SLM Newsletter 23-1-14

This is the weekly digest of the Save Lea Marshes group.  Our aim is to work towards keeping the green spaces of the Lea Valley as bio-diverse and people friendly as possible.  This is a summary of on-line discussions, meetings, events and activities that have concerned the group this week.

FRUIT PICKING - a lot of discussion and correspondence this week about the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority's (LVRPA) adoption of a new byelaw regarding plants, which appears to exceed their Bye Law making provision under Section 28 of the LVRPA Act 1966, in that it covers fruit or plants and so conflicts with the Wildflower & Countryside Act.  Further advice can be gained on DEFRA's advice http://archives.defra.gov.uk/rural.  The main concerns are about (a) commercial and semi commercial uses - e.g. people collecting ingredients to sell in food (b) people's common law rights to do things such as blackberrying.

SLM CALL FOR BIO-DIVERSITY OFFICERS in Waltham Forest and Hackney ... we have received replies from both boroughs, fairly similar in content (excepting that Hackney has a vacant post and Waltham Forest has some staff provision).  Hackney's states that when it comes to planning applications they are likely to use outside Ecologists; Waltham Forest, indicates that officers do cover some aspects of planning (but we have yet to see evidence of this in planning meetings ..).  We'll be posting up the letters on our new webpage

www.saveleamarshes.co.uk so you can judge for yourselves, but I guess we'll be following this up further.

IN THE PRESS - coverage includes:  "Hackney Citizen" Jan. Issue 51 - 'Marshes risk from car park' front page story covering our assertion that Hackney Council's desire for another car park adjacent to the planned replacement of the old sports pavilion is not for sports users but to accommodate future large events such as festivals; Page 3 Fear 'noxious' herbicide may harm wildlife - Town Hall spends £40k per year on spraying glyphosate; coverage of our friends at Stokey Local continuing to protest over the Sainsbury's/apartment block that threatens to overshadow Abney Park and also the proposed changes to the management arrangement at Abney park.  Hackney Gazette p.15 - 'More time to have more say about conservation area', a story on the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) extending its consultation on the Hackney Wick conservation area to 21 February.  Some 1,000 locals have signed a petition to prevent it from becoming another faceless part of the Olympic Park; Letters Page, p.23 Use of weed killer is 'indefensible', letter of reply to Cllr. Feyral Demerci Dec.12 on the use of Glyphosate.  (Note, the Council's contractors have informed the Council, who have informed us that it is safe - we say, why believe Monsanto, the people who brought you DDT and Agent Orange ..

WASSAIL  - if you missed the recent Wassail (Weekly Digest two weeks ago), you have a chance to see it on You Tube or listen to the excellent programme on Radio Nusound 92FM - http://radiopete.nusoud92Fm.  This is a good opportunity to discover this station if you haven't already.  Pete has been covering the Leyton Marsh campaign since it started (so "big up" for Pete!).

OUT AND ABOUT - MARSHANS - our latest art exhibition of art inspired by nature, in collaboration with Artcatcher - and supported by the LVRPA rangers is now open until 9 February at "All You Read is Love" - a pop up space, Unit 3 on Central Parade, Hoe Street, Walthamstow E17 4RT.  Opening hours are Tues-Sat 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Our friends at the Mabley Street Users Group are also organising "Mulch it, Move it, Save it", on Tuesday 28 January from 7.00 p.m. volunteers will be collecting mulch from the flyover to deposit on the saplings at Mabley Green.  Bring gardening gloves and some large IKEA type bags if you have them.

WEBSITE & PHOTO COMPETITION - if you haven't checked out our new website yet - lots of the items that appear here in brief are explained also do be encouraged to take part in the "What I Love About the Marshes' Photo competition - open to amateurs and professionals alike.  You have until 28 February 2014 to upload your entries.

AND FINALLY  ... get out and enjoy the marshes and tell us if you see anything we should know about ... our next meeting will be at The Princess of Wales pub, Lea Bridge Road, 7.00 on Monday 3 February.  New people welcome.