-soho IN THE PRESS – this week’s Hackney Gazette, has another long letter, p15, from Johnnie Walker, Chairman of the Hackney and Leyton Football League, about inaccuracies that appeared in an article on Hackney Marshes, particularly East Marsh, concerning the Olympics in the preceding edition of 31 January, p5. There is interesting coverage on page 1 and in the letters pages of the “Camden New Journal” featuring the trashing of Primrose Hill after the New Year’s Eve fireworks.  This is exactly the kind of thing that SLM wants to prevent on Hackney Marshes, so that damage is not done to the land and the sporting facilities. Lastly, in The Guardian online http://www.theguardian.com/commentsfree/2015/jan13/families-cheated-homes-poor-labour-council-gentrification is another story of a proposal by Waltham Forest Council to uproot local council tenants in favour of creating flats to sell – resulting in overseas investors leaving properties empty in Leytonstone, with the proposal to gut the Fred Wigg and John Walsh Towers and build another in between. EVENTS Those of you who love trees and also want to work off the festive poundage, can do volunteer tree planting of 150 trees on North Marsh with the Hackney Tree Musketeers, meet at the Tree Nursery off Homerton Road, Hackney E5, this Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th January from 10am or find them on North Marsh if you arrive later.  Wear appropriate clothing. For enjoying nature in a slightly less energetic way – there is a “Tree Walk – Food From Trees” also on Saturday 17th January, from 1 p.m. meeting outside Bruce Castle on Lordship Lane N17, courtesy of Haringey Tree Wardens.  For more information on this and other upcoming events organised by Hedge Herbs contact Rasheeqa Ahmad on 07784506494 or Facebook Hedge Herbs or Twittering Hedge. Although, they are fully booked at the moment, Forage London also have further events coming up and some interesting herbal hints on how to cope with the common cold seehttp://foragelondon.co.uk/walks-courses. Another reminder about “Apple Yowling” on Saturday evening 17 January at the Ferry Boat Inn, Ferry Lane/Forest Road Walthamstow.  An enjoyable, traditional way of celebrating the new year’s green growth. From 5.30pm. There is also the Edge Fund: Get Behind the Grassroots Fundraiser on Saturday 31 January, 6pm-10.30pm.  Ringcross Community Centre, 60 Lough Road, London N7 8RH Join grassroots activists, poets and musicians to celebrate the power of the grassroots! Will feature Jeremy Corbyn MP, Andy Greene (DPAC), Shareefa Energy, Hilary Wainwright (Red Pepper), Pete the Temp, Nina Power (Defend the Right to Protest), I Sis, Anthony Anaxagorou, Spliff Richard, Focus E15 Mothers, Ritzy Living Wage campaign, Siana Bangura, Jembe Explosion and Crazy Divine. For those that like to plan ahead  the intrepid and knowledgeable Joan Yeadon has been asked by the Ecology and Conservation Studies Society to run a field trip on Saturday 25 July at 1.00 p.m. starting at the Riverbank Cafe at the bottom of Spring Hill and finishing up at the Spark Cafe in Springfield Park.  We’ll put this in again at a later date. Our next SLM meeting will be on Monday 26th January at 7.30pm at the Princess of Wales pub.

Lea Valley Leisure Trust Maps

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 19-12-14

 

It's nearing the end of 2014 and it's the last from us until 2015! View this email in your browser SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! This is the Festive Edition of the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes – a campaign group trying to keep the local marshes and green spaces of the Lea Valley thriving with wildlife and enjoyed by people for many years to come.  Please see our websitewww.saveleamarshes.org.uk We have now sold out of all of our calendars (hurrah!) but recommend the stunning Tree Musketeers’ calendar and have added details of where to get one to our website for those looking for a good alternative. Topics in Santa’s Green Sack this week include: PLANNING WATCH (1) – we have received news that the PINS Inquiry concerning the car parks and sports pavilion on Hackney Marshes will begin at 10.00 a.m. on 16th June at the Hackney Marshes Centre in Homerton Road E9 5PF.  Anyone who has requested to speak and/or give evidence has been sent guidance on how to prepare and give their evidence. PLANNING WATCH (2) – The next Hackney Planning Sub Committee is on Wednesday 14 January and there will be an additional meeting on Monday 19th January but this is expected to be a pre-application meeting.  We do not know the date that the issue above will be presented yet and whether it will be before the PINS Inquiry or not. HOGGIN – the dreaded, unnecessary, hoggin path on Leyton Marsh moorings has been partially completed; damage has been reported including tyre marks next to the path.  We would like people to take photos. BRR, BRR –  this relates not to the cold winter but to the sound issue from the Ice Rink.  We have received news (for which thanks), that a barrier has now been installed by the refrigeration unit, which has partially reduced the noise level for those living nearby and on Leyton Marsh.  This is reported as “an improvement” and that a buzzing sound is still audible. IN THE PRESS – this week’s Hackney Gazette has a story “Fight to save canal buildings returns” by Emma Bartholomew, p. 7 concerning local campaigners trying to save the heritage of Regents Canal, with a scheme for a Hoxton building in what has been dubbed a “hit and run” development. Also in the Hackney Gazette is a special Anniversary Feature on the Changing Face of Hackney pp.12-13, with some historical facts and pictures of the various Hackney villages.  It is a bit sad that the picture illustrating Clapton was of the Lea Bridge Roundabout in 1973, when it could have been many other more positive images e.g. a picture of one of the oldest cinema buildings in the country ...  In last week’s Sunday Times (14.12.14) page 9 was an interesting article “Co2 behind Britain’s winter deluges”, concerning a group of scientists who have concluded that climate change is having a direct effect on our weather. EVENTS The annual “Apple Yowling” event will be taking place on Saturday 17 January at the Ferry Boat Inn, 1 Forest Road, near Tottenham Hale Station and on the bus routes of the 123 and 230.  For the uninitiated, this is a traditional event held at the Winter Solstice period to celebrate green growth and fruits, particularly apples and an occasion of mirth and merriment. Next SLM meeting will be Monday 12th January at the Princess of Wales, Lea Bridge Road.  We are taking a Christmas break from meetings and doing the digest but those of us who are around will be out and about keeping an eye on the marshes and will report anything urgent. We wish all our readers and their families a Happy Seasonal Holiday and a greener 2015!