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.