SLM Digest

As the bangs and flashes of Diwali and Bonfire Night hopefully lessen until the New Year - we hope that our local wildlife can recover a bit and can settle into some calmer mellow fruitfulness...  Topics of this week's digest are largely continuing stories but first on the list is an early announcement of a future event that SLM will be organising for the New Year - a photo completion called "What I love About The Marshes" open to all.  We'll be giving more precise details later but you might like to search out your favourite photos or get whatever camera device you like to use out to prepare for this event.
 
HORSES ON THE MARSHES - we'll hoof off with this one.  Correspondence has been had between members of our group and the Lee Valley  Riding Centre, recently, trying to clarify when and where horses are allowed to be exercised on Leyton and Walthamstow Marshes.  According to the Riding Stables they are allowed to exercise on Walthamstow Marsh until November, when the cows take over and then again in the summer (we hope this is not until the cows come home ..).  However, we will be seeking advice from Natural England about this and suggest anyone who sees horses and riders doing something you think they shouldn't oughta .. e.g. straying off official bridleways, should take out a complaint with the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.
 
EMPIRE BUILDING - also on the subject of horses - building an extension to the "Horse Hotel" has started - whilst the fences and the "moveable" horse hut near the Waterworks still have not been "moved".
 
WATERWORKS CENTRE - a mini summit took place this week between some SLM members and the new Manager of the Centre.  The conversation was viewed positively.  So we look forward to better relations and better use of the centre and the café in future ...
 
UFO'S OR F.U.'S -  those interested in finding out more about the publicity stunt for Samsung can check out the blurbberings on www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/Samsung-calls-on-franz-beckenbauer-to-save-the-world-from-aliens-dom   We ask:  "Can Franz come and save the marshes from big vehicles that come from this planet?"  It seems that officials from Hackney are blaming the rain (again) and say that anyone uses the marsh signs a bond to cover the damage.  In this case one of the paths (which arguably shouldn't be there anyway) and surrounding land has suffered damage.
 
BETWEEN THE CRACKS - our sleuths have been out and about and noticing that Hackney Council have been getting a firm to squirt Glyphosate across our pavements (as reported last week), with little protection for staff or notice to local residents.  This has now been taken up by Councillor Rathbone of the Hackney Lea Bridge Ward.  SLM will be continuing to make a case against the expensive use of weed killers such as Glyphosate being used; preferring that the amount spent on this be put to use instead to employing a bio-diversity officer (also calling for bio-diversity officer for Waltham Forest). 
 
PLANNING TOOLKIT - the London Parks and Green Spaces Forum launched a "Planning Toolkit" in association with the GLA this week, to build awareness of the benefits of a greener London.  Brief comments can still be made viahttp://ww.lpgsf.or.uk  by 29 November, as the final document will be published in January 2014.
 
NEXT MEETING OF SLM - 7.30 at the Hare & Hounds Pub, Lea Bridge Road (opposite B&Q) on Monday  17 November.  Please note that from the next meeting in Hackney 2 December, we will be starting at 7.00 instead of 7.30 - to avoid clashing with the Quiz Night.  All are welcome to attend meetings.