What a load of RUBBISH!

[carlj]

Yes it's unsightly, non-biodegradeable and harms some of our native wildlife.

But is there another side to this?

I'm not advocating littering, but from recent observations, is it helping some of our wildlife? Numerous birds flock around landfill tips, scavenging away. And despite the reduced temperatures of October, am still seeing dragonflies on wing. How are they warming themselves up? By sitting on white or metallic plastic bags that reflect the heat onto them.

Litter is awful, but seems to have the odd benefit too. Anyone else noticed other creatures taking advantage of humanity's inability to recycle?

[speckled wood]

Ironical it is true, takes my thoughts to the Silver-studded Blue colony in North Shropshire the populations are concentrated on a former aerodrome runway where rubbish (especially building materials) often gets dumped and this dumped material seems to help maintain the conditions ideal to this butterfly.

[Alan]

I'd have thought sitting on black objects would warm them up quicker, but maybe the reflected heat from the white does the same for whatever is sitting on it.

How about discarded fishing nets and rope that you often see in Gannet colonies, and similar objects used on other birds nests for that matter..

Corrigated roofing sheet often used by mice, voles and snakes....whether they have been placed there for them deliberately or not!

'Waste ground' as it is often referred to, and derelict industrial areas, are often more rich in species than general countryside.

[Paul mabbott]

Yes, urban 'wasteland' is often equates to a rare (for UK) habitat yet is ignored by planners and developers. CRE, for instance, is always saying that "green land" (often useless farmland) should not be built on while there are so many urban wastelands available. Ignoring the fact that these spaces can be the only open spaces available to many urban dwellers, they are sometimes seriously important ecological sites.

Originally Posted by Alan

'Waste ground' as it is often referred to, and derelict industrial areas, are often more rich in species than general countryside.

[honeybee]

There's a big landfill near Gloucester that the seagulls flock to, seen a few with carrier bags wrapped around their legs

[Wild-Woman]

Just thought I'd add this pretty rubbish picture of a small red-eyed damselfly I shot about 7 weeks ago. It was in a filthy ditch, surrounded by litter and was quite at home basking on this upturned pot that had been thrown in the water. Little survivors!

[henrya]

Somebody once wrote in another forum several years ago that the dragonflies always perched on the dark coloured plastic pegs on his washing line, in preference to the light coloured ones, so Alan is right that they prefer black things when they can find them.

Some rubbish is useful to wildlife, but there is plenty that is not, especially fibrous stuff that can entangle.

henrya

[Jon]

Originally Posted by honeybee

There's a big landfill near Gloucester that the seagulls flock to, seen a few with carrier bags wrapped around their legs

More than likely the're on the way to Tesco, Jon

[Fritillary]

Nature is always fighting to have a balance, however humans are too prolific and producing a lot much rubbish of what can be reutilised by the plants and animals.

And it is true, the adaptation of some animals and plants is quite wide, worst cases: cockroaches, rats, weeds, etc etc. However, other ones just are too fragil that any change of their habitats is producing their extintion.

[Garden Carpet]

Originally Posted by Jon

More than likely the're on the way to Tesco, Jon

Wonder if they are collecting the green points?
jaki

[Saz]

I don't think littering can ever be a good thing. I've recently done some research into the impacts of rubbish on wildlife and I would say that it kills far more animals ( by entanglement and ingestion) than it helps food-wise.

As for the birds scavenging at a landfill, I would suggest that they are there in unnaturally high numbers and will be opportunistic species, attracted by food scraps.

Saz

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Saz

I don't think littering can ever be a good thing. I've recently done some research into the impacts of rubbish on wildlife and I would say that it kills far more animals ( by entanglement and ingestion) than it helps food-wise.

As for the birds scavenging at a landfill, I would suggest that they are there in unnaturally high numbers and will be opportunistic species, attracted by food scraps.

Saz

Of course Gulls and such like can often contract botulism and other deseases from landfill sites. I can remember a few years ago, a large number were found dead on the gravel pitts adjacent to the landfill site there. The area was closed down to the public for a while.

[mrs fish]

This is the canal which is full of rubbish and wildlife

[Paul mabbott]

And this is the River Don in Sheffield - you can understand why mum won't let her little ones go in the water ....
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...age-22118.html

Originally Posted by mrs fish

This is the canal which is full of rubbish and wildlife

[speckled wood]

[quote=mrs fish
This is the canal which is full of rubbish and wildlife[/QUOTE]

Some parts of the Leominster Canal which closed in 1958 and was supposedly drained is still home to a variety of water fowl and plants.