Protect Your Green Environment Jan-Feb 2021
May I wish all readers a very happy and healthy New Year as we look forward to lengthening days and signs of Spring in the next few months. Radio and television programmes repeatedly remind us of the huge benefits of the natural world on our doorstep which many overlooked during ‘normal’ times: our gardens, parks, trees, hedgerows and fields. If we value these ever-diminishing assets on our Island, now is the time for young and old to think about what we can do to protect and enhance what we have. Hampshire County Council controls and is responsible for our roads and verges; remember that you can be fined for leaving your car on grass verges – these should never be treated as over-flow parking. The Open Spaces Society (oss.org.uk) provides fascinating explanation for their origins and functions: these increasingly provide us, alongside their County Council planted trees, with a vital sense of open green space, an important habitat and reservoir for wildlife. Car tyres’ and engine oils’ residue compact this important soft turf and, along Staunton Avenue for example, a few vehicles have persistently and so permanently crushed daffodil bulbs planted along these verges by the charitable Lions for the public benefit. Such vehicles create deep grooves in which nothing can grow. Sadly, by-laws in place to prevent such infringements of public spaces, are seldom enforced even when residents complain.
Our excellent Havant Borough Tree Wardens comprise volunteers including here on Hayling who take a very active interest in everything to do with our trees. This could be a great way to help our local environment, whether by simply lending your time or learning from their talks – volunteers don’t have to be experts! This is a great way to know your Island better and at the same time benefit your community as you can become active in preserving and enhancing our vital environment. Maybe this could be just the New Year’s Project for you! Find out full details plus how to contact them using their full name in your browser’s search bar. Alternatively contact HIRA by phone or email (below or on our website) for more information.
Good news on the Hayling Island Community Centre Appeal: thanks to so many fantastic responses, the Centre has a real prospect of being able to re-open when it is allowed to do so and to continue into the Spring! Running a huge centre, that typically generates its income from non-stop community events and still needs regular volunteers to help out, is a massive task. We all need to encourage each other to continue supporting both the Hayling Island Community Centre and Eastoke Community Centre in whatever way we can. Please continue to book or donate whenever possible.
Be sure to register your Right of Way on the Definitive Map as soon as possible – or lose it! Contact lance.quantrill@hants.gov.uk as per Hayling Herald p.21 and find out more online: type in Register your Right of Way and scroll down for the details.
