Save Our Field!

Hi, and welcome to the Save the Ganges Field Blog!

I decided to start this after seeing a pair of Red Kites overhead as I walked my dog over the field today (and they said there was no wildlife here!) You can see them in pictures on the left, and below.

The images can be enlarged by double clicking on them.

First some background: situated in Townhill, Swansea South Wales, The Ganges Field was originally common land that was enclosed back in 1762. It remained open farmland while other enclosed space surrounding the field was sold off for housing. The field was given to the people of Swansea to be used a school playing fields in the late 1920's. Now the Estates department of Swansea City Council want to build houses on it. This would mean tearing up an ancient Hawthorn Hedgerow - home to families of sparrows, blackbirds, bats, blue tits as well as butterflies and insects. When local residents protested about the building plans, the council commisioned an ecological survey. The specialist company which did this (at what cost?) came to the conclusion that the hedge was 'not likely to be more than 25 years old' - despite the council sponsoring a book in twenty five years ago that extolled the historic significance of the hedge. It is the last continuous stretch of 1762 enclosure hedge left in the area.

I'll now try to upload some recent photographs, so you can see why we think it's important that the hedge and field are preserved.

The picture on the left shows the Hawthorn Hedge with Crab Apple in bloom in foreground. The ecological survey said this was malus domesticus - cultivated apple! Even an amateur lioke me can tell the difference... The tree that can be seen further down the hedge is a white poplar. These trees were planted along with hawthorn to create a mixed hedgrow. Hedges such as this are now supposed to be protected under the recent changes to the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

As time goes on, I'll post more photos of this field and hedge - as well as the wildlife around - (there's a blackbird nesting just to the right of the
crab apple) - and let you know how the planners are proceeding.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!