Now...… I wonder who this could be? Wires across a quiet valley? This time carrying gondolas?
Mike Turnip?
(Sorry, I mean Turner)
I have just joined Friends of the Lake District as a member. I should have joined after the Thirlmere Rally.
So I've been doing some digging. Honestly the more I look into this the more disgusting it gets.
There are two immediate plans of attack I can see:
1. UNESCO have already said they disagree strongly with the proposals. An excerpt from their report reads:
"The IUCN raised concern over tourism pressure and potential adverse impacts from tourism that may affect the balance of culture-nature in the Lake District, in particular erosion produced by heavily impacted walking trails in forested areas. IUCN reinforced the need for the State Party to implement 4 long-term monitoring of tourism impacts (among other threats to the cultural landscape and specifically its natural components).
Given the above, we do not believe it is appropriate to support all types of year-round tourism within the National Park, as set out in Policy 19 (this is because some activities are more damaging to the landscape when carried out in the winter than in the summer). The approach taken does not meet the recommendations made by ICOMOS in the UNESCO World Heritage Site evaluation report, in relation to tourism as set out below, nor does it address the concerns raised in the World Heritage Site description regarding the integrity of the Lake District:-
In conclusion, ICOMOS considers that the management system for the property is overall adequate; however, special attention is needed to ensure that impacts of tourism are reduced, and economic benefits from tourism go more directly to the agro-pastoral sector."
So, pressure on UNESCO to review the WHS accreditation is key. I would have thought the Lake District couldn't possibly suffer the embarrassment of it being revoked and the subsequent media coverage.
2. Rory Stewart, MP for Cumbria. Also Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Mr Stewart spent two years walking around 6,000 miles through Asia, so is clearly a very keen walker. He was also instrumental in the expansion of the Lake District, introduced the plastic bag tax, was responsible for bringing the first draft of the 25 year environment plan in which he emphasised biodiversity and ecosystems, supported the bid for the UNESCO heritage bid etc. etc.
He seems like he could (should!) be an ally plus it appears he is rather close to Theresa May, who herself seems to be a relatively keen walker. That seems a very clear route to the top in my opinion and should be used as such. I'm looking into this (well my wife is!) to see what can be done to make it into a point that can't be ignored. If all else fails I'll stand outside Downing Street with a sandwich board and call all the press in.
Finally, I've been looking up this Mike Turnip. What a low life money grabbing scumbag he is. Quotes:
"The Lake District should not be preserved in aspic"
"The Lake District is not just for mountain climbers and fell walkers. It is for everyone"
"The Thirlmere Activity Hub will create the equivalent of 28 full-time jobs and attract an extra 127,000 visitors a year" (and lots and LOTS of money for you Mike huh?)
"Zip lines and cycle tracks are clearly not environmental matters – they are emotional ones. This debate is rapidly and sadly becoming about who should be using the landscape and what they should be doing in it. I for one want to see more people enjoying it." (read "I for one want to rinse it for every penny I can...")
And this propaganda from the Cumbria Chamber of Commerce is extremely worrying too:
http://www.cumbriachamberofcommerce.co.uk/why-cumbria-needs-the-thirlmere-zipwire/This is all upsetting beyond belief. I simply can't believe it's got to this stage already without someone stepping in and clipping his wings, and those of his narrow minded, short sighted supporters. I absolutely see this as our Hetch Hetchy (anyone who doesn't know the history of this, please look it up, it's quite the story). I'm feeling the spirit of John Muir welling up inside me...
FLD are doing a magnificent job, clearly. What they don't seem to have is exposure, I knew nothing of this until I joined this forum. We can ALL help with that. I have quite a few ideas I'm going to put into practice as soon as I can. I'd like to think the owners and moderators of this forum would get behind this with a proper push too. There are thousands of active members on here, in my opinion every single one should be up and arms about it, even if they live no where near the Lake District, even if they have no intention of ever visiting. If this starts to move and these things happen, these evil money grabbers will move on to the next place but with more momentum.
What next? The Cairngorms? This is OUR land for US to enjoy. Not a vehicle for selfish people to expand their already considerable wealth at the expense of (in my opinion) Englands greatest treasure.