Pennington Flash Issues and Concerns

A real positivity about the Greenheart Forum meeting today regarding habitat management at Pennington Flash. Whilst a return to a full and meaningful Ranger Service of old, when Charlie Owen and Pauline Mellor-Greenhalgh worked there is a way off. Myself, Dave Wilson and George Pike pressed for the desperate situation at Pennington to be resolved a.s.a.p. We all understand that money is tight and the Council even now has to make further cutbacks.

Meanwhile the reserve falls into disrepair and people flout the law, fish wherever they fancy, let their dogs run a mock in the designated reserve and in front of hides. It's an appalling state of affairs and an insult to the pioneers of conservation that founded our Society to preserve this wildlife wonder (The Flash). Therefore I'm now looking at a programme of funding the site, mutually with the council to apply to various grant bodies to help us preserve this nationally important wildlife area. Your individual help on volunteer days is vital for this site to hold its own until funding can be allocated, and I suspect that's not too far away.

Please spread the word and let me know your interest in being part of a survival strategy team. 
email: leighos.chairman@gmail.com

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There are many problems arising at the Flash in recent times, the diminished staffing over the last few years has lead to a free for all of poor behaviour and respect for wildlife by the public, drinking, vandalism, trespass and fishing in the Nature Reserve is appalling, dogs on the loose and soiling of even the children's play areas are not beyond the animal lovers limits. and little is being done by the Council to counter this.

This band of brothers "L.O.S." is trying alone to resolve these issues and we have raised these points recently and received this reply:

Hello David,

Please find below the bullet points from last week’s meeting.
  • Supply LOS with litter pickers, high viz vests, gloves, bin bags and RA for ad hoc litter picks.
  • Supply LOS with stock netting, fencing pliers, gloves, safety glasses and RA for ongoing minor fence repairs.
  • Review bird feeding locations within the reserve with LOS preferring a phased reduction to one feeding location (Bunting Hide).
  • Return cages over feeders to deter squirrels.
  • Propose Bunting hide tidy up as Council Volunteer project in partnership with LOS.
  • Look at s106 (public open space) monies for habitat management.
  • Discuss Pennington Flash projects with Community Reparation.
  • Work on the screen has started.
  • Only use whole peanuts within the feeders.
Regarding litter, it was felt that the reserve as a whole was kept free of litter, but the situation along Pennington Line was unknown.

Illegal angling has reared its head again, even though the ‘No Angling’ signage is still in place, I will pick this up with the EA and the angling club.
Regards

Michael

Michael Fishwick
Greenspace Development Officer

We will be holding some work parties in the future, if you can help (nothing too strenuous ) please reply to this notice. 

Thankyou, David Shallcross