[Diggers350] Sat24Nov - RUNNYMEDE - Land & Freedom gathering

[david bangs]

The description Simon gives of the Runnymede site as "disused land" is wholly misleading. The site is, in fact, ancient woodland, a description which is used to denote woodland with a likely ecological continuity back to the year 1600. 

After a long and uphill struggle conservationists have, in recent years,succeeded in getting recognition in national planning procedures for the value of ancient woodland, with a presumption that it not be developed. 

The implication, therefore, that this is an appropriate site for 'low impact', or any other settled development, is disingenuous at best.

Indeed, Simon's use of language places him in the best tradition of predatory developers...who specialise in such disimulating language.

NO relict semi-natural habitat, be it ancient woodland, heath, archaic grassland, wetland, or wotever, should be homesteaded.

It's exhausting enough having to fight mainstream capitalist developers without having to fight daft folk on our side who should know better...

Dave Bangs


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Simon Moore 
  To: Gareth Newnham 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 7:03 PM
  Subject: [Diggers350] Sat24Nov - RUNNYMEDE - Land & Freedom gathering


    

  Hello, 

  You
  are invited to the Land & Freedom Gathering which is taking place 
  at Runnymede Eco-Village, near Englefield Green, Surrey on Saturday 24th
  November. All ages are welcome. 
  A full schedule of the days event can be seen below. 
  For directions, transport information and a map please visit: www.diggers2012.wordpress.com/map 

  Schedule for the Land & Freedom Gathering. 

  Hot
  drinks will be available.  Please bring food and refreshments if you 
  can.  We recommend wearing suitable footwear as it can get muddy.
  Its all free. We welcome donations.

   12-4 p.m workshops.

  -Spoon Carving & Green Wood-working.  Julian.
  -Clay Sculpture- Stephen Vince.
  -Make your own waterproofing naturally- Phillipa Auton.
  -Introduction to Permaculture- Andy B + Matyas.

  4-6 p.m Talks in the Geodome.

  up to 20 minutes each + questions + discussion.
  -’Why land
  rights are civil rights’: Kevin Cahill author of Who Owns Britain.
  -’The radical history of Egham + Diggers’: Prof Justin Champion Royal Holloway Uni.
  -’Planning law, land and livelihoods’: Mike Hannis, The Land Magazine.
  -’Internet livestream feed from Ghana’: Mawukofi, Communities of Resistance, Ghana.

  6.30-7.30 p.m spoken word & music jam.

  7.45-9.00 p.m bike powered cinema 

  About Runnymede Eco-village:

  Runnymede
  Eco-village is home to a group of people attempting to live in a low 
  impact sustainable community established on Friday 15th June. It is 
  located on the disused land of the former Brunel University Runnymede 
  Campus which has remained vacant since being purchased by property 
  developers 7 years ago. Since being on the land, we have built low 
  impact structures, dug a well and set up renewable energy production 
  systems.

  For more info on the project, please visit:
  www.diggers2012.wordpress.com


  
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