Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
12
Aug
'Guerrilla gardener' in Harrogate woods falls foul of council's conservation policy
A Harrogate resident’s attempt to beautify a patch of public woodland has fallen foul of council policy on conservation.
When a bin was removed from Oak Beck Park, off Skipton Road, Israel Boyd was so disgusted by the sight of rubbish and dog waste piling up that he decided to take action.
He said:
I cleared the mess. I repaired the broken fence along the path. And in its place, I installed simple raised flower beds – nothing extravagant, just a few timbers and soil, planted with hardy, cheerful flowers purchased from the nearby garden centre just down the lane.
My goal wasn’t just to tidy up but to shift the energy of the space from neglect to care. I wanted people to walk into the park and feel something – hope, pride, beauty.
Rubbish had piled up.
Mr Boyd, who spends long periods working overseas on offshore oil projects, said that he also received support from other visitors to the park. He said:
As I worked, I spoke to local dog walkers. Some had unknowingly contributed to the mess. All were supportive. Several commented on how lovely it looked. People smiled. One gentleman even offered to water it while I was away.
But three months later, while he was in Saudi Arabia, Mr Boyd heard that the flowers had been removed and a sign warning of non-native species left in their place. Yet a bag of dog waste had not been removed.
The council removed the non-native species.
Mr Boyd said:
Someone from the council had been sent – presumably on the public payroll – to remove donated flowers planted in compost bought from a local nursery, to post a bureaucratic warning, and then leave actual waste behind.
This isn’t environmental protection. This is a lack of common sense.
'We are trying to protect native flora and fauna'
But North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of environment, Karl Battersby, said there was a good reason why the plants had been removed.
He told the Stray Ferret:
Our countryside volunteer rangers spend a lot of time removing invasive species from our sites. They can cause damage and a loss of biodiversity to sensitive and very important habitats and ecosystems. We need to protect the natural environment from disease and pests.
Any plant not growing naturally within a specific site is considered to be an invasive species if we do not know where it has come from or have a record.
Mr Boyd's actions could be classed as "guerrilla gardening", which is the act of cultivating plants in public spaces without permission. But such community initiatives are most frequently carried out in neglected or abandoned urban areas, rather than natural, countryside settings, where they may be ecological implications.
The Royal Horticultural Society advises against planting non-native species in the wild, and says that those that are invasive can outcompete native plants, change ecosystems and be expensive to eradicate. It advises that gardeners should take steps to prevent them escaping into the wild.
Mr Battersby said there were no sanctions in place for “guerrilla gardeners” who take matters into their own hands, and that the council wanted to work with people.
He added:
However, in Oak Beck, we are trying to protect the native flora and fauna and are looking to register it as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. Therefore, we will remove any introduced species.
We will often leave a sign, allowing people to remove the plants, although in Oak Beck the plants had started to seed and needed to be removed quickly. A sign was left explaining this situation along with contact details, but so far nobody has been in touch.
The sign left by the council.
'I urge the council to reconsider'
But Mr Boyd accused the council of “bureaucratic over-reach" and added:
This was a tidy, managed bed of flowers where dog excrement used to pile up. And more importantly – it was a community effort. Not a complaint, not graffiti, not protest. It was an act of civic pride.
I urge the council to reconsider its priorities and to engage with residents who are trying – quietly, constructively – to make things better.
But although Mr Boyd urged the council to engage with residents, it appears that he had not engaged with the council.
Mr Battersby said:
Volunteers and community groups play a wonderful role in helping us look after our open spaces. We are sorry Mr Boyd was disappointed and we would encourage him to get in touch with us if he would like to get involved and work with us on any projects.
We try really hard to listen to community ideas and to work with residents to make sure they are right for the location, affordable, achievable and that they represent the wishes of the wider community.
We thank Mr Boyd for taking the time and trouble to care about the environment and clear this part of the site up. While we appreciate his contribution, we ask anyone wanting to do anything like this to have a chat with us first.
0