Too few people.... as always, can be two or more sides to any story.jackharr wrote:
A far greater danger to fragile colonies of rare species is if too few people know about it and accidental destruction of the habitat occurs through ignorance. We all love to see and photograph rare butterflies; that is the modern form of collecting.
As for trampling, again the damage is surely over-rated? We are quite happy for trampling by livestock as that can produce beneficial micro-climates. Human trampling might similarly minimize scrub invasion. I believe that Duke of Burgundy might even benefit for a degree of human trampling (wasn’t it you Guy who said that?)
Jack
I have known instances of when a landowner has been alerted to the presence of a local species ( ie. Marsh Fritillary ) on their property ..... the ploughs and bulldozers arrived shortly afterwards. Coincidence? Yeah ... right!
Glad to say the 'Duke' is still present in good numbers up on the nearby hills ~ one site less than three miles from my home. However, many of those open scrubby grasslands I remember as a boy are now Birch and Ash Copses, many dense and now far too overgrown. Thus, the habitat is less suitable for several species of Fritillary including the Duke that were there in good numbers even as late as the mid-1970s, early 80s.
Trampling.... comes in various forms.
One increasingly overgrown area had been reduced to a wide track with some Cowslips. Ideal and supporting good numbers of "The Duke" at the track sides. Came a very rainy and muddy week or two in spring, concentrated foot and hoof traffic turned the whole track area into a huge mudbath ~ nothing much would survive that except a few worms. Feet and hoof damage can almost be as effective as a bulldozer. Leisure Horse riding is on the increase certainly in my neck of the woods. I drive carefully in the local lanes aware of the potential for Horse-motor collisions. Frequently get a nice wave from the riders when I slow down for them. I drive a low car ~ not easy to be seen over the hedgerows even by drivers of taller vehicles. Thing is, when the riders, mainly youngish girls or women put away their mounts... guess what they do... jump in their poxy 4-be-4s and blat round those same blind corners in a selfish and dangerous manner..... every bluddy time!!! There's a horsey/stud farm near my property and on several occasions over the years, I have had to take emergency avoiding action by these so called 'country types' ..... Grrrrrhhhh....
![Evil or Very Mad :evil:](./images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
So, how best to deal with these 'conservation' problems. .... nobody has come up with an effective balanced solution here in the UK or elsewhere come to think of it. Too many folks on the planet and as they demand more of a greedy share .... no brainer and of those "too many" folks a good proportion regard anyone concerned about such things as in some way sub-standard .... labelling them "Tree Huggers" and such like....
Look around you ... far too much evidence of Homo sapiens excelling only at getting things wrong....
We're all doomed ... aint that the truth..... Bet that's cheered you all up .....
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
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