u/sadpterodactyl

While I think most in this sub understand how important our gardens are for wildlife, there seems to be an increasing trend to just do away with trees, flowers, hedges and grasses and replace them with artificial surfaces. What were reasonable, if imperfect, habitats for insects, birds, hedgehogs, frogs, newts, and foxes (etc) are now increasingly wildlife deserts.

The arguments in support of this type of anti-nature gardening tend to centre around convenience, lack of time, or some other obstacle, like age or disability, that prevents upkeep. While I have some sympathy for the latter point, I still think there are ways around smothering your garden in artificial grass or concrete.

As so many gardens now - going by Google Maps - are terrible for wildlife, it's increasingly impossible for pro-development councillors and Yimbies to claim that housing is better for biodiversity than farmland.

I have a few questions. Firstly, what do you think we can do about it? Is there a way to educate or incentivize people to garden in a way that's better for wildlife? Secondly, is this a generational thing? Are certain kinds of younger people simply unbothered by massive biodiversity decline? Is it older folk?

Growing up in both Suffolk and Norfolk, something I've noticed is a more-or-less continuous influx of people from Essex. Though I'm generalising here, I've noticed a few identifiable behavioural tendencies that I'm going to list. They obviously don't apply to all Essex folk, and the portrait I'm about to paint is something of a caricature. But these traits have been noticeable enough from movers from Essex that I can depict a recognisable character here.

Newly minted after selling their homes, they'll buy a bigger character property in Suffolk or Norfolk and bring with them certain regrettable ideas about how things should be. They'll often make garish and out-of-character renovations to old houses that have been beautiful for centuries. They'll get rid of greenery, trees, and most things good for wildlife. They'll install some garish luxury appliance - say, a hot-tub or pool - in a beautiful old flower garden. They'll have a hard time understanding why they can't let their dog roam over a sensitive wildlife area. And then, oftentimes, they'll start complaining that their new Norfolk or Suffolk village is a 'backwater', and campaign vocally for a new road or some other concreted convenience. It's almost as if they're trying to bring with them all the noise and ugliness of the place they left.

This is obviously a provocative view, unfair on many people, but I offer it because a good deal of it is unfortunately true. Why?

I've noticed a tendency for anglers to use main lines with breaking strains far in excess of what they need. For instance, anglers waggler fishing for roach on a canal will use 5lb line. That's about the breaking strain most anglers previously would've used for medium-sized tench on the lift method in a small stillwater. I do understand that mono has gotten finer and stronger, but you're still way overgunned if you're fishing for roach, rudd or crucians, say, with a mainline much in excess of 3lbs. You'll deaden the fight entirely. A decent, lively roach hooked on a 2lb mainline and light float rod is a pleasure to play, and it'll dart this way and that with surprising vim. But hook that same fish on pellet-waggler gear (essentially) and you'll haul it in like a sodden teabag.