Norfolk Broads - the end is nigh

[Paul mabbott]

It's a long time since I've been to the Broads (have some happy memories) but things are looking bad now:
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/health/science/broads-damaged-by-decades-neglect-$1143251.htm

I know they have problems in drought years but they now seem to have difficulties from sheer numbers of motor vehicles (car and boat).

[kshotton45]

I was reading about it on the BBC site, here....

BBC NEWS | England | Broads area 'damaged by neglect'

Pollution, rising sea levels and water demands are threatening the already damaged Suffolk and Norfolk Broads.

Keith.

[naturelover]

you know what i say, close it off to trafic cars and anything with a engine, then let it come back to the beauty it was,no better still close it off compleatly untill its got what it had,humans are spoiling this world nothing else.

[John]

Originally Posted by naturelover

you know what i say, close it off to trafic cars and anything with a engine, then let it come back to the beauty it was,no better still close it off compleatly untill its got what it had,humans are spoiling this world nothing else.

And you truly believe in that do you? The mind boggles.

Do you think stopping that just in Norfolk will have the right impact for that area. Don't you think that world wide effects may be having adverse effects in that area, as well as many other areas. Are you going to stop everything mechanical throughout the world.

It is over the top comments like this that does no good for serious debate.

John

[naturelover]

ok keep your hair on, i was just trying to say if humans stayed away from the broads for a while it might make a diference, it states that its due to neglect,if we havnt done it who has?

[John]

Well actually you didn't say keep the humans away. You said keep everything with an engine away. Big difference there.

Norfolk is one of many areas where better management is needed but overall many things that are happening are happening world wide, and yes it probably is all to do with humnans, but which humans do you target.

The Broads have got busier with boat traffic and I suppose you could cut that back. Cut that back and you lessen the car traffic that has to get there but how significant would that be.

To be honest extremes, as you suggest, are unworkable due the logistics of imposing it but certainly a long term study is needed and the findings implemented.

I go to Norfolk regularly (not the Broads so much) and it such a wonderful area to visit (I visited twice in September) so I know it very well. I would hate to think that I was banned from going there along with others.

If that happened just think what would happen to the local economy. Just think of the lack of money that would be generated at most of the Norfolk reserves from Membership charges etc to wildlife bodies such as Norfolk Wildlife Trust and also from admission charges.

We have to hold our hands up and realise that the Broads will never go back to its former glory so we have to put things in place that will at least stop it getting any worse. That will be hard, especially as the seas are rising so much. It won't be long before certain areas are going to be engulfed, and lost, from the seas breaching the sea defences. This is one of the reasons why so much money and effort is being put into the Lakenheath reserve. They are creating an environment that will hopefully be an alternative place where the birds will go.

I don't know what the answer is, and I don't think anyone else does either. They can pull things out of the air and say that is what they think is the causes but who really knows. The answers are not going to be found quickly, and I wonder if we have already gone too far to put things right, but certainly investigations need to be done over a long term and hopefully answers can be found.

John

Originally Posted by naturelover

ok keep your hair on, i was just trying to say if humans stayed away from the broads for a while it might make a diference, it states that its due to neglect,if we havnt done it who has?

[coasty]

Originally Posted by naturelover

you know what i say, close it off to trafic cars and anything with a engine, then let it come back to the beauty it was,no better still close it off compleatly untill its got what it had,humans are spoiling this world nothing else.

I sympathise with your view however lets not forget that the broads are man made. They are part of our changing landscape.
In my work as civil engineer I visit Norfolk all the time. I work for a company based in that part of the world. I see first hand the efforts that are made to balance the demands of our society with the desire to retain as much as possible of the old.

I also dont hold with the idea that if you leave things entirely alone then everything will be rosy. Like most of Britain the broads are a carefully managed area. If man stopped managing it then who could predict what there would be there in even 20 years time. However I do accept that in some cases man has managed things badly. But I do think things are improving.

[naturelover]

thankyou john and coasty for exsplaining it to me,i have never been there myself,i didnt realise it was man made i thought it was naturel and getting ruind by too many visiters.

[Blackbrook Eye]

What the sea giveth the sea taketh away

[Pagan_Dave]

People don't deserve to have it if they can't be xexexexexe to look after it!!!