Stand Up for Nature
Up at the crack of dawn, I was unusually organised for my 5 hour trip south to Edinburgh. I’d seen the details of the protest the previous week and galvanised myself into action, booking a lift down to catch the bus in Inverness and booking the Megabus further south. I would have preferred to take the train, but there’s disruption on this part of the line and the only affordable ticket (£19 return) forced me to return at a much later time than I would have been happy with, not getting in until after midnight. So despite my reservations - including travel sickness - I geared up for my day trip to protest outside the Scottish Parliament.
In my youth, I did a fair bit of protesting, CND mostly, but other causes too. I didn’t realise I was on some sort of black list until my sister wanted to join the police and someone came to ‘interview’ me, for which read, check out my views weren’t anti-establishment. They were, but she was still successful! Anyway, my protesting days have never been over, but I’m less likely to show up at a march or demo these days due to a combination of my health, the cost and the location. Most things are London based, which pretty much rules them out. As Edinburgh is a mere 5 hours away, it seemed like a good opportunity.
Standing up for nature is certainly something I can get behind. She needs an advocate. We happily ride rough shod over existing protections in the name of progress, though usually mostly corporate greed. The jury is still out on the fate of Coul Links, a SSSI, SPA and Ramsar sight and the Scottish Government recently approved the Flamingo Land fiasco, although I believe it has since been halted this for reconsideration after a rush of protest. The push for power in our corner of the world has seen huge schemes for over-sized power pylons granted their march through scenic glens, hills, rivers and homes. I’m all for green power, but this is large scale destruction, with all the benefits going to corporate pockets and other parts of the country/Europe. Alternative, less damaging schemes, haven’t even been given the time of day. All this and more on Scot Gov’s watch, so a bit of a nudge wouldn’t go amiss, especially with this autumn’s Natural Environment Bill being debated later in the year. It will be a vital opportunity to set strong and meaningful targets for nature recovery.
Organised by the Scottish Environment Link, which represent over 40 third sector organisations with an environmental interest, including the RSPB, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the Woodland Trust and more, it was intended to demand action to restore Scotland’s nature. With one in nine species at risk of extinction in Scotland, nature certainly needs a helping hand.
I wasn’t expecting the 60,000 strong march which converged on the UK Parliament last year to Restore Nature Now, but I must admit to being disappointed by the small numbers of folk who’d turned up. It was a Thursday lunchtime, so perhaps not the best of times - I’m sure a Saturday event would have attracted far more people, but even so, it was not well supported. I don’t know how the organisers felt. The booking site suggested more than 2.5 thousand people were planning on stumping up on Holyrood’s doorstep, so perhaps they were equally disappointed by the turn out. There were representatives from the Bumblebee Conservation Society, The Woodland Trust, Save Our Seas, the RSPB, Extinction Rebellion, the organisers and a handful of other NGO’s and individuals, including me. I’m a member of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, but couldn’t find any other supporters in the crowd.
photo by James Chaplard
My bus was late and I had to walk from the bus station, so maybe I missed hoards of people who were there at the very start. Maybe. It wasn’t so much a ‘Stand Up for Nature’ protest as a gather round and have a chit chat in the sunshine whilst holding placards. I was sat down for a bit after my exertions in the sunshine, though most people were at least standing and many had placards. The MP’s, who were anticipated after First Ministers Questions, didn’t seem to materialise, but there were an awful lot of them blethering around the corner, enjoying the sunshine and refreshments. I did a bit of my own blethering, took a few photos then headed off for lunch. There was still smiling and laughter as the delegation dissolved into what remained of the afternoon .
It was a good humoured gathering, policed by one over-heated bobby and a parliamentary security bod. There were undoubtedly connections made and the craic was good. Were we seen and heard? Honestly, I have no idea! We rarely see the ripples of our actions, just hope they spread out.
The state of nature in the UK is dire. The State of Nature report makes worrying reading, but there is also a lot going on and a lot more that could be done, so protest, pressure, getting involved somehow, is always worthwhile. You can do it where you are, with the resources you have. You don’t need to make a ten hour round trip to Edinburgh, or London, or anywhere else, but nature needs us more than ever before and we need nature, so there’s the imperative to stand up for her, whenever, wherever, however we can.
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