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Government action to tackle the scourge of litter and protect the environment from plastic pollution ramps up this weekend (Sunday 1 October), with bans and restrictions on a range of polluting single-use plastic items coming into force.
No business – whether retailer, takeaway, food vendor or part of the hospitality industry – will now be able to sell single-use plastic cutlery, balloon sticks nor polystyrene cups and food containers in England. The supply of single-use plastic plates, trays and bowls has also been restricted. The new regulations were announced in January and extensive work has taken place throughout 2023 to provide further guidance on the ban for businesses. The ban will not apply to single-use plastic plates, trays and bowls used as packaging in shelf-ready pre-packaged food items as these will be included in our plans for an extended producer responsibility scheme, which will incentivise producers to use less packaging and meet higher recycling targets. The Government has set out plans to drive up the repair and reuse of existing materials and increase recycling, including via the ‘Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste’ programme announced in July. This brings together a range of measures backed by government funding to help keep products and materials in circulation for as long as possible and at their highest value, in turn growing the economy and boosting employment. The single-use plastics ban is part of the Government’s wider world-leading action to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution and eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. The Government has already banned microbeads in rinse-off personal care products in 2018 and restricted the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds in 2020. The Government also introduced the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022, a tax of more than £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in or imported to the UK that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic.
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Eco Sobo
A series of monthly, sustainability-themed, free-to-attend workshops in Southbourne begins this Thursday. A workshop entitled ‘All the Rs’ this Thursday kicks off a series of events aimed at helping people to live more sustainably. The workshop, which will be hosted on 28 September, 7-9pm at The Larder House in Southbourne will provide practical tips on reducing waste, reusing and repurposing items, refusing packaging, and recycling. Four guest speakers – Rosie Edwards, founder of Eco Sobo and Sobo Wastebusters; James Fowler of The Larder House and Terroir Tapas; Alison Vallier, waste management officer at BCP Council; and Connor Winter from Circular 11 – will share their knowledge and expertise on the ‘Rs’. The event will be the first in a series of similar free events, thanks to government funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Also helping to organise the events are Lizzie McManus, founder of Warrior Agency, and Mandy Polkey, founder of Stir Events CIC – the organisers of Shake & Stir Festival. Lizzie said: “We want to open up conversations about single-use plastic, overbuying, food waste, and all the practicalities of reducing waste in your life at home or at work. And this open-to-all event aims to do just that in a helpful, interesting, and engaging way.” A car-free celebration is being held in Dorchester today.
The county town will mark an international car-free day, today, Friday, September 22 with a 'Streets Alive' event. It will be held at the Acland Road car park between 12pm and 5pm. The Acland Road car park will be closed for the day, but all other car parks in the town will remain open. Local schoolchildren will be taking part with members of the public also invited along. Streets Alive aims to educate the public into finding fun and engaging alternatives to driving, as well as to enjoy the health benefits of active transport and 'reclaim their urban spaces. Dorchester hosts it’s “Streets Alive!” event, celebrating International Car-Free Day in Acland Road car park on Friday 22nd September 2023. There will be a festival with stalls, music, activities, and demonstrations in the car park from 12pm to 5pm. Local school children will be taking part with members of the public invited as well! Streets Alive will be based around the theme of active transport, encouraging the public to “reclaim their urban spaces”, find fun and engaging alternatives to driving, and enjoy the health benefits of active transport (walking, scootering, and cycling). Some of the fabulous activities and demonstrations include: the Crazy Cycle Circus, King Ramps Skateboarding, walking football, circus skills workshops, Bike-agility, Trishaw rides, pottery, arts and crafts, interactive fitness demonstrations and much more! The day will be sound tracked by music from Keep 106. To close the event, for anyone who still has the energy, there will be a traditional Dorchester Hokey Cokey. https://www.dorchesterchamber.co.uk/dorchester-celebrates-international-car-free-day-with-their-streets-alive-event/ Colourful Extinction Rebellion campaigners joined arts fans in Wimborne at the weekend – but for a different reason.
