SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 5-9-14

This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes - an open group of local people who care about the marshes and green spaces of the Lea Valley area past, present and future.  As the pressures for more building development grow, we battle to keep our current precious green space for the health of people, wildlife and the planet.  To keep up to date with our work and support us by buying merchandise sold to aid our funds, please visit www.saveleamarshes.org 

I'm going to start this week by highlighting the events where SLM will be this Saturday.  Our target this week is to get people aware of and signed up to the petitions concerning proposed car parks on the marshes - both the Hackney Pavilion and East Marsh.  We will be out with publicity materials and petitions you can sign at the Chatsworth Road Festival from mid-day onwards.  Look out for our Heron design T'shirts.  We will also be having a stall near Abney Park, Stoke Newington Church Street, with T'shirts and books on sale along with information.  SLM representatives will also be at the LVRPA's Walthamstow Site Management Workshop from 1-3 p.m. at the Waterworks Centre, off Lea Bridge Road (buses 48,55,56, stop nearby or you can walk across Hackney Marshes - over the red bridge and follow the signs to the right).  Alternatively, you can sign up on line via the www.change.org website and for Hackney residents go to www.hackney.gov.ukand go to petitions.  Basically we are asking that the building of a new sports pavilion should be on the existing footprint and not include a larger car park and that East Marsh should be returned as agreed post-Olympics, to green football pitch.  There is a letter in this week's "Hackney Gazette" on page 14 headed "So many spaces, too few facilities", by Tim Evans of HMUG (Hackney Marshes Users Group), which echoes our views.
 
Other news and discussions going on this week include:
 
THE TRIANGLE - also referred to as "King Alfred's Triangle" - being fenced off by Network Rail.  There has been further correspondence with planning officers at Waltham Forest as well as Stella Creasy MP and Waltham Forest Councillors, concerning the reasons given by Network Rail, which include: trespassers, illegal campers, dwellers and risks to cabling ..  We hear that the LVRPA are looking in to taking over some of the land on leasing it for public access.  
 
CRANE - as reported last week, a crane used to hoist vessels in and out of the Lee Valley Marina (on a regular basis), ended up in the hedgerow.  Gavin Johnson from the LVRPA has contacted SLM and stated that no nesting birds were damaged.  He also said that the driver would have had an escort, so this seems to have been a very unusual occurrence.  However, we still feel that further investigation needs to be considered.
 
HORSES ON THE MARSHES -  we've received a letter from Natural England, in response to enquiries about horse riders not obeying the rules concerning riding on the SSSI on Walthamstow Marsh.  The letter confirms that "during the winter months and in exceptional wet weather, riders should not be using the route along the SSSI and that this is advertised in a number of places.  Anyone seeing riders stray should inform the LVRPA rangers".
 
CANAL AND RIVER TRUST CONSULTATION - details of a survey carried out by CaRT on shared usage of canal paths reveals that 2,148 people responded to the survey and that there were three stakeholder workshops held.  There will be a full report on Towpath Code and Policy published later this autumn.  The site details information, mostly out of our local area but can be viewed on https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/consultations 
 
EVENTS
 
Hackney Green Drinks on 11 September at the Eastern Curve Garden, Dalston from 7-11 p.m. will be a chance for a first discussion on proposals for a "liveable neighbourhoods Strategy" for the next 10 years.  Sustainable Hackney will then be having a full public meeting on Monday 30 October from 7.30-9.30 at the nearby Arcola Theatre, Dalston.
 
"What I love about the marshes" - SLM's photo exhibition is now at the Vestry Museum, Walthamstow, as part of its continuing tour.
 
Hedge Herbs events:  LETS Forage, led by Transition, Leytonstone and Urban Harvest is responsible foraging talk and walk.  Meet by LVRPA Ice Centre at 2.00 p.m. for a two hour walk ending in a café.  Details from Rasheeqa 07784 506494; Permaculture within diverse communities taster day at The Mill on Saturday 25 October, details from Rasheeqa or go -to http://routesofwholeness.org/2014/07/24/permaculture-within-diverse-communities-taster-day or for a longer term course there is "Self Care with Food and Herbs Introductory Course - 5 Saturdays from 4 October to 1 November - cost includes materials and starter kit.  If you want to book and pay for this go towww.livingmedicine.org/projects/fbook-php?Pid=817   Again, further details from Rasheeqa.
 
Next SLM Meeting will be at 7.00 Monday 8 September at the Prince of Wales pub, Lea Bridge Road.  New people always welcome.