After a heavy day yesterday, I took an easy day today and have been shown around Mersea Island by incredible local resident Angela who took the whole day out to show me the wildlife, as well as huge generosity in feeding me and giving me a bed. Apart from a stunning array of wetland birds, the island is home to one of England's few red squirrel populations. The grey squirrels, which carry small pox lethal to reds, aren't able to get across to the island, so a small group of reds were introduced and have since prospered in the island's pockets of pine forest. It's important to have populations other than those in the Lake District, Scotland and Isle of Wight as this increases genetic diversity to bolster the other strongholds.
.
Red squirrels help both spread symbiotic fungi, which are vital for trees' growth, and the seeds of the coniferous trees they nest in, ensuring the continuation of these forests. Grey squirrels tend to prefer deciduous trees, whose seeds are already spread by visiting birds, meaning reds fill a unique and important ecological niche. Furthermore, since the reds live mostly in pines, they compete less for nesting sites with the birds and so give their populations a chance to recover steadily, a chance which is harder fought elsewhere.
.
Although many arguing that by introducing species we are messing with nature, given that red squirrels were the original residents of the UK, reintroducing them to isolated pockets such as Mersea provides a sustainable, low cost solution to preserve the island's woodland habitats by readdressing the ecological equilibrium.
.
The day before, whilst walking from Heybridge Basin to Peldon, I met with a group of ladies out rambling. One of them, who had grown up in a farming family and had lived in the area all her life, told me about the conflict with Brent Geese. These geese travel hundreds of miles from Siberia to overwinter in the Essex marshes, undergoing incredible physiological changes such as digesting their own internal organs for fuel to undertake such a journey. Upon arrival, they are of course very hungry and tuck in to whatever they can find which, in early spring, is young crops. This is not only a pain but a severe economic burden for the farmers who see their crops destroyed after months of hard toil. Local wildlife enthusiasts go up in arms when they hear the farmers' shot guns, whilst the farmers dispute how they are meant to feed our ever growing population with such pests around.
.
The lady told me that the farmers worked out if they timed their crop planting right, they could get them in the soil and let the crops grow more before the geese were scheduled to arrive. The geese are less fond of the older, tougher plants and so stick to the marshes. The RSPB have also designated several fields for the geese, ensuring they are not drawn to the farmers' land.
.
It is solutions like these that enable the coexistence of human society and nature, the balance that we once had. Respect and appreciation for both parties combined with a little innovation mean that we can provide both a space for wildlife and support our own growing populations.
The quaint but beautiful Mersea Island...
Comments