Yesterday, I read reports on the Smestow Valley Birding blog that two of the areas of scrubland in the Nature Reserve had been cleared, supposedly to make extra meadow in the reserve. The places affected are the field at the back of Compton Lock ( Compton Rough) and the areas between the Smestow Brook and the Railway Walk south of the Ranger Station ( the Paddocks).
I’ve just got back from going to see for myself. I was shocked at just how much the existing vegetation had been cleared, even after reading the Smestow Birders reports. The first three pictures here show the newly opened space in Compton Rough; the other two are of the Paddocks.
The Smestow Valley blog concentrates, understandably, on the damage the clearing will do to the bird life of the valley, especially coming on top of the harm already done by the development of Compton Park – including the of course purely accidental felling of protected trees.
It’s harder to know what other species will also be affected.The areas which have been shorn protetcted wildlife because they were scrub: vegetation which discouraged people and dogs from wandering absolutely everywhere.
The embankment between Compton Rough and the Railway Walk has at least one badger sett. Its inhabitants have now lost a swathe of their protective cover. There’s likely to be other small mammals which relied on the same protection. Perhaps even some of the reptiles which are supposed to live in the valley.
It’s good that the council has some money to spend on the Nature Reserve, even in these times when austerity is being imposed on us. But I’m sure that those who know the Reserve well could have suggested lots of ways the money could have been better spent in making practical improvements which would not have threatened the ecological diversity of the area.