The pond in the village Nature Area is shrinking, The water level is going right down. Vandalism is the cause. Repeatedly. The artificial liner designed to retain rainwater and prevent seepage through the underlying chalk, is being pierced, cut, and torn. The volunteers who repair it are now despairing. A new approach to the problem is needed but it will have to wait until the lockdown is over.
Meanwhile, life of a sort continues in the diminished water habitat. The shallower, smaller part of the pond on one side of the wooden bridge is now just damp earth, but a single tiny clump of Marsh Marigolds (King Cups) survives. Only just. Almost picked by a small child whose guardian did not object to the act but didn’t want the child to get dirty.
On the side of the bridge that is still wet, I was surprised to see a pair of mallards. They alighted briefly but were chased away. The greatest surprise of the last couple of months is that there are people who live in this country village who apparently have no real understanding or appreciation of the countryside itself. It seems that some may be discovering the surrounding area by default in the lockdown, and are not knowing how to behave. No idea of the Country Code. Lots of complaints from farmers about damage to crops and disturbance to livestock.
Jessica's Nature Blog 
Very sad how some peoples reaction is destructive both deliberate and through ignorance.
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Very sad, Andy.
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The Tragedy of the Commons.
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It’s a very sad commentary about the society we now live in. I remember as a child my father taught me to always carry a little paper bag to pick up any pieces of litter I saw…and in those days litter was rarity. I am hoping that this experience will change things for those that seem to have no sensitivity to the natural environment. Time will. tell. Janet
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It is sad indeed, Janet. Today’s news is that a family of four and their dog have crossed a local field by walking through the standing crop and crushing it all as they went. There was a public footpath nearby.
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I had to look this one up. You are right. This is an example of the Tragedy of Commons – “a situation in a shared-resource system where individual users, acting independently according to their own self-interest, behave contrary to the common good of all users by depleting or spoiling the shared resource through their collective action” sad but true.
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I am not sure what is to be done…except to educate people….so sad.
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Yes, education is the answer – but how to reach the right people?
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It is really disturbing how ignorant people are and how totally unaware they can be to causing harm.
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Yes, that is sad but true.
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