Vinters Vallet Park Trust
AGM & Wildlife Meeting

Warden's Speech 2009

Below is a copy of the speech by Steve Songhurst (Reserve Warden) from the 2009 AGM & Wildlife Meeting.

Due to copyright laws we are unable to publish the poem that was included in this speech.

"Last year as a country we came close to economic ruin, because we thought we knew the value of money, but did not understand the cost to society of its subsequent mismanagement.

This has bought hardship and a tightening of everyone's financial belts, whether as individuals, families, governments or indeed charities. Not a good time then for me to be asking you for help to keep the reserve going.

In New Zealand, the Maori culture has a concept called 'Kaitiakitanga'. This is the concept that every generation is a custodian of the environment and all its natural resources, and has a responsibility to protect that environment for the next generation. Historically, in western cultures, particularly over the last 50 - 60 years, we have perhaps demonstrated the opposite and seem to be hell bent on spending our children's inheritance, as if it is our own birth right, often to the cost of both our local and the global environment. Like a Belle De Jour's nightly activities the immediate monetary gains might be easy to measure, but the longer term psychological cost is not.

As a species, humans, have for all but the last 10,000 years lived in a world where nature has been bountiful and rich in diversity. Civilisation has bought us many gains, not least in our ability to grab a greater percentage of the earth's resources, but at a cost to other species ability to survive. For most of the history of civilisation nature has seemed to be so vast that any idea's about its fragility, were seen as laughable. Certainly when Charles Darwin published the Origin of Species, 150 years ago, the idea that humans could cause long term damage to the global environment was unlikely to have been in Darwin' s thoughts .

But as custodians we are failing, and it is very likely that future generations will not be able to experience the full beauty of nature as we now can. However we need to take the time to appreciate what we have available to us today , often on our own doorstep .

There are two ways of enjoying nature (according to Simon Barnes in How to be wild - ISBN 978-1-906021-48-1), one way is to seek it out in special places : the east African plains, the Canadian wilderness, even special reserves in Kent like Dungeness. The other is to take note of all that is around you and closer to home and this is where Vinters Valley Nature Reserve comes in and why it is so important .

In today's hectic life there seems to be less opportunity to come into contact with nature on a daily basis. If you visit Vinters Valley you can rediscover the wilderness hidden deep within you and make nature a regular experience not a special treat. Generations ago our ancestors would have sought peace in centres of civilisation - town and cities - free from the 'dangers' of the countryside. Nowadays we have reversed this situation and seek peace in nature, free from the destructive powers of the town and city".

"So why should you pay towards the up keep of the reserve ?

• Because if you believe that you have every right to still hear the birds singing, feel the breeze that caresses the trees , to watch the butterflies fly amongst the flowers, these you can still experience in Vinters Valley Nature Reserve .
  
  
• Because if you believe that the Maori's are right in their understanding that we are all custodians of nature's bounty and have a responsibility to protect this for our children and grandchildren, then I ask you to demonstrate your responsibility by protecting Vinters Valley Nature Reserve .
  
  
• Because if you believe that there is a hidden psychological cost in not experiencing nature on a daily basis, then consider the cost to your own well being should the reserve disappear .

I would ask to visit the reserve and experience the joy's of having nature so close to you. Maybe you will rekindle your love for nature and what the reserve represents and you will also wish to become a 'friend of the reserve' and financially help with our efforts to provide a nature reserve that you and the people of Maidstone are proud to protect, on behalf of future generations and so fulfill the Maori concept of Kaitaikitanga".

Protect Vinters Valley Nature Reserve by becoming a 'friend of the reserve' and play your part in passing it on in good health to the next generation..remember It the Earth was not given to us by our parents, it was loaned to us by our children!

Steve Songhurst - Warden

For more details on how to become a member of the reserve please click here