Nature on our doorstep

Diseworth is a special place to live for many reasons. Friendly people, beautiful old houses, rich farming history, strong community and a close proximity to countryside. You don’t need to walk far to be surrounded by nature and for me that is crucial to living in a village. Being able to walk, not drive, to a place of natural beauty surrounded by hedges, trees and fields is uplifting, calming and peaceful. In fact, it’s well known that walking surrounded by nature is beneficial for our mental and physical health and during the pandemic Diseworth’s “green lungs” of surrounding countryside was a life-line for many people in the village. Hyam’s Lane is frequented by walkers, dog walkers, cyclists, horse riders, nature lovers, photographers, local school children learning about the natural world, families – the list goes on. And it’s special because it is on our doorstep. Do we really want to lose it?

Countryside and farmland support wildlife and our village is home to a huge diversity of animals, birds and insects. Our wildlife neighbours include foxes, badgers, hares, hedgehogs, stoats, weasels and bats. Many of these rely on the trees and hedgerows and fields for their survival. Seven miles of hedgerows are at risk of being ripped out and replaced with concrete. If that happens, these animals will be at best displaced, at worst wiped out and some are critically endangered. 1 in 4 of our UK mammals are threatened with extinction. 42% need urgent action and habitat loss is the main danger to their survival.

As for bird life, Diseworth is home to around 90 different species. Yes, 90 different varieties of our feathered friends depend upon our surrounding countryside for their survival, from the humble robin to the impressive red kite. Sadly, some of these birds are now red-listed which means their numbers are now so low, they are in danger of becoming extinct and loss of habitat is the main cause. Diseworth will no longer have these birds in and around their gardens if the warehouse development goes ahead. They can’t feed, breed and survive with no hedgerows and nocturnal birds and bats can’t thrive with 24/7 light pollution.

We are very fortunate in Diseworth. We share our village with a rich diversity of wildlife all reliant on the “green lungs” which surround it. This abundance of mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and plant life do not have a voice. They can’t protest about the plans to destroy the hedges, trees and fields they all rely on for their very survival. They have no control over the quality of the air they breathe or the darkness they need to hunt successfully or the increase of human activity and noise that will disorientate them. But we do have a voice and we can speak up to try and protect these beautiful and diverse species that share our village and its surroundings. They enrich our lives. Please help us to protect them and their habitat.

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