Steve, I'd be astonished if anyone had conducted an environmental-impact survey on a plot of land in central Harlow. (Is anyone out there in a position to astonish me on this ???). Land survey ... yes. Zoning survey ... yes. Legal search ... yes. Flooding/drainage survey ... yes. Search of old maps for gazetted footpaths .... probably (they're learning, slowly). But environmental survey ... i doubt it.
While having a far from perfect environmental record, the various local, regional and national authorities in UK do actually have a history of sometimes intervening on behalf of wildlife-preservation causes, especially where the media has kicked up enough fuss about development endangering rare species. I remember one case where a road was diverted because of a badgers' sett, and another where a road was re-designed to provide hedgehog crossings (which didn't work !!). There have been several cases where the presence of orchidsa resulted in a site being designated an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), thereby severely restricting what changes can be made at the location. Whether the land is privately-owned or government-owned makes no difference. The article: http://www.herts-essex-news.co.uk/star/news/story.asp?id=176555 is an attempt to halt the proposed development by a local group, using the orchid as an excuse. In UK, the keys to success via this strategy are (a) establishing rarity and (b) kicking up enough stink in the media. (a) is already established since this is a protected species, hence (b) ... articles in the local press. if you're interested in other examples of local groups in orchid-related action in UK, here is one: http://www.hull.ac.uk/HBP/ActionPlan/BeeOrchid.htm You said: "I will be interested to see how this goes down". I agree. I'd say there is a 30-40% chance that the development will be restricted because of the orchids, rising to above 50% if the action-group manage to keep the pot boiling. If the species had been rarer (eg, the fen orchid, Liparis loeselii) then the odds would have shifted to very close to 100%. BTW, I totally agree with your comment about clubbing together and buying orchid-rich habitats ... I've been advocating this for years. Regards from Peter O'Byrne (Most Honorable ) Singapore _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
