Representation by Ian D Macfadyen
- Date submitted
- 16 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
IN THE 1970/80/90'S I SPENT MUCH OF MY TIME IN THE SURREY/SUSSEX WOODS, (CHIDDINGFOLD FOREST) STUDYING BUTTERFLIES. SINCE THEN A NUMBER OF SPECIES HAVE BECOME EXTINCT. I RECENTLY HELD A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE HAVING VISITED THE WOODS AGAIN, OUR CONVERSATION WAS CENTRED ON THE DEPLETED INSECT POPULATION & THE REASONS WHY THIS MIGHT BE. THE OTHER PARTY REFERRED TO POLLUTION, INSECTICIDES, CLIMATE CHANGE, & LACK OF SUITABLE HABITAT, (THE USUAL SUSPECTS). HOWEVER, I NOTICED HOW WE HAD TO KEEP PAUSING OUR CONVERSATION EVERY TIME AN AIRCRAFT PASSED OVERHEAD, WHICH WAS EVERY 2 OR 3 MINUTES. I POINTED OUT THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE DISCERNABLE POLLUTION, NO INSECTICIDES ARE USED IN THE FOREST, CLIMATE CHANGE WON'T HAVE ANY NOTICEABLE IMPACT ON BUTTERFLIES WHICH DON'T NEED SPECIFIC CONDITIONS IN WHICH TO SURVIVE, (SUCH AS THE SMALL MOUNTAIN RINGLET BEING UNABLE TO SURVIVE BELOW A CERTAIN ALTITUDE FOR EXAMPLE), AND THAT THE AREA IS FAIRLY EXTENSIVE SO LACK OF SUITABLE HABITAT IS UNLIKELY TO BE A FACTOR. IN MY VIEW, FALL-OUT FROM PLANES PASSING OVERHEAD COVERING THE FOODPLANTS OF BUTTERFLIES, ON WHICH THE LARVA FEED, IS FAR MORE LIKELY TO BE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THEIR DEMISE. PLANES FLY ALL OVER THE UK OF COURSE, BUT THE CHANGE IN STATUS OF BUTTERFLY SPECIES IN THE SURREY/SUSSEX CHIDDINGFOLD FOREST AREA WAS NOTICEABLE & FAIRLY QUICK, (MARSH FRITILLARY, PEARL BORDERED FRITILLARY, SMALL PEARL BORDERED FRITILLARY & GRIZZLED SKIPPER LOST WITHIN A FEW YEARS BY THE MID 1980'S). IF ANYONE IS SERIOUS ABOLUT PROTECTING OUR WILDLIFE, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PLANES BY ENLARGING GATWICKS' INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOING TO HARM NATURE EVEN MORE THAN IT HAS BEEN ALREADY. SECONDLY, IT WAS A BLESSING DURING COVID LOCK-DOWN TO ENJOY THE PEACE & TRANQUILITY AS A RESULT OF THE THE LACK OF PLANES. GRANTED WE AREN'T TROUBLED BY THEM TOO MUCH WHERE WE LIVE AT MILFORD, BUT FEAR WE MIGHT BE SHOULD GATWICK BE PERMITTED TO EXPAND. WE USE GATWICK OURSELVES FAIRLY REGULARLY, THE FLIGHTS AVAILABLE ARE SUFFICIENT AND ANY MORE WILL INCREASE TRAFFIC ON THE SURROUNDING ROADS, & MAKE THE TERMINALS THAT MUCH BUSIER. IT'S UNNECESSARY TO DO THIS - BUILDING A NEW RUNWAY, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS, ETC., IS SIMPLY A PLOY TO GAIN MORE PROFIT, NOT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY NEEDS IT. IT ALSO MAKES A NONSENSE OF THE GOVERNMENTS COMMITMENT TO REVERSE CLIMATE CHANGE. I WHOLE-HEARTEDLY OBJECT TO THE PROPOSAL!