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Taking part in this on Wednesday (the title prompts me to read Greene’s if the same title again which I enjoyed) and thought I’d preface it with some of the issues I’ve been facing around the theme of the event - landscape and belonging https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/heart-of-the-matter-online-symposium-landscape-and-belonging-tickets-119102166787
I’ve just contacted @ChrisGPackham @MarkAvery @RuthTingay via #wild justice @Natures_Voice and @northyorkmoors about the issues
The estate I’ve always lived on and where my mum has retained a cottage was bought by a man called Mr Ramsey who has let the shooting rights to Beefy B’s son Liam - I am scared so am not fully naming. Botham has reputation for mistreatment of birds and landownership
My query to agencies mentioned is about the "work" that has already been undergone (without planning permission), how this can be repaired, and how we can ensure that the landscape is properly and sensitively stewarded.
The catalogue of abuses to the landscape and interpersonal intimidations since their custodianship include:
Access is disputed - the road serving us is eroding/subsiding at a alarming pace. the ancient track is falling into complete disrepair (which runs on a ley line - was a place of pilgrimage for those travelling to Whitby Abbey and where St. Hilda had a cell).
The erosion is due also to excessive vehicular use and an expectation that these ancient roads for walking and horse must expand and serve multiple large vehicles - no pooling on shoot days - flashy
the release of an excessive, and barbaric amount of birds. I have lived on this shooting estate all of my life and the gunshots I could hear whilst on the phone to my mother were nothing short of war-zone sounding - impacted by the shot raining on the roof.
we have to be confined to our home during the shoot; this has never been the case before - the immediate dangers are terrifying. the owners have created a new release pen directly in front of my mother's property and created a drive running through my mother's property.
My mother has continually requested lists of shooting days so that we might not be terrorised within our own home. These requests have been ignored.
The gas-lighting here is evident and adds to the general intimidation my mother has faced. There has been a complete lack of communication from the present owners. My mother is a pensioner and lives alone.
Health and Safety road damage, access limitations, dead sheep left to rot in the beck, unmaintained public footpaths, the close proximity of the planned shooting to my mother's home, mistreatment of pheasants- too many/ attacking each other By too many, I mean 60000 on 200 acres
Environmental damage to a unique landscape - trees chopped down during nesting season, the impact so many pheasants have on the landscape/ causing landslides
My phd thesis, Race and Representation in Northern Britain, takes my experiences as a case study. My practice draws from the landscape, everyday racism experienced as an (hyper-invisible) member of community &ideas of world building in relation to stewarding of the landscape.
