Flooding.......is the result of GREED

That must be why they cut all the trees down in Sudan and Ehiopia. Thirsty lot those old oaks.

 

Oak trees or any other native British tree do not grow in areas such as the Somerset Levels when the levels are in their natural state.
Too wet - willows will grow on the fringes of these wetland areas.

 

DEFRA is responsible for EA policy. This in turn is partly due to EU policy. The EA policy has for some years accepted it can't protect every part of floodable land in the UK. Some land has already been 'setback'. In the Humber estuary some small areas of land have been allowed to flood following a lot of engineering work. A lot of this land was prime farming land. Some of it is permanently flooded. Farmers objecting had little choice, as compulsory purchase orders on the land meant that they would lose it regardless. This in turn protected small villages and other farming land in the area.

Truth is a gain from less flooding due to flood protection in an area prone to it doesn't mean everyone gains. Sadly some people lose out. Equally, small villages/properties that might flood are often 'sacrificed' in the favour of larger populations.

Given a limited budget they have to make hard decisions. To those who rubbish tax avoidance and evasion I'd ask that they reconsider their view.

 

Funnily enough this just published, talks about the above and why wetlands and salt marshes are much better value than flood barriers.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/07/should-coastal-britain-surrender-to-tide

 

I don't wish to appear heartless because I feel sorry for the villagers that are suffering, but, there was a woman farmer weeping and saying the heart is being ripped out of our community and it isn't right, yea, right, I bet when the witch was decimating the likes of Goldthorpe and Grimethorp she was cheering her on from side lines. I had relatives, via marriage, that were farmers in Peterboro and I spent a lot of time there and I can confirm that the majority I came into contact were selfish self serving barstewards, I heard one of em spouting off during the strike saying " miners, set of greedy so and so's, I'd shoot em all tomorrow " the idiot didn't even know what the strike was about, thought they were striking for more money, didn't make any difference when I explained the truth, so as they say, I made my excuse and left before I spoiled my manners.

 

Why should we subsidise the farming industry while other major industries have closed because they couldn't pay for themselves.

Errm I know at least one profitable major industry that was run down and now closed. Just that

 

Just checking who you think the tax payer is......

Top 5% pay 50% of tax.....

Those 5% will be the Tory supporting millionaires then. Wanting their own hard earned cash back I'm guessing.

Mind you - this has made me laugh. Thatcher responsible for heavy rain after she died...

You can't make this **** up! comedy gold.

 

Direct or indirect taxes ?

Also what is the source of your figures as I can't be arsed to google at this time of night

 

I blame Simon Davey and Tom Kennedy.

 

You are right, that was a layman's example to illustrate the damage of wood and forest clearance. The south downs has always been problematic, low lying territories. If you read about Alfred the great in the 9th century, you will learn it was the same then. He used the marshlands as a retreat, while he gathered his forces to beat up the Vikings.

 

Probably too busy talking about cricket

 

This is the correct spelling of Ethiopia. And it is also generally referred to as 'the' Sudan, as the word has other connotations. We were talking about flooding in the Uk lowlands, not droughts on the African continent. But many thanks for your reply.

 

Hehehehehe my mrs said the same the other day! !!!!

 

I can take you to an inland sea in Yorkshire that's about 12 miles long and about a mile wide which forms by flooding every year.
Is it in the news - no
Why, because there hasn't been a land grab on there by farmers trying to cultivate it.
That is to say - if the Somerset Levels were mostly in their natural state then flooding there wouldn't be a problem no matter how much rain we had

There are places to plough and places not to plough........Somerset Levels falls into the latter

 

On a serious note Ethiopia and the Sudan were ruined bu youths burning trees to remove bees and get their honey. Ref. "the Wind of Morning" by colonel Sir Hugh Boustead.