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River Lugg vandalism

Exactly the same thing happened on my local River Dane, in June of this year and reported by various people:

E.A said they couldn’t get involved, as the water course hadn’t been altered, nor did the work prevent a flood risk. Everyone who saw the destruction, couldn’t believe that they took this stance!

Natural England were not interested and this despite bat roosts being destroyed.

Cheshire Police Rural and Wildlife Crime unit, visited the site and to the best of my knowledge took no action.

Forestry Commission, couldn’t fault them really. Arrived on site the day after it was reported (during first Covid lockdown) and once they determined that no felling licence was issued, they were all over it. They‘ve since issued a 10 year restocking notice, meaning willow stumps cannot be removed and trees must be replanted.
 
Well done Forestry Commission.
Just goes to show the EA are more interested in managing the environment for us, rather than trying to prevent us from destroying it. Must be so frustrating for those EA employees who do genuinely care.
 
It's shocking - and all the agencies on site running around like Buster Keaton trying to determine who's responsibility it is (when they eventually have the wherewithal to gain access). All the while this idiot is rampaging through his land, felling trees and changing the course of the river. It defies belief, it really does!
 
The word is this vandalism was reported to the relevant authorities on the 26th Nov. It was 8 days on before the officials arrived on site to order a stop to it...how much damage was done in that time?
 
Neil Blood said:
Exactly the same thing happened on my local River Dane, in June of this year and reported by various people:

E.A said they couldn’t get involved, as the water course hadn’t been altered, nor did the work prevent a flood risk. Everyone who saw the destruction, couldn’t believe that they took this stance!

Natural England were not interested and this despite bat roosts being destroyed.

Cheshire Police Rural and Wildlife Crime unit, visited the site and to the best of my knowledge took no action.

Forestry Commission, couldn’t fault them really. Arrived on site the day after it was reported (during first Covid lockdown) and once they determined that no felling licence was issued, they were all over it. They‘ve since issued a 10 year restocking notice, meaning willow stumps cannot be removed and trees must be replanted.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update Neil maybe it will be worth fishing by the time I retire.
 
The WUF take on it...

Devastation of the River Lugg


Friday 4th December, 2020
Yesterday the news broke of the destruction of 1.5km of the river Lugg at Kingsland in Herefordshire. The widespread disbelief and dismay at what has happened to this much loved and highly protected river is shared by everyone at the Wye & Usk Foundation.
While it appears an array of wildlife and habitats has been devastated, this could not have happened at worse time for the precious Atlantic salmon. For the past couple of weeks we have been recording salmon spawning in this part of the Lugg and it is almost certain that any eggs deposited in the affected reach will have been destroyed, possibly along with those immediately downstream too.
Like so many others, we want to see this section of the river restored as soon as possible. We also hope that this incident has not undone the good work carried out in the Lugg catchment by so many other land owners, angling clubs, associations and others with an interest in the river’s ecology and environment.
While we understand fully the distress and calls for immediate action, we must now stand back and allow the authorities to carry out their investigations and for the due legal process to take its course.
 
The EA certainly haven't come out of this smelling of roses.

However, I don't believe that the EA authorised the landowner to carry out the destruction/vandalism that actually occurred.

What the EA need to do now is prosecute this land owner.

Failure to do so will give a green light to any other like- minded landowner to do the same.
 
Spin.

I see the logic in de-silting/clearing the arch of the bridge which I gather was blocked, and understand that the EA consented to this.

I will take a lot of convincing that the other works, such as complete tree removal and bank reprofiling were necessary for flood defence. A good way to increase peak flows downstream and to increase the risk of downstream flooding if you ask me.
 
"I have not done any damage to the wildlife because it was better than what it was. It's cleaner, we cleaned all the rubbish out and to be honest we've got more wildlife here now than [what] I did have in December."
Click to expand...

"I have definitely helped the wildlife because it's the cleanest stretch of river now. I know there are more fish here than there have been because you can tell by the [number of] cormorants and we have got more otters than ever."
Click to expand...

Interesting logic there Mr. Price.

What a numpty.
 
If he had a valid felling licence then there is nothing that the FC can do. Makes you wonder who in the FC issued the felling licence in the first place doesn't it?

The newspaper headline is very misleading, Mr Price certainly hasn't been cleared of wrongdoing...NE will decide that. I would be utterly amazed if he hasn't breached the SSSI management conditions.

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