As hundreds enjoyed performances as part of the Inside Out Dorset event in the town on Saturday (September 16), the XR Wimborne group staged a protest against fossil fuels. But they got into the spirit of things, performing themselves during their demonstration, receiving a ‘warm reception’ from townsfolk. Our message was simple, there’s still time to avoid the worst of climate chaos,” added retired ship’s captain, Peter Aldous. The campaigners were joining the Global Fight Fossil Fuels action. “The placards and leaflets we used in Wimborne featured upside down elements because climate change will turn our planet upside down,” said resident, Joanna Bury. Another group member, Steve Hutton, said: “I’m very proud to have taken part in the global call to end fossil fuels. “To have received the warm reception we did in Wimborne reminds me that I live in a town where people really care about the environment and the future of our planet.” “We sang fossil fuels themed songs, processed and unfurled banners before the Inside Out performances started, and in parts of Wimborne where performances weren’t taking place,” a spokesperson said. Two years have passed since we acquired Wild Woodbury, the 170-hectare site near Bere Regis. And in two years the transformation of the landscape and uplift in biodiversity has been incredible to witness. The goal of this ambitious project was to build an exemplar for sustainable land use to tackle the climate and ecological crises and engage the local community.
In the first year of the project, we allowed the land to naturally regenerate, and we saw an immediate increase in biodiversity and abundance with the site list reaching 1300 species. The second year of the project was a lot more ‘hands on’ as we set to re-naturalise the headwaters of the River Sherford, a site-wide project known as Stage-0 river restoration. Stage-0 in the river restoration process is simply water flowing across the landscape; water that is not diverted or constrained into channels and ditches, but can freely flow into the low ground, finding natural pathways and re-establishing historic routes through fields. Much of the site is fed by three springs and should naturally be very wet, encompassing several fields and wet woodland, but the ditches have made this not so. We started by strategically filling in ditches to let the water flow out into the fields, before supplementing this work by blocking up field drains and creating leaky dams throughout the remaining ditch systems. The effect of the restoration was both immediate and extraordinary to witness. A once dry and cracked landscape now a heterogeneous mixture of large flows, ephemeral pools, and delta-like areas. And wildlife was quick to take advantage of these new wetland habitats across the site. Just a few weeks after the restoration had finished, Wild Woodbury played host to 90 lapwing, 20 golden plover, and 30 common snipe, all feeding in the newly wetted areas. Amphibians such as common frogs, toad, palmate newt have increased in numbers, as have dragonflies and damselflies. Grass snake numbers are also up, likely attracted by the wetter areas now on site. Summer surveys reveal that Wild Woodbury now boasts a site list of over 1600 species, an increase of 300 from the previous year. New species to the site include the grey partridge, and greenfinch – both on the Red List for birds of conservation concern. The upward trend in ground nesting bird numbers continues from year one, with skylark now at around 50 pairs compared to 18 in 2022, tree pipit increasing from one to seven pairs, and nightjar holding new territories. Perhaps the most exciting discovery of this year’s summer surveys was the nightingale, another visitor on the Red List for birds of conservation concern. Though not confirmed to be breeding on site, its presence at Wild Woodbury as it migrates southwards is extremely encouraging. Hopefully, they will return next spring to breed! Restoring a landscape and making space for nature on this scale takes time, but an extremely encouraging second year proves what is possible when natural processes are restored. A Celebration of Art and Imagination
The summer holidays are a time for children to let their creativity run wild, and this year was no exception as young artists from across our community came together to participate in our exciting ‘Otter Gallery and Wimborne’s, Young Artist of the Year Competition’. The competition, held throughout the school summer holidays, saw an impressive display of artistic talent across various age groups. After weeks of creative exploration, the competition drew to a conclusion with an art exhibition showcasing all the work of our shortlisted artists, with a grand prize-giving ceremony where the winners were announced. The competition saw an impressive array of submissions from children aged 0 to 16, divided into three categories: 0-7, 8-12, and 13-16, all with the theme, 'Nature's Canvas'. Each age group presented its own unique set of challenges and opportunities for these young artists, making the judging process both exciting and challenging. The grand finale of the competition took place on September 2nd, with a full house of parents, friends, and art enthusiasts in attendance. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as the winners were announced, and the young artists received their trophies and gift vouchers. To top it off, each child received a packed goody bag filled with art supplies, inspiring them to continue nurturing their artistic passions. The Otter Gallery and Wimborne’s Young Artist of the Year Competition was not just an artistic showcase; it was a celebration of the creativity and talent that resides within our youngest community members. Ada Rose, Charlotte Elliott, and Izzy Cripps, along with all the participants, demonstrated that age is no barrier to artistic expression. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the participants. Their dedication and creativity have left an indelible mark on our hearts, and we look forward to witnessing their continued artistic journeys. We also want to say a huge thank you to all the parents who supported the competition and also our sponsors Winsor and Newton and Pegasus Art for donating such generous prizes and supporting Otter Gallery. As we close the chapter on this summer's art extravaganza, we eagerly await the next generation of artists to emerge and inspire us with their creativity. Until then, let's continue to nurture the artistic spirit in every child and celebrate the magic they bring into our lives through their art. Environmental campaign group Planet Wimborne has been awarded a £500 grant to help fund a green festival in the town.
The group, which describes itself as a ‘community of local people who are concerned about the climate and ecological crisis facing us today’, has been awarded the money by Wimborne Town Council. The 2023 Planet Wimborne Green Festival is set to take place in the week beginning October 14. It is the first time the council has awarded a grant to Planet Wimborne – the umbrella leadership group for all green groups in Wimborne. The annual Green Festival will feature community groups, businesses, organisations and churches, who have joined forces to put together ‘a week of fantastic events and activities designed to encourage us all to live more sustainably,’ the group said. “We’re particularly excited that this year’s programme includes Springwatch and Animal Park presenter Megan McCubbin headlining the opening weekend with an event at QE School,” they added. Jeff Hart, a director of Planet Wimborne, said: “We are delighted that Wimborne Town Council has awarded us this grant. It will help stage a week of fantastic events at Wimborne’s own Green Festival. “Planet Wimborne is keen to work with councils and all organisations to address concerns about the climate and ecological crisis facing us today.” The festival will feature a host of talks, craft sessions for all ages, the Saturday Green Fair on the Minster Green, tree-planting, a green trail to follow around Wimborne and more. Wimborne Community Theatre help kick off the event at 10.30am on October 14, on the Minster Green. The UK’s wildlife is continuing to decline according to State of Nature Report 2023.
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON THE UK’S CURRENT BIODIVERSITY. State of Nature uses the latest and best data from biological monitoring and recording schemes, collated by the incredible work of thousands of skilled people, most of whom are volunteers, to provide a benchmark for the status of our wildlife. The UK, like most other countries worldwide, has seen significant loss of its plants, animals and fungi. The data from State of Nature cover, at most, 50 years but this follows on from centuries of habitat loss, development and persecution. As a result, the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth. But the reasons for the decline are clear and we know conservation actions deliver results for nature. We have never had a better understanding of the State of Nature and what is needed to fix it. Across Dorset over 400 land and freshwater species recorded in the past are now thought to be extinct, about one in 40 species. These include the pearl bordered fritillary butterfly, shrill carder bee and chough. Some 2,500 species are still present but are threatened, rare, scarce or protected. A new Flood and Coastal Erosion Management (FCERM) Strategy to guide how the frontage from Hengistbury Head to Hurst Spit, encompassing Christchurch Harbour, will be sustainably managed for the next 100 years.
Climate change is putting significantly more properties, infrastructure and open spaces at risk from coastal flooding and erosion. Calculations have revealed that if we do nothing over the next 100 years, the coastal frontage will suffer around £1 billion in damages which includes erosion risk to approximately 1,600 properties and coastal flood risk to over 2,200 properties (homes and non-residential buildings). The figures are not designed to alarm but to help us evidence and justify doing something to manage the risks. A new coastal strategyBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) and New Forest District Council (NFDC) are working together with the Environment Agency (EA) to produce a strategy for Christchurch Bay and Harbour. It will identify where, when and broadly what type of works are needed to manage the risks of coastal flooding and erosion over the next century and roughly what they may cost. It will also consider the effects of predicted climate change on coastal communities, including sea level rise and the increased frequency of storms. As Coast Protection Authorities, BCP and NFDC do not have a statutory duty to undertake coast protection work, but we can use permissive powers to protect the coastline and work with communities to help them adapt to future coastal change. In addition, along with the EA, BCP (as Lead Local Flood Authority – LLFA) has statutory responsibilities for managing flood risk; Hampshire County Council is the LLFA covering the NFDC area. Strategy development – engagement and consultationWe have involved our stakeholders in the development of the Strategy since summer 2021. You can read all of our engagement and consultation findings on the BCP Council Have your Say Christchurch Bay and Harbour Strategy Hub. You can also view the recording of the online presentation from 27 June 2023. In Winter 2022, the public and key stakeholders had their say on the proposed short list for managing coastal flood and erosion risks. Each of the options were then appraised to assess their economic, technical, environmental and social viability. The process identified the proposed leading options for each of the 18 option development units across the strategy area. These proposals were the focus of the Phase 5 consultation which ran from 5 June to 27 August 2023. Next steps - We are now analysing and considering feedback on the proposed leading options consultation. In Spring 2024, we anticipate that the draft Strategy will be presented for adoption at both BCP Council and New Forest District Council’s Cabinets The Strategy will then be presented to the Environment Agency for final adoption. |
